The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

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The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby Andrea » Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:50 am

The Vagina Monologues Reinforce the Existence of Patriarchy
by Andrea Lavigne
socialphysics@yahoo.com

The Vagina Monologues (TVM), is a book containing monologues of women’s “vagina experiences” recorded by Eve Ensler, author and activist. Ensler states in her book that her motivation for TVM grew out of her concern for an older woman who displayed contemptuous feelings about her vagina at a time when Ensler was longing to find a way back to her own vagina. TVM is also performed on stage as part of the V-Day Campaign, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.

While performances of TVM raise funds for victims of sexual and domestic violence, at the same time, it expresses postmodern Third Wave and Biological Reductionist “feminism.” Postmodern Third Wavers, a.k.a., “sex positivity feminists” spin reality into one’s perspective and simple narratives, co-opts and internalizes patriarchal notions and traditions, and cultivates pseudo-liberating solutions for sexuality. In bed with the postmodern Third Wavers are the Biological reductionist “feminists” who reduce women to their vaginas. In opposition to the postmodern Third Wave and Biological Reductionist agenda, Second Wave feminists identify with historical materialist reality, attempt to overthrow the patriarchal Capitalist social and economic material conditions in which women’s oppression is rooted, and struggle for full emancipation.

With all due respect, Ensler’s book provides us with a few serious monologues and some important “Vagina Facts.” These monologues discuss mass rape of Bosnian women; hysterectomies; cold gynecological exams; rape of a ten-year-old by her father’s friend; and, childbirth. The “Vagina Facts” cover: 1. A woman, during a witch trial, was considered a witch by a lawyer because of her half-inch sized clitoris; 2. A clitoris contains 8000 nerve fibers; and, 3– 5. Mention of the practice of genital mutilation. While many additional “Vagina Facts” are included in the performances, presentation of such serious subject matters takes second place to the gratuitous, vagina-centric monologues like reclaiming the words “CUNT” and “VAGINA” and faking orgasms.

For the sake of criticism, I have selected monologues from the book and performances which promote sexual objectification, prostitution myths, and predatory behavior. My criticisms are meant to promote dialogue, awareness, and direction toward women’s liberation.

Monologues that Promote Sexual Objectification
Reclaiming Cunt
This monologue is by a subject who plays around with the phonetics, “C C CA CA, Cunt” primarily as an attempt to bring back the ancient pro-woman meaning of the word “Cunt” and secondarily for shock value. However, in today’s patriarchal Capitalist climate inundated with pornography, rampant pimping of women and children into prostitution, and mass rape, the word “cunt” will lack ancient meaning as long as we remain in this patriarchal economic and social order. More constructive is for us to reclaim the action word, “L L, Li, lib, Liber, Liberat, Liberation.”

The Vagina Workshop
The “WOMAN = VAGINA” biological reductionist message is very clear in this monologue. A vagina workshop participant discovers that her clitoris “was me, the essence of me.” The vagina workshop leader convinces this participant that her vagina is “the essence of me, both the doorbell to my house and the house itself.” Furthermore, the participant poeticizes her vagina “My vagina is a shell, a tulip, and a destiny. I am arriving as I am beginning to leave. My vagina, my vagina, me.” This biological reductionism is a pathetic recurring theme as Ensler desperately attempts to establish feelings of sisterhood based on a common biology. This sexual objectification is exactly what the suffragettes were fighting against. Pioneers Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, and others fought long and hard so women would be empowered--not by their sexual anatomy--but by their minds. Empowerment does not consist of staring at your vagina in the mirror and weeping or exulting. I think the suffragettes would be pissed if they saw this empowerment scam.

Because He Liked To Look At It
In this creepy segment of Ensler’s, we learn that this guy Bob is “ordinary, boring, and unappealing,” that is, until his date discovers his one redeeming quality -- an obsession with vaginas. Bob voyeuristically stares, analyzes, and fetishizes her crotch for over an hour. She discovers how “beautiful and erotic” her vagina is because a man obsessively appreciates it. She actually could have just removed her crotch from between her legs, set it on a pedestal in her foyer, and left the house while Creepy Bob remained. She gives Creepy Bob kudos for validating her sexuality and making her feel worthy through his creepy fetish.

