September 11, 2012

"Forty-one years after Germaine Greer issued her infamous directive, the ladies seem to have complied."

What Greer said, leading off this NYRB review of Naomi Wolf's presumably idiotic book "Vagina: A New Biography" was: "Lady, love your cunt."
To be sure, not every iteration of vagina pride represents an unambiguous advancement for the feminist cause. It is a matter of dispute whether Eve Ensler’s twee flights of fancy about vaginas that smell like “snowflakes” are really good for the sisterhood. And whatever Greer was hoping for when she enjoined women to “boast of…their venery,” it is safe to say that it was not “vajazzling,” the modern trend of affixing crystals to the shaven pudendum.

One might reasonably argue that the occasional outburst of snowflakery is a tolerable price to pay for liberation. But Naomi Wolf would counsel against such complacency. In her new “biography” of the vagina, she warns that her subject is in danger of being trivialized by its cultural ubiquity. The vagina, properly understood, is, “part of the female soul” and the medium for the “meaning of life itself.” In order to free female sexuality from patriarchal calumny, pornographic distortion, and some of the damaging myths of second-wave feminism, it is essential, she argues, that women reclaim the “magic” of the vagina and restore it to its rightful place at “the center of the universe.”

30 comments:

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...

What Greer said, leading off this NYRB review of Naomi Wolf's presumably idiotic book "Vagina: A New Biography" was: "Lad[ies], love your cunt[s]."

Lord knows I (and other guys) do.

Shouting Thomas said...

The problem here is simple, Althouse.

To gin up support for what were really minor reforms in the West, feminists compared their campaign to that of blacks seeking to end Jim Crow.

Thus, was born the stupifyingly hyperventilated rhetoric that continues to this day.

edutcher said...

Pussy pride?

That's even weirder than Gay Pride.

DrSquid said...

Alright..no argument here.

Peter said...

"Lady, love your c*nt."

I can tell you exactly how to start.

Tim said...

"In order to free female sexuality from patriarchal calumny, pornographic distortion, and some of the damaging myths of second-wave feminism, it is essential, she argues, that women reclaim the “magic” of the vagina and restore it to its rightful place at “the center of the universe.”"

Oh.

So, let me get this right - at the "center of the universe" lies the right of the owner of the vagina to kill off her unborn child at will.

I mean, at the heart of it, that is the "Castle Keep" of feminism, isn't it?

Michael K said...

Good God ! What tripe !

rhhardin said...

patriarchal calumny

Also columny.

rhhardin said...

Nothing's sadder than an abandoned vagina costume.

Compare and contrast.

rhhardin said...

Emailers to Rush, when Rush was once showing a vagina candy sent by some women's studies department

"Rush, you're holding it upside-down."

rhhardin said...

Body individuates and isolates people.

Soul arises by contrast, and is the relation to others.

That being the grammar of soul, she might not want to attach it to vagina, not that it's entirely wrong -- there are probably insights to be gotten -- but it seems to oppose her plan.

Tim said...

So, I went to the NYRB Review and, surprising, the review was generally dismissive (although I have to confess, I didn't finish reading it. Reading someone else's review of someone else's book on their "mystical" vagina is surprisingly tiresome).

Fen said...

"warns that her subject is in danger of being trivialized"

*snicker*

For American women, the "war on women" is about whether a 21st century feminist should be responsible for her own birth control.

David R. Graham said...

Women throw themselves at men. Just about all of them do. To include queers ... throwing themselves at men, I mean.

Fen said...

"Wolf, who has always understood feminism to be a spiritual cause"

Yet another devout Athiest.

wef said...

Cunt, love your laddy.

Craig Landon said...

"...restore it [the vagina] to its rightful place at “the center of the universe.”

I put it there about 1965. Took me about 20 years to realize it was just another (albeit spectacular) galaxy.

Anonymous said...

Sheesh, my vagina said it's all ready to tackle patriarchal calumny, but someone's else vagina is going to have to do the heavy lifting on pornographic distortion and damaging myths.

Anonymous said...

Sheesh, my vagina said it's all ready to tackle patriarchal calumny, but someone's else vagina is going to have to do the heavy lifting on pornographic distortion and damaging myths.

caplight45 said...

Naomi Wolfe wrote, " it is essential, she argues, that women reclaim the “magic” of the vagina and restore it to its rightful place at “the center of the universe.”

Gee, and all I ever believed was the G_d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, AKA the Creator, redeemed the world through the life, death and resurrection of his Eternal Son.

Mama never told me there was a Vagina at the center of the universe.

Yeah, I guess Christians, we be crazy!

caplight45 said...

So if there is a Magic emitting Vagina at the center of the universe then fellatio must be blasphemy.

Or something.

jr565 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
jr565 said...

"In order to free female sexuality from patriarchal calumny, pornographic distortion, and some of the damaging myths of second-wave feminism, it is essential, she argues, that women reclaim the “magic” of the vagina and restore it to its rightful place at “the center of the universe.”"

I would take it to mean the opposite of what she is actually saying. There is nothing magical about the twat except that from it our future babies are born. That is the only way it is the center of our universe and in any way magical. And it's that function that many feminists want to remove women from.
I'm now going to say something sexist. With that function women are beyond special. Without that function women are lesser men. The weaker sex, anything they can do men can do,only men can do it with with more strength and drive. (there are of course exceptions to the rule). I don't know why so many women try to run from that which makes them so unique and necessary and instead try to come across like men.
This is also not to say that women can ONLY give birth. Only, if they make it part of their emancipation that THE most important thing about them is actually a shackle to their own freedom they are doing themselves and other women a great disservice.

XRay said...

I agree with Naomi, actually. Not with her political agenda, at all. But with her acclamation of vagina as the center of the world. I mean, come on, have none of you read history.

Valentine Smith said...

Wolf reads like a junkie extolling the virtues of pure dope. Ennui indeed.

mccullough said...

Oh, ho, ho, it's magic
You know
Never believe its not so

ampersand said...

So how come she didn't dress Al Gore in pink?

Seriously, she should take up ventriloquism, paint a face on it and single handedly bring back vaudeville. Maybe get her asshole
to throw in a S'Awright every now and then.

Rich Rostrom said...

There are two links in this post. The first is

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/sep/27/pride-and-prejudice/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September+11+2012&utm_content=September+11+2012+CID_f181ad95d3d593337a486d62102a8098&utm_source=Email+marketing+software&utm_term=Pride+and+Prejudice

which could be shortened to

http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2012/sep/27/pride-and-prejudice

The second is

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061989169?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0061989169&linkCode=xm2&tag=althouse-20

which could be shortened to

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061989169

Down with absurdly crufty links!

rhhardin said...

Who can forget the consequences of Helen whoring around.

That was before contraceptives.

Guildofcannonballs said...

How grand to live in a society that rewards effort, even an effort like this one.