Vagina is a bad Word

piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
If saying the Word "Vagina" is so bad, then why were they reading this play in a High School to begin with? If the school thought the content of the play was too adult a topic, then maybe they should not have been reading the play?????

Sounds like the school had a Liberal Agenda and it got out of control.

I have never read it or seen it myself. However, there are a lot of other Plays written that they could have been studying.

Quote Below:

Schoolgirls Suspended for Saying 'Vagina' During Reading of 'Vagina Monologues'
Tuesday, March 06, 2007

E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
CROSS RIVER, New York ? A public high school has suspended three girls who disobeyed officials by saying the word "vagina" during a reading from a well-known feminist play.

The students, Megan Reback, Elan Stahl and Hannah Levinson, included the word during their reading of "The Vagina Monologues" because, "It wasn't crude and it wasn't inappropriate and it was very real and very pure," Reback said.

Their defiant stand is being applauded by the play's author, who said Tuesday that the school should be celebrating, rather than punishing, the three juniors.

"Don't we want our children to resist authority when it's not appropriate and wise?" said Eve Ensler, author of "The Vagina Monologues."

The excerpt from "Monologues" was read Friday night, among various readings at an event sponsored by the literary magazine at John Jay High School in Cross River, a New York City suburb. Among the other readings was a student's original work and the football coach quoting Shakespeare.

(Story continues below)

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The girls took turns reading the excerpt until they came to the word, then said it together.

"My short skirt is a liberation flag in the women's army," they read. "I declare these streets, any streets, my vagina's country."

The play, presented as various women's thoughts about sexual subjects, has become a phenomenon since its Off-Broadway opening in 1996. All-star readings are common, and on "V-Day" each year ? usually Feb. 14? it is often performed by volunteers and college students to battle violence against women.

The suspension outraged some parents, who circulated an e-mail calling the punishment a "blatant attempt at censorship."

But Principal Richard Leprine said Tuesday that the girls were punished because they disobeyed orders, not because of what they said.

The event was open to the community, including children, and the word was not appropriate, Leprine said in a statement. He said the girls had been told when they auditioned that they could not use the word.

The school "recognizes and respects student freedom of expression," Leprine said. "That right, however, is not unfettered."

"When a student is told by faculty members not to present specified material because of the composition of the audience and they agree to do so, it is expected that the commitment will be honored and the directive will be followed," he said. "When a student chooses not to follow the directive, consequences follow."

Bob Lichtenfeld, superintendent of the Katonah-Lewisboro school district, which includes John Jay, said that had the teens, who are in their third year of high school, wanted to perform the play, they would probably not have encountered opposition.

"As long as the intended audience knows what to expect, we don't have a problem with it."

Reback told The Journal News, "I think almost everyone can agree it's important to uphold the integrity of literature and not change or alter it." Ensler said the girls were right for "standing up for art and against censorship."

"The school's position is absurd, a throwback to the Dark Ages," she said. "So what, if children were to hear the word? Would that be terrible? We're not talking about plutonium here, or acid rain, a word that destroys lives. It's a body part!"

"Monologue" performances occasionally provoke controversy.

Conservative Catholics criticized the University of Notre Dame's decision to allow a performance on campus last April. This year, student planners could not get an academic sponsor.


 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,329
30,357
146
This country gives me a new reason to puke every day. Who the ****** thinks vagina is a bad word???? Why do we let fundies get involved in education?

This is asinine.
 

catnap1972

Platinum Member
Aug 10, 2000
2,607
0
76
Originally posted by: piasabird
If saying the Word "Vagina" is so bad, then why were they reading this play in a High School to begin with? If the school thought the content of the play was too adult a topic, then maybe they should not have been reading the play?????

Sounds like the school had a Far Right Wacko Fundamentalist Agenda and it got out of control.

Fixed for correctness. As the other poster said, this is just the thing that gets the fundies undies soaked with rage.
 

jman19

Lifer
Nov 3, 2000
11,222
658
126
What exactly was the liberal agenda here? To read the Vagina Monologues?
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
142
116
Don't they say vagina in health class?

Or maybe they call it 'va-jay-jay'.
 

fskimospy

Elite Member
Mar 10, 2006
86,220
51,792
136
Why is it that every time a school official acts retarded it has to be a sign of either a Far Right Agenda Of Censorship or Political Correctness Run Amok Damnthoseamericahatingliberalsohgodtheywanttheterroriststowin.

The administration there put themselves in an untenable position. They gave those girls a stupid order, not to read from a widely known play. When the girls disobeyed they could either do nothing and undermine their authority... or suspend them. They made a stupid threat, and had to follow through.

