It is really good that we are all getting to feel more comfortable with our bodies/vaginias.

When I was little Mom called it our "pee". When my sister-in-law started telling my neice that it was a vulva I was embarrased and shocked. Not really sure if I was thinking that doing that was going to turn her into a bad kid or what... But now I can see that it is really a good thing to do. She knows exactly what it is, and who it belongs to.

I believe that knowledge is power. We all agree on that. I keep seeing several of us saying that "maybe the next generation" will be more comfortable. Well it's not too late for us girls! I am going to use this class to benefit myself right now.

I'm not very confident at all. But the next time some skanky hilljack starts making me feel uncomfortable, won't just smile politely and hope he leaves. I'm going to put him in his place!

WOW!!! What a book. It sounds like I missed a big day of class. Of all the day's to miss this wasn't one I'd realy have liked to missed out on. I was very surprised that the monologues were as broad as they were. Talking about your vagina; naming it, dressing it, and what it smells like were great sections. It was the parts that talked about serious issues that really keep my nose in the book. It made me think a lot more about my vagina; what it's all about and what it means to me. As much as I told myself I wasn't going to like this class I can't help but to like it. I keep thinking it can't get any better but the topics seem to open my eyes to something new. I'm not sure what individual goals Christina has for each of us or what she wants to bring to us through this class, but I can say that something has been brought to me and I like it.

this may be the first time EVER that i talked about my vaginia with a bunch of strangers...but it didnt seem as wierd as i thought it would be. i was really, really aprehensive for class this week because i KNEW we had to talk about vaginias becasue of the book. i would like to thank that class for making me (i assume there were others who felt the same way too) feel comfortable talking about my vaginia's favorite car. i dont think that i am going to be having a lot of discussions about my vaginia with other people but if it does become a topic of conversation...ill be more comfortable with it!

Yes, I agree about the activity today. On top of giving us a way to think about describing our vaginas, like Christina said, I think it also lightened up the subject. Which is why I am glad we did it today, so that for the remainder of the discussion maybe people won't feel so uncomfortable. I can't imagine how those of you feel who came from families where the word vagina, amoung others, were taboo. In mine it wasn't, and still, I am not totaly at ease talking about it. I thought the questions were funny...just glad I didn't have to answer the "juice" one.....eww. I admire you 3 for that one!

OK. All this vagina talk makes me a little uncomfortable, but here it goes. I like the book so far. It has some real anecdotes that are hard to resist identifying with. This certainly has made me think of my vagina and my body in a different way. I'm not a very sexual person and have always viewed the female genetalia as a filthy, disgusting nuisance that bleeds for a long time once a month ruining my plans for life. I never understood men's attraction to the vagina because I always saw it as yucky. I still think it's yucky, but I now have a little more respect for it. We'll see how I feel after the second half. As for McDonald's, If we were to eat something from there that was normal portions and calories for a meal, we would all order a Happy Meal and not finish our fries while drinking a diet coke.

Okay since we're talking about The Vagina Monologues, I will voice my opinions as well. I remember walking in my sister's room seeing Eve Ensler on TV, & asked my sister what she was watching & she told me The Vagina Monologues. I didn't get the chance to watch it with her, but I am really glad I have had the chance to read the book. I love people's reactions to me reading it outside openly. Although I enjoyed the Vagina game we played today, I had some trouble really identifying my vagina as another object. I guess my vagina and I need to talk some more.

We were talking in class about McDonald's and I wanted to share and interesting thing about Burger King. My husband and I went and ordered a Value meal and the man asked me "Do you want the medium meal", and to my husband "Do you want that King Sized." He didn't even ask if I wanted to up size my meal at all, he assumed that I wanted the normal size and my husband would want to up his meal twice. My husband wanted a normal meal, but I wanted so badly to order a King Size meal just to show I really can eat too if I want to.

I found myself like so many of you changing my mind on the book VAGINA MONOLOGUES. I really did not know what to expect. I can honestly say I did not read the introduction. I started to but,I thought someone was just on a tangent,and I just by-passed this part. I am so glad I did read the book what a great, inspiring, and eye opening book! I am going to share this book with others the meesage it contains is so great who can keep it to themselves?? I really did like the class activity we did, a lot of you had some creative answers.Who would of thought living life though your vagina. What person represents your vagina, car and food, dress etc... This was definetly fun and intresting to experience. Well I guess that's all for now.... Have a fun and safe weekend!!!!!