A Monologue that Promotes the Prostitution Myth
The Woman Who Loved To Make Vaginas Happy
This is a monologue about a woman who leaves her career as an attorney to become a lesbian dominatrix prostitute specializing in the use of sexual props, i.e., whips, handcuffs, and ropes. Why did Ensler choose this fantastical “sex worker in charge” prostitution myth in her program? What agenda is Ensler promoting? Although she doesn’t use the term “sex worker” to describe this lesbian dominatrix prostitute, the content implicitly cultivates and promotes this “free will sex worker” false notion. This “free will sex worker” spin is highly promoted on stage by the actresses who fun-lovingly perform this monologue as a highlight of women’s empowerment. This “free will sex worker” myth is also propagated when the performer intensely revels in her one-woman grand finale of faking a series of her female johns’ multiple orgasms.

These postmodernist Third Wavers would also like us to believe that because a woman is role-playing as an “independent self-assured dominatrix”, that she is truly an independent self-assured dominatrix in full charge of the night. In reality, most women used in prostitution have pimps and johns who force them into this “independent self-assured dominatrix” role---which is dangerous for the woman because the “props” can easily be used against her in a real-life, fatal scenario. The postmodernist Third Wavers, pimps, johns, and other misogynists like to conceal the issues of economic and social coercion and force, and deny the harms of prostitution.

Monologues that Promote Predatory Behavior
I Asked A Six-Year Old Girl
Ensler asked a six-year old girl the following questions: “If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?”; “If it could speak, what would it say?”; “What does your vagina smell like?”; “What’s special about your vagina?” To the latter, Ensler quotes the six-year old girl as answering, “Somewhere deep inside it I know it has a really smart brain.” Not only do I find it hard to believe that parents would allow an adult to interrogate their first grader about her vagina, but also that a six-year old girl would know about somewhere deep inside her vagina. If a little girl knows about somewhere deep inside of her vagina, there is a good chance she was raped. This six-year old girl may need counseling from the trauma of rape and the re-traumatizing by Ensler. Imagine a male counterpart to this story: A middle-aged man asks a six-year old boy what is special about his penis. This would surely land him on a sex offender registry or in jail.

The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could
This is a monologue where an adult woman reflects back to the age of thirteen when she claims she was “sexually liberated by a twenty-four year old woman.” At age thirteen, the girl is coerced by a twenty-four year old woman into her car. The woman tongues the girl’s mouth, takes the girl into her house, plies her with vodka, and has sex with her. The now adult woman explained to Ensler, “She was my surprising, unexpected, politically incorrect salvation…transformed my sorry-ass coochi snorcher and raised it up into a kind of heaven.”

What puzzles me is that this rape is propagated as sexual liberation by Ensler, the rape survivor, and the many activist actresses who perform this monologue. We would all love to believe that sexual liberation was what truly happened for this thirteen-year old girl, for the sake of “adolescent vagina empowerment”, but it was undeniably rape according to healthy life stages of development and law. Furthermore, it is unethical and illegal to give a minor alcohol.

The notion of sexual liberation does not hold up anymore than it would if this was a story of a homoerotic curious thirteen-year old who was picked up by a twenty-four year old man, plied with alcohol, and anally penetrated.

What might be a scene from a public service kidnapping prevention video shown to schoolchildren becomes, in Ensler’s play, a love story.