Now they will get the bad press they so richly deserve for their stupidity. Can't we just leave it at that?
 

JellyBaby

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2000
9,159
1
81
Originally posted by: piasabird
Schoolgirls Suspended for Saying 'Vagina' During Reading of 'Vagina Monologues'

It's like making a commercial to promote Pepsi but without being able to use the word "pepsi". Yes, it can be done. You can use imagery, although in the case of the Vagina Monologues that brings to mind some really pinko ideas.
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
He said the girls had been told when they auditioned that they could not use the word.

they knew the rules when they auditioned and chose to break them. they should be punished.

sorta like when noobs break HOA rules then bitch because they broke the rule because they didnt like it but were fully aware of them before they bought the house. :roll:
 

Zedtom

Platinum Member
Nov 23, 2001
2,146
0
0
There usually is a faculty sponsor who has to approve of these things, and the left wing agenda pushers are just as strident as the right wing reactionaries.

I love to see the American children under eighteen demand their constitutional rights. We guarantee rights to people who are in this country illegally.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: piasabird
If saying the Word "Vagina" is so bad, then why were they reading this play in a High School to begin with?

If the school thought the content of the play was too adult a topic, then maybe they should not have been reading the play?????

Sounds like the school had a Liberal Agenda and it got out of control.
=====================================================
Conservative Catholics criticized the University of Notre Dame's decision to allow a performance on campus last April.

This year, student planners could not get an academic sponsor.

You partisan radical right wing hacks are way out of control these days.

How do you get "Liberal Agenda" out of control from a Conservative Catholic performance?
 

Fern

Elite Member
Sep 30, 2003
26,907
173
106
Originally posted by: eskimospy
Why is it that every time a school official acts retarded it has to be a sign of either a Far Right Agenda Of Censorship or Political Correctness Run Amok Damnthoseamericahatingliberalsohgodtheywanttheterroriststowin.

The administration there put themselves in an untenable position. They gave those girls a stupid order, not to read from a widely known play. When the girls disobeyed they could either do nothing and undermine their authority... or suspend them. They made a stupid threat, and had to follow through.

Now they will get the bad press they so richly deserve for their stupidity. Can't we just leave it at that?

Well said :thumbsup:
 

OrByte

Diamond Member
Jul 21, 2000
9,303
144
106
Originally posted by: eskimospy
Why is it that every time a school official acts retarded it has to be a sign of either a Far Right Agenda Of Censorship or Political Correctness Run Amok Damnthoseamericahatingliberalsohgodtheywanttheterroriststowin.

The administration there put themselves in an untenable position. They gave those girls a stupid order, not to read from a widely known play. When the girls disobeyed they could either do nothing and undermine their authority... or suspend them. They made a stupid threat, and had to follow through.

Now they will get the bad press they so richly deserve for their stupidity. Can't we just leave it at that?

sounds good to me man.

 

Theb

Diamond Member
Feb 28, 2006
3,533
9
76
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Don't they say vagina in health class?

Or maybe they call it 'va-jay-jay'.

I believe the preferred term is "that wickedness between your legs" but other acceptable terms include: 'sin hole' 'shame hole' 'bad place' and 'hoo-hoo'
 

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
126
Originally posted by: Theb
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Don't they say vagina in health class?

Or maybe they call it 'va-jay-jay'.

I believe the preferred term is "that wickedness between your legs" but other acceptable terms include: 'sin hole' 'shame hole' 'bad place' and 'hoo-hoo'

LOL.
 

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
Originally posted by: Citrix
Originally posted by: Theb
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Don't they say vagina in health class?

Or maybe they call it 'va-jay-jay'.

I believe the preferred term is "that wickedness between your legs" but other acceptable terms include: 'sin hole' 'shame hole' 'bad place' and 'hoo-hoo'

LOL.

I thought the whole point was to pretend that it doesn't exist in the first place, at least until the woman is married (at which point it is recognized and is to be used solely for the purpose of having children, under the supervision and guidance of local clergy.)

I think Theb wins the forums for today. :thumbsup:
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
81
Originally posted by: jpeyton
Don't they say vagina in health class?

Or maybe they call it 'va-jay-jay'.

When I had health class many many years ago in HS not only did we learn about vaginas but also about penises. We even learned the result of both frolicking together. What is wrong with people these days?
 

Jeff7

Lifer
Jan 4, 2001
41,596
19
81
Originally posted by: randomint
pretty funny for a country with a $10 billion porn industry!
But in porn, you rarely hear the word "vagina" used.;)