I found myself like so many of you changing my mind on the book VAGINA MONOLOGUES. I really did not know what to ecpect. I can honestly say I did not read the introduction, I started to but I thought someone was on a tangent,and I just by-passed this part. I am so glad I did read the book what a great, inspiring, and eye opening book. I really did like the class activity we did, a lot of you had some creative answers.Who would of thought living life though your vagina. What person represents your vagina, car and food, dress etc... This was definetly fun and intresting to experience. Well I guess that all for now.... Have a fun and safe weekend!!!!!

After reading other peoples' messages from the class, I feel so much better about myself. When we were sitting around discussing our vagina's favorite car, favorite song, ect., I felt that I was the only one horribly uncomfortable. Like most of the other students I was not raised where speaking about vaginas was ok. In my house growing up not even the words period and tampon where not allowed to be said! When I told my mom what book i was reading for a class she was grossed out! She could not believe that I would spend money on a book with such a discusting topic. The sad thing is, is that I felt that way too before I read the book. Now, even though i am not completely done with it, I am serioulsy so glad to have opened myself up to this topic and maybe eventually feel comfortable talking about it. I too hope the next generation of females are more confident and excepting of their bodies than we are. Life would be so much more fun!

I don't have the Vagina Monologues book yet. Somehow the bookstore always seems to screw up my orders. Am I the only one this happens to on a regular basis? Anyway...I really enjoyed the group activity today. It lightened up my day a lot. One thing that is odd is how well this class is going with my philosophy of sex and love class. I went from talking about words that objectify the vagina in this class, to talking about words that objectify sex in my other class. I don't think I've ever heard more cussing than I did in the last hour of that class. Anyway, my philosophy class doesn't just talk about sex as an act of love (and without), but also talks about sex as a gender. We have read many feminist passages showing how women are objectified. This is a good combination of classes to take for a fun summer. Oh, and another thing...at least everyone in this class can say the word vagina (or at least type it). My ex-roomate that is 22 years old won't say the words vagina or penis. She uses pee pee to refer to both.

I am so glad that the Vagina Monologues has become so popular in the past few years. I think the fact that it was on HBO has opened many people's eyes to women's issues that were never discussed openly before. The Vagina Monologues is definitely about empowerment and, in a sense, relief. Hopefully the next generation of women will be even more comfortable with their bodies than we are of ours. I too find it hard to speak about my vagina as if it had a mind of its own. I have never really singled it out from the rest of my body. After reading the book though, I think that it may be easier than I thought to write about my vagina.

so, um. vaginas. Ensler is right. It isn't a very lovely word. I can see why people take up different names for their pooch. Wouldn't it seem so much more affectionate to call it kitty cat. even coochie snorcher is more loving. Vagina is up there with cunt and slit. I'm not too sure I like the word. Reading the book was great. I got tear eyed in the intro (which was not written by steinmen) But when I was reading I wrote some notes in the margins that I would like to share. (it might make writing the paper easier...since it is a continuation) First off, why do we need a book about vaginas? I think it is more than just the vagina. It has to do with giving women a voice. In the past, women didn't talk about their vaginas (as we see in the book) and this is some sort of oppression. Women didn't have a voice, not being able to talk about the body, all of the body silences, and degrades women. This is why our culture allows for violence, rape, abuse, incest, and mutilation to continue because women are given little importance and value. Giving the vagina a voice, women a voice will help to stop this stupidness. I know it sounds preachy, but think. After this class we may not go out and change the world, but just think about what we have learned in class, just by talking. Go out and talk some more about your vagina. I think one day, it might now what kina car it wants to drive.

I feel like I am lacking something. I never thought about my vagina as a separate entity - I still can't. I don't want to talk about my vagina openly because I don't know how. My vagina is more like a part of me that it/she should like what I like. I don't know what kind of car my vagina wants to drive; I don't know if my vagina likes coke as much as I do. I never saw my vagina and I am not really sure if I have the courage to see it - not to talk about explore. I understand I should know myself and my body better, but it's easier said than done. I just admire those who have the courage to come up and talk about their vaginas in public, or to study and explore their vaginas with hand mirrors when there are dozens more women in the same room. I wish I have that power too.