Conclusion
TVM promotes a postmodern Third Wave and Biological Reductionist agenda of sexual objectification, prostitution myths, and predatory behavior. I find TVM patronizing in today’s era. What is even more incessantly patronizing is the “Vagina’s R Us” merchandise, such as the “Vagina Warrior” t-shirts, vagina-shaped chocolate suckers, “cunt power” stickers, and other vagina-centric paraphernalia. It is purely dated. Imagine the absurdity if this were a men’s global struggle movement where men walked around sucking on penis-shaped chocolate suckers. Why would I want to wear a “Vagina Warrior” t-shirt or suck a vagina-shaped chocolate sucker, unless I was trying to fulfill some heterosexist male fantasy, which won’t be happening anytime soon.

TVM expresses the view that in order to end violence against women, all we need do is tap into our “vagina power” and become “Vagina Warriors”. I believe we urgently need to elevate our struggle for the liberation of humanity. We need to abolish private ownership of land, animals and people (i.e., wage slavery, slavery, prostitution, domestic servitude) and the corresponding social relations of this production. We need to abolish the patriarchal institutions that buttress the patriarchal Capitalistic economic order. We need a mass movement to affirm our struggle for emancipation.
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby pisaquari » Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:05 am

I've always been a quiet non-fan of the vagina monologues. This piece does a fine job outlining and articulating why--nice to know I am not alone.
You can call a woman anything these days except "woman"--Sam
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby bluecoat28 » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:16 am

You know what... I was in the VMs (a minimal role as "woman#1") and I was disappointed with the cast, because although we did a nice job in the performance, I knew something was off--- cause there was a "Va Jay Jay" cast party and someone baked a "penis cake" (they had a mold for that). It seems like people get all giddy over being a given a microphone to talk about vaginas. I think the idea of the VMs is good.. you know, to end the embarrassment or whatever around talking about our bodies, but I don't like plenty of the monologues this writer spoke about... especially not the "woman who liked to make vaginas happy"--- it seems the audience loves it, but it does promote the happy hooker image.

Eve also is NOT antiporn and that's the main reason why I've stopped liking VMs. and yes, that monologue "because he liked to look at it" is DEFINITELY CREEPY.

Antichoicers were protesting the VMs when I was part of the cast and they were handing out cookies with notes attached to them that included something about "you're not helping end violence against women" (something like that... but also about how a better way to help women is to carry their groceries!!!), so I get mad at VM-haters also. I do wish a FEMINIST critique of the VMs was louder than the antichoicers/anti-feminist critique of it... and even louder than the inyourface style of the VMs. Plenty of bitch/bust/VM/feministing folks get more visibility though, because what are people going to pay attention to: the words "bitch" and "vagina" and "porn is great"? or a dead-serious analysis of what is going on?
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby rmott » Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:49 am

For three years I was the guest poet for VM, and I grow more amd uncomfortable with the play.
I do find the protrayal of lesbian S/M quite disturbing, and the only othe lesbian protrayed is a "good" child abuser.
I also became very uncomfortable with the "Bob" monologues, and his staring at the vagina. Creep.
What disturb me was these monologues were meant to be celebratory. They made quite sick.
I choose last year to do a separate poetry-play with my writing, where I directed three students. This I did the week before the VM, and I did to raise money for Rape Crisis.
I felt the philosophy of VM was against what I am saying about sexual violence in all my writing, so I will perform in VM again.
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby delphyne » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:26 am

I agree Andrea, good post. I've never liked the idea of them either. Politically it's a mistake to define ourselves by our vaginas - there's enough sexist men to do that for us already.

Germaine Greer also doesn't think much of them: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jh ... avag01.xml

"Then we had to confess, straight-faced, that "it's not so easy even to find your vagina". It's certainly a lot easier to find than the car keys. Easier far to find than a lavatory or a baby-sitter and quite impossible to lose. Ensler thinks the way to find your vagina is to look for it, the fact that it is never far from your fingertips having evidently escaped her. She then allows herself some fun with the notion of getting a look at it in a full-length mirror, as if hand mirrors had yet to be invented. All nonsense. Men can be relied upon to find it without hands, without looking and usually much too soon because, like Ms Ensler, they are cock-eyed.
.......
One of the high points of the show celebrates a man called Bob, who, before copulating, likes to contemplate his partner's pudenda, because, as he charmingly says, "It's who you are". Having looked, he says: "You're so beautiful. You're elegant and deep and innocent and wild," and she thinks: "It was like he read my palm." (Certainly, it offers exactly the same chance of arriving at correct information.) "He stayed looking for almost an hour, as if he were studying a map, observing the moon, staring into my eyes, but it was my vagina."

