In another thread I happened to mention the word V A G I N A. This was censored out by the bulletin board system and it got me thinking? Are us desis really that afraid to talk about the female body that we go around completely ignoring it?
Why is it such a taboo? Does the mere hearing/reading of the word V A G I N A inflict dirty thoughts into our minds? If it does, there is something very wrong with our collective selves. Why are our women taught from early on that their bodies are shameful and the only purpose it serves is to pleasure her husband, spit out kids, and breast feed them.
The sad part is that most women accept this taboo, this shame. They live a life of guilt for having any sexual thoughts or feelings, which is just a natural progression of life. And then we wonder…
Pah!! The really silly thing was that the bulletin board did not censor the word L E S B I A N. Apparantly it’s ok to be a lesbian as long as you don’t have a V A G I N A.
What so righteous in talking about a women's body in public? Would doing so make us liberal or maybe the women more liberal? Secondly, are you debating on censoring any words regarding women's body or just this word in particular?
And Azkar bhai needs to give you a lecture on how the bulletin board censorship works. Maybe that will clear up some of your misconceptions.
SO it's all or nothing with you people eh? Did I say that I want people running around talking about their privates? No I didn't. I DID say that people should have a right to talk about it if they wish without any feelings of shame.
Do you know that women in pakistan don't even get regular pap-smears or other regular physical exams relating to their ovaries and cervix? Did you know that a pap-smear can early detect cervical cancer and treat it successfully in a majority of the cases? I bet you didn't because it's wrong to talk about a woman's body, hawww hai. Women are so ashamed of their parts, they don't even talk about them for medical reasons.
You two geniuses need to read what I wrote, I never said that people should talk about these things in public you, just that women should have the right NOT to feel shame about a god given body. Jeez. Any women here that might want to respond?
And please don't talk to me about how bulleting board censorship works, I know all about it.
any of those get censored? I guess the words make people giggle a little, but it shouldn't be shameful. When I buy Tampons I'm not scared to carry them in the open. What's the point of pretending something doesn't exist if everyone has one. This one girl described her trip to a Gyno in detail and no one cringed. In 9th grade we had Family Life Class (that's the PC name for sex ed) and I sat right in front of my crush. In 10th grade we talked about cancer and babies and masturbating and condoms right in class. But whatever, I live in America. I think people are afraid of these words because they imply sex. And last time I checked... sex was taboo in your culture.
actually, i noticed a while ago - but couldnt' bother with the complaining:
pinus doesnt' get censored.
v*gina does.
it's kinda intersting to note don't you think.
anyway .. for getting rid of the mentality in having 'that shame' of the female body..or the type of attitude we should go on thinking about it.. read The V*gina Monolgue you guys (yes, both guys and girls should read it). It's a very very good book..out on paperback too. U'll learn a lot from it. Females will change their own perspective of themselves (having more respect ..and vigilance of themselves) and guys will to (again, more respect, blah blah).
There's nothing bayhuda about the book. well, according to my standards at least...
[This message has been edited by aphrodite (edited February 16, 2002).]
The women that don't get the necessary sexual medical treatment are from that part of the society where any medical treatment is hard to come by. Their poverty is their sin not their shame!
Go by the ‘jhogi area’ (poor living in tents) or any other poor neighborhoods of Pakistan & you will find many men & women, who will be open to talk to you about their problems, medical, sexual, social or economical. Their choices of words in expressing their frustrations are far more liberal than any of us can ever imagine.
Lastly, search for a thread in this very Corner Room about birth control, and maybe that will change your view on desis's talking about sex & censorship on this bulletin board.
There is ignorance also about the male body. You can learn about it if you are really interested. There are plenty of books. And if you have a real question you can ask it here, I am sure.
But in normal everyday conversation with people you don't know well, there is no point adding the names of organs with a reproductive function, or indeed any other function, (who would talk about their ileum or esophagus or inner ear?) unless there is need and then only with those who need to know, possibly in order to get advice... not as a part of social chit chat.
interesting? i would say its sexism. If v@agina is something to be ashamed of so does the penis....censoring of words like **** i can understand but v@gina??
i wonder whether the board censors the words like intercourse, coitus or copulation???