It is hard not to be redundent on how I feel, because I share so many fears, anxieties, questions and even excitement that all of my fellow classmates have shared so far. The vagina seems to be such a social taboo. I often catch myself referring to it as "down there." I dont know why I do, but I guess thats how I was raised and so many people shy away from conversations when the word vagina is talked about so openly. I kinda get upset listening to all of the negative topics constantly brought up and wonder when all of the positive movements and breakthroughs are going to come about. We keep talking about how this needs to be changed and how that, but never, is anything done about it. There are so many problems with how society runs its everyday course. We constantly need to make exceptions for people. I have to admit, that we honestly cannot accomodate everyones own individual needs. It is just unrealistic. If we do this to make someone happy, the next person will have wanted it the old way. Its just something that we need to try our hardest, but have realistic expectations on what is possible for different scenarios. I dont consider myself overweight, or god knows, underweight, but I definetly feel for people who think that people are always judging what they do and what they eat. I know on dates with guys I dont eat what I want, because I dont want him to think that I am heavy. It sickens me, because I know I want to order the steak with all of the sides, when in actuality I order the salad with lite dressing of a kind I despise. I am slowly learning that I need to do everything for myself. I need to make myself happy and strong, before I can expect anyone else to. I wish everyone the best of luck on their own self exploration!!

I read the vagina monologues in about an hour. i loved it....i guess because i am very reserved when it comes to talking about my vagina. actually, i have never talked about it. i talk about my period, sex, cramps...everything that a women could associate with her vagina or coming of age, but never the actual part of the body. i was intrigued that so many women feel the same way and, furthermore, were able to verbalize their thoughts. I think many of these reservations stem from the fact that i am afraid that something is wrong with me or that there is something i didnt know and will sound stupid. if such openess, as portrayed in the v monologues, continues...then so many misconceptions about the vagina and women in general will be dissolved.

When I read about the vagina workshops I was weirded by it but I was extremely intrigued. I remember when the first time I discovered my vagina. I was laying on my bed, holding a small hand mirror, pulling back folds of skin, and trying to identify where my clitoris was. I thought it was somewhere inside my body because I always heard people on television talking about the g-spot. Well, after searching and not finding anything I checked out a book from the library, "Sex for Dummies." It helped me find my clitoris. I had no idea how independent and powerful and extraordinary it was to be that much in touch with myself. When I thought about this experience I tried to imagine doing it with 10 or 15 other women. It seems almost like an invasion of privacy but after thinking about how liberated I felt on my own in solitude, it must be amazing to share that experience with other women.

Ok, I'm gonna make my post on the discussion we just had in class on McDonald's and the "Non-vegetarian" french fries. I understand that people are pissed off at McD's, and I am too, but I know that won't stop me or anyone else from going there if they have a craving for a apple pie, chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce or big mac with the special sauce. (P.S. In case you didn't know, the special big mac sauce is eerily similar to thousand island dressing.) Anyway, I think it's cool of Skipper's to worn us of the fries not being vegetarian, but if you go anywhere, you will have that problem. If you order a veggie sandwich, where the veggies are roasted on the grill, do you honestly think that they clean the grill after cooking 50 hamburgers and steaks just to make you a delicious veggie sandwich? I doubt it. Just thought since I'm the second one to post...that I'd through out a different topic to discuss. Have a good weekend everyone!:)

A few days ago I began reading The Vagina Monologues, and I am really suprised at the book so far, and am enjoying reading it. I had never read it before, never seen it on HBO, and really didn't know much about it, except that I had heard it was an excellent play. I kind of assumed that it was going to be a total ultra-femminist view of the world, complaining about the burdens of womenhood, and bitching about men constantly. I don't really care to hear or read that kind of stuff, because I don't really have those ultra-femm views. So anyhow, I was totally shocked with how positive some of the pieces are about being female and all the joys that come with it. Its also crazy to read some of the pieces especially from older women, about how not intouch they were/are with thier own bodies, and how little they really knew about them. When I first started the book and was reading about the workshop on "getting inside your vagina," I thouhgt it was crazy, and somewhat gross, because I am definitely not miss liberal exhibitionist, but later as I kept reading, and thinking about it, and how great it is to be a woman; those kinds of things that help empower ourselves seem like a pretty good idea afterall.