How he could see the vagina (rather than the vaginal introitus) without the aid of his hands or some other instrument is not explained. In Britain, Bob would have found himself immortalised in Pseuds' Corner, but Vaginaland has no sense of the ridiculous. Ensler claims that badges reading "I'm your Bob" appeared in New York and "were very popular". (Just as well his name wasn't Dick.)"
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby bluecoat28 » Thu Apr 03, 2008 2:35 pm

Andrea wrote:Monologues that Promote Predatory Behavior
I Asked A Six-Year Old Girl

haha, that's one of the monologues I did. I guess I was the person doing the asking.. I never thought of it as predatory behavior, but now that I think of it--- if that happened in real life-- that's disgus_ting.

i laughed out loud when i read this:
It would seem that Ensler believes that vagina is a better word for the female genitalia than the inclusive "pussy" or "snatch"; that calling your most private part by that name is a way of treating it with respect. In fact, "vagina" is the nastiest kind of name for the female genitalia, because it is the Latin for "sword-sheath".

There is more to the female sex than accommodation of a male weapon, and much more to female sexual apparatus than a hole. Having decided to focus on the hole rather than the doughnut, as it were, Ensler happily disappears up it. These days, she is apt to talk of herself as living in her vagina, as if she had transformed herself into the sword, turning herself inside out in an orgy of inverted penis-envy.
(from that article you linked to, delphyne)
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby Lost Clown » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:42 pm

pisaquari wrote:I've always been a quiet non-fan of the vagina monologues. This piece does a fine job outlining and articulating why--nice to know I am not alone.


"My short skirt" has always seemed to irk me because it goes around questioning exactly why women feel the compunction to wear short skirts. (Especially on the cold ass day that the TBtN march was here when they performed it.)
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby pisaquari » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:53 pm

I don't believe I've ever heard of "My short skirt." Is it a play?
You can call a woman anything these days except "woman"--Sam
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby bluecoat28 » Thu Apr 03, 2008 5:15 pm

I actually think "My Short Skirt" is one of the important monologues. I agree, Lost Clown, that we should question why some women might want to wear short skirts, but I think it's a well done monologue-- because women are blamed for being raped depending on what they wear.. and a short skirt to one person looks different to someone else... For instance, I have a friend who wore tank tops in middle school and she has large breasts, so classmates called her a slut. She hasn't even had sex (not that it would matter if she did) and her wardrobe got really baggy since her middle school years. In middle school, some school officials took her aside and told her she couldn't wear tank tops. Other girls wore tank tops, but since she had large breasts, people thought she looked too sexual.

Today, since porn is so mainstream, any woman or girl, regardless of what she's wearing becomes a slut in the porn consumer's eyes. I think the short skirt monologue is important, because it's like a screw-you (hah, now I'm analyzing the word "fuck" and "screw") to the guy who thinks he has sexual access to her. I do get worried when I see girls wear skirts (middle schoolers.. I chaperone middle and high school dances), because I worry that they do not see what the porn consuming boys/guys see when they look at them. I just worry that they are unaware of how they are being perceived.

Now that I think about it.. "My short skirt" is one of my favorite monologues, even though I agree that the Vagina Monologues are not perfect and may be a political mistake (the text to "My Short Skirt" is below):

My Short Skirt

It is not an invitation
a provocation
an indication
that I want it
or give it
or that I hook.

My short skirt
is not begging for it
it does not want you
to rip it off me
or pull it down.

