Vagina, “Down there,” Don’t Say It! Is It Any Wonder Sex Talk Is a Challenge?

I’ve had a long relationship with “feminine products”, and while the end is approaching, I’m still pumping money into them on a regular basis, so I was interested in an advertising snarl that Kotex has encountered. In an attempt to lampoon its own ads that feature women cavorting about in white dresses and the like while joyously on their periods, Kotex hit a sour mark when it tested some TV ads. It seems the word vagina just isn’t okay for TV, as the New York Times and several others reported recently. If saying the word vagina is deemed inappropriate for peoples’ ears, is it any wonder the safer sex talk can be difficult?

I applaud Kotex for their new campaign and attempts to take vagina mainstream. I mean really, isn’t it about time? It’s not like a vagina is a new thing. Most of us arrived via one (acknowledging those of you who arrived via c-section).  There are examples of enemies to the vagina, from the fictional feminine hygiene products parodied in Even Cowgirls get the Blues to the harsh reality of feminine hygiene products available at your drugstore. (By-the-by, the vagina is a wonderfully self-cleaning unit, and needs no manufactured assistance.)

But I sidetrack. If you look to the rampant sexism in advertising and the world in general, it’s not hard to see why vagina might be too much for people to bear, although if prime time TV can show sex, swearing and nudity, I think it can handle the word vagina.

The technically correct term vagina brings up the issue of sex education, and that makes lot of people uncomfortable. I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again: sex education is still so laden with morality, as a recent situation in Wisconsin can illustrate, it makes it a challenge to deliver accurate info. For those of us who grew up without the correct vocabulary for our body parts or their functions, looking after ourselves means taking that education on.  If we’re parents, it means challenging ourselves to speak accurately with our kids so they don’t have to repeat our own fumbling and confusion. Morality aside, these bodies are our units for moving about in the world: they need conscious care.

So bravo to Kotex, I say. In addition to the ads, they have a whole website that encourages girls to speak honestly and proudly about their vaginas. (Not to mention a very funny piece on a man trying to puzzle out products for his gal). Yes, they’re marketing product, but cynicism aside; they’re suggesting pride where there has long been shame. In my books, that is great. We may not be young girls anymore (except in affectionate referrals), but everyone can benefit from some vaginal pride. Check out the site and pass it on to young women you know. Heck, pass it on to your friends who might appreciate it.

- Janet

Check this Out: Can you tell if a woman is on her period?

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