"The V-Word"
Andrea Francese
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: Impact Staff Blogs
March 18 - She Said the V-Word, OH NO!
Words are just words, right? So why do words evoke so much emotion from people? Certain words are taboo, of course there are the standard and traditional expletives we aren't allowed to print or utter, but what about words that technically shouldn't be considered taboo. Like body parts and the ever-controversial V-oh I can't say it- evoke such emotion from people that there controversial, but why?? They're just body parts.
The Vagina Monologues became a hit because it was so controversial. The title alone evoked giggles from even the most sophisticated and trendy. In 1996 it was the play to see and the word '_____' still got giggles and emotion from people. People have begrudgingly accepted the term since the plays 1996 opening date, but the John Jay High School Administration in Clear River missed the memo.
Three students were suspended for using the word 'v_____' during a reading of a Vagina Monologues excerpt. Yeah boys and girls, scratch your head about that. They were allowed to read from the Vagina Monologues out loud at an assembly but were asked to omit the word Vagina. I don't know much about the play but I have a feeling the word might just be a staple in the entire thing.
So why are words so controversial when they shouldn't be? Does society create drama were it need not exist? Have we become so uptight that we fear offending people so much that we've made normal common words offensive and sexualized? We are in a world that sensors the word 'vagina' but allows musicians to sing about sex, drugs and violence.
Its hypocrisy at it's finest.
Words are just words, right? So why do words evoke so much emotion from people? Certain words are taboo, of course there are the standard and traditional expletives we aren't allowed to print or utter, but what about words that technically shouldn't be considered taboo. Like body parts and the ever-controversial V-oh I can't say it- evoke such emotion from people that there controversial, but why?? They're just body parts.
The Vagina Monologues became a hit because it was so controversial. The title alone evoked giggles from even the most sophisticated and trendy. In 1996 it was the play to see and the word '_____' still got giggles and emotion from people. People have begrudgingly accepted the term since the plays 1996 opening date, but the John Jay High School Administration in Clear River missed the memo.
Three students were suspended for using the word 'v_____' during a reading of a Vagina Monologues excerpt. Yeah boys and girls, scratch your head about that. They were allowed to read from the Vagina Monologues out loud at an assembly but were asked to omit the word Vagina. I don't know much about the play but I have a feeling the word might just be a staple in the entire thing.
So why are words so controversial when they shouldn't be? Does society create drama were it need not exist? Have we become so uptight that we fear offending people so much that we've made normal common words offensive and sexualized? We are in a world that sensors the word 'vagina' but allows musicians to sing about sex, drugs and violence.
Its hypocrisy at it's finest.
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