My short skirt
is not a legal reason
for raping me
although it has been before
it will not hold up
in the new court.

My short skirt, believe it or not
has nothing to do with you.

My short skirt
is about discovering
the power of my lower calves
about cool autumn air traveling
up my inner thighs
about allowing everything I see
or pass or feel to live inside.

My short skirt is not proof
that I am stupid
or undecided
or a malleable little girl.

My short skirt is my defiance
I will not let you make me afraid
My short skirt is not showing off
this is who I am
before you made me cover it
or tone it down.
Get used to it.

My short skirt is happiness
I can feel myself on the ground.
I am here. I am hot.

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

My short skirt
is turquoise water
with swimming colored fish
a summer festival
in the starry dark
a bird calling
a train arriving in a foreign town
my short skirt is a wild spin
a full breath
a tango dip
my short skirt is
initiation
appreciation
excitation.

But mainly my short skirt
and everything under it
is Mine.
Mine.
Mine.


It's an "I'm not asking for it" message. I guess the problem I have with this monologue might be the "I am hot" line, because I'm not much of a fan of the word "hot" anymore since hearing Robert Jensen talk about it... but besides that I really don't have a problem with this. She wrote "my short skirt is not showing off... believe it or not my short skirt has nothing to do with you" (the male gaze). This is debatable (the motivations people have for wearing what they do), but I think the monologue makes sense.

And to pick it apart further: again she's communicating vagina = me. Sometimes I wonder if this is Ensler's way of dealing with her own childhood sexual abuse? Maybe she identifies that much with her vagina? My favorite part of this monologue is "mainly my short skirt and everything under it is Mine. Mine. Mine."-- i think that's the point of it
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby Lost Clown » Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:22 pm

I agree, but all the women doing ours were focusing on the I am hot aspect (and they all were skinny and hot) and that's how it played to the audience (who were hooting and hollering like a bunch of construction workers). The point was lost.

I totally wear short skirts during super hot times, but it was about 4C/39F outside at the time (which is where the play took place and, of course, the march).
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby bluecoat28 » Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:56 am

Lost Clown wrote:I agree, but all the women doing ours were focusing on the I am hot aspect (and they all were skinny and hot) and that's how it played to the audience (who were hooting and hollering like a bunch of construction workers).


yuck
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby elfeminista » Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:23 pm

Wonderful piece Andrea.

When My ex and I went to the first big V day event in madison square garden on valentine's day as I recall, It was very emotional for us. When Eve ensler asked the people who were survivors to stand up, K and I both stood up holding hands. there were many people standing. On that they there wero no lesbian dominatrixes but they did read the story about the guy who was unremarkable exept for his desire to give head.

"pisaquari wrote:
I've always been a quiet non-fan of the vagina monologues. This piece does a fine job outlining and articulating why--nice to know I am not alone.'

having said what i said above, there was something weird about the whole thing thati just could not quite get. now that I read the other stories, it is pretty creepy.

Did they change the script since then? or did we just tune it out? I sure think i would have noticed that 13 year old plied with vodka....
"I was analyzing a phenomenon I am seeing on the internet-- a proliferation of blogs in which the blogger identifies as a radical feminist, but does not seem to embrace the distinctives of radical feminism as we understand the term in the United States.And you know, I think it's okay if they do that, but I also think it's important to say what I said because otherwise (1) herstoric radical feminism gets erased; (2) people new to feminism never hear what herstoric radical feminism really was or is."~ Heart
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby RadFemRF13 » Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:58 pm

Bluecoat, you said Eve Ensler is not anti-porn, do you know what she's said about it?