Anyways aphro, i thought you might like to know HBO is playing the series "V@gina Monologues" these days in which Eve Ensler herself is performing the excerpts from the play and talking about the whole creative process involved in its creation and her interviews with other women and a lot more stuff any woman would like to hear :--)....i am sure u'll like it too....she is one helluva performer:--)
and last but not least how/where are u kurriye?
My wife is part of an OBGYN interest group and she is putting up the V A G I N A Monologues here with permission from the owners of the show. The owners of the show are in the habit of letting non profit organizations put up the show without paying royalties as long as the proceeds go to charity. That should be interesting.
cheesegod must point out that in many cultures cheese is considered a higly taboo thing as it implies food, which implies milk, which is relating to female milk producing glands that make human males so attracted and aroused ... therefore in certain parts of violpian desert .. if u yell ** CHEEEEEEESE **... nomad males just faint
Yeah actually I caught the monologue show off hbo the other night (I was really excited when it was about to start).
But my reaction was different this time.
Lucky thing that I read its paperback long long time ago .. so I already knew what was coming.
The author .. is one helluva actor. (!)
I think you're 100% right. The female body has been shunned for too long in Pakistani society and its only led to an increase in pent up desires. This is exactly why we have street romeos in Pakistan. Ya know, the guys with hair slicked back with coconut tehl, and cheap musk, and a shirt that says "woah, back up"?
I was just telling my mom today, who was asking me when I first went to a sex ed class - hehe her memory is horrible - becuase she doesn't feel comfortable about sending my sister to a sex-ed class. Okay, the chic is past puberty and my parents still feel she's not old enough. And you know what I told them? Honestly, I read an article in an Islamic magazine out here in the US. Well, the Propher Muhammed himself encouraged sex talks between parents and kids and the idea of educated sex talks in public and other discussions based on the sexual aspect of human life was accepted by the Prophet himself. I mean, honestly, Islam is based on science heavily and it would only make sense that something like open discussions on sexuality should be permitted with full use of the proper scientific terms. The word vagina wasn't coined in the slums of some red-light area. Its used in science and thus is no BAD word.
And even if we leave religion out of it -- every human needs to know about the sexuality of man and woman. How else are u supposed to properly respect a person of the opposite sex?? I suppose its the fear of if we become open about sex, then everyone is going to be experimenting out in the open like out here in the west. Well, here's some news. People out east are in full throtle with experimentation. I hear condoms are quite available in large quantities in pakistan. Hmm...that's telling you something about the sexual activity of teenagers. If you dont educate the public about female genitilia then men will feel compelled to do a little scouting themselves.
I'm perfectly comfortable and happy with my vagina! There...censor THAT.
Stephie quote:And last time I checked… sex was taboo in your culture.
Where in the world did you get that from??
Having sex before marriage is forbidden as is having sex with any one but your spouse is forbidden in Islam (as it is in Christianity and Judaism) and hence our Islamic culture. If that’staboo by your standards hey, I’m all for it!
Just becuase we don’t flaunt our sexuality as blatantly as Britney Spears and her likes doesn’t mean we negate our sexual being. To most of us it is something sacred, private and intimate only to be shared by our spouse instead of the whole world.
aahmed:
The reason most women in Pakistan do not go for papsmear and such tests is heavily related to the cost of these tests which are almost unheard of in our developing region. And then there is lack of education which promotes awareness about such tests which the West is only now realizing. And believe me, women do talk about their privates but mostly amongst very close personal friends
I've never had a pap smear in Pakistan, but last time I went there and I had some medical tests done, I found them to be cheaper than the same tests done in the united stated. Waaaaaay cheaper. Perhaps for Pakistan's population, these tests are expensive, but I doubt physicians can lower their prices - they have to cover their expenses as well.
They ought to start some program where poor people can get alllll the medical care taken care of....perhaps we ought to get our wealthy politicians to start up the fund.
In present day ,some body on Culture has a url for website of Muslim Kamshutra
Any body can Google pinus vagina Heluva ,clitoris,G Spot ,Orgasm,Areola,Hymen,Nipple ,Foot fetish,Midriff ,& many womans fantasies & get most pornographic illustration even without going top restricted Adult sites …its a joke to censor or call adult ste .Everyone these days have acess to similar degre of agreeable or disagreeable informations & illustrations !!