And Andrea, thanks for this post, I've seen the play a few times and I liked some of the acts but I had a problem with certain ones, like the "sex worker", the "Bob" one, and the "Vagina workshop" which basically says you are your vagina. Um, no actually we are human beings first, not a body part. Damn the 3rd wave. :x

Very well-articulated post!
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby bluecoat28 » Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:04 pm

Hah that's a good question radfem, cause now I can't find the proof. About two years ago, I thought I saw Ensler in a picture on the "Feminists For Freedom of Expression" website and I'm just getting vibes from the website that they're not antiporn. I guess I don't have proof that Ensler's not antiporn... I don't see her picture on the site anymore:

http://www.ffeusa dot org

So I guess it might be irresponsible of me to go around saying she's not antiporn if I don't know for sure.
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby RadFemRF13 » Fri Apr 25, 2008 7:53 am

No, that's ok. I was just curious since the VMs are part of a global movement against violence so it would be in their best interest to take on pornography. And, whenever you hear things like "freedom of expression" you can always expect a pro-pornography argument, so I don't think you were wrong in assuming that.
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby fullhumanity » Thu Apr 08, 2010 7:08 pm

First of all Eve Ensler is quoted saying,"Men need to read this book.Not only because it will make the world safer for women,but because it will free men to be their true selves." on the front of anti-porn,anti-sexist,anti-male violence educator and former all star highschool football player Jackson Katz's great important book,The Macho Paradox Why Some Men Hurt Women And How All Men Can Help and he talks in details about the sexist woman-hating harms of pornography and how it sexualizes women's subordination,and objectification and male dominance.


And it was a great analysis Andrea but in a way we do need to worship our vaginas and clitorises in addition to our intelligent minds,because we live in a penis worshipping male dominated sexist woman-hating society. Most heterosexual men are gay,they just don't know it,they worship their own genitals,they just like to use ours to serve and please their penis they worship,and the whole patriarchy is one big male dominated all male club,and they prefer men for everything except f*cking women,and they exclude us from most everything and hate and discriminate against us.



Like radical feminist and acclaimed psychologist Phyllis Chesler pointed out,unlike most heterosexual men, most gay men don't marry,protect and F*ck those whom they fear,despise and envy, i.e.womb-man but most hetersosexual men do.
If there was a 12 billion $ industry portraying blacks,and Jews to Whites and German and Christians as just sex objects to use for them,calling them hateful names,nobody would say it's liberating for them! Nor would it be so acceptable and mainstreamed!
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby Luckynkl » Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:39 am

Most heterosexual men are gay,they just don't know it,they worship their own genitals,they just like to use ours to serve and please their penis they worship,and the whole patriarchy is one big male dominated all male club,and they prefer men for everything except f*cking women,and they exclude us from most everything and hate and discriminate against us.


Um, no. Men recognize that male sexuality is dangerous so men are instructed to use women so they don't turn their violence against other men. Homosexuality is therefore taboo. If men want to be part of the brotherhood (do they have much choice?), they must f*ck women. F*cking women then become akin to owning slaves. It gives men status among other men. The woman is neither here nor there. She's just an object. A possession. Property to own. Like his house, his dog, his pig. The more possessions and property men own, the more status it gives them among other men. The more women he f*cks, the more porn he uses, the more he objectifies and dehumanizes women, the more he proves to himself and his brothers that he finds it acceptable to use women and rejects homosexuality, therefore, posing no threat to his brothers, which gives him acceptance into the brotherhood. So it's really not about women or his penis at all. It's about men's relationship to other men. What men eroticize is power and power over (dominance), not sex. Sex is just one tool he uses to achieve it.
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Re: The Vagina Monlogues Reinforces Patriarchy

Postby antiquelens » Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:28 pm

I found this article to be fair in its critique. I wasn't very familiar with the VM, but i knew it was very third wave - I think the analysis is clear and it leaves a lot for discussion. I was particularly disturbed by the six year old girl monologue, i found it inappropriate and shocking. I was so impressed by this, i shared it on my youtube account (full credit to Lavigne) - i got mixed responses...as it does raise money for important causes, but also does reinforce patriarchal values. I this this whole "me me me" 'feminism' is destructive and isn't moving the cause further, it's keeping it frozen. It saddens me so much time and energy is being wasted defending the patriarchy.
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