What Is The Author Purpose Of The Vagina Monologues

The Clitoral Truth was the first book I’ve ever read that openly talks about masturbation, genitals, and equality. The first chapter talks about women’s genitalia and the orgasm that doesn’t seem to make an appearance as much as it should be. I thought women sexuality was about the parts and how it changes during intercourse, but there is a whole new side. After reading chapter one, it made me realize that society just focuses on men’s needs and parts. I was very oblivious to the fact that women sexuality was so shunned and how unaware society is on the matter compared to men.

It wasn’t always easy. As a matter of fact, it was never easy for us. I’m sure you’d have agreed. Surely it was tough for you to let us go, but I want you to know that I’m thankful you did.

In “Virgins” a group of boys taunt the main character’s friend by saying, “Your whole crew can’t get no play.” They mocking female virginity, but they also have been known to make fun of for having sex also; a catch 22 that haunts many. The fact that Jasmine is bullied over having sex and the fact that she became emotionally attached because of it is realistic writing. Girls in real life have been placed in a world that wants to use them for casual sex under the pretexts of love, but it also shames them for doing so; its an impassable hump that must be passed to grow. Erica views on promiscuity in a negative as in the text she states that, “the only difference between that girl and the subway, is that everyone in the world hasn’t ridden the subway.” She is sexually inexperienced and views casual sex in a rather objective manner; it can later be deduced that she crosses over this societal ignorance when she loses her own virginity. Erica matured mentally because of her experience and she will cross over into womanhood because of this

There seems to be a myth of sexuality and virginity because neither exist. It is time to teach young women that their ability does not depend on whether or not they are sexually active but that their ability to be good people depends on actually being good people. Valenti states that this book is for women who are suffering every day because of the lie that virginity exists, and that it has some bearing on who we are and how good we are. When it comes to understanding the myth, young women are taught about morality, but there is hardly ever any talk of compassion, kindness, courage, or integrity. There is a lot of talk about hymens: if we have them, when we will lose them, and under what circumstances we’ll be rid of them. By fetishizing youth and virginity, we are supporting a disturbing message: really sexy women are not women at all- they are girls. A strong statement that has probably touched the heart of those that have read this book states that: “A women’s worth lies in her ability or her refusal to be sexual… their bodies and their sexuality are what make them valuable. The sexual double standard is alive and well, and it is irrevocably damaging young

There has always been a stigma surrounding the topic of women’s health, especially the reproductive kind, as the world has set standards for a how a woman’s body should be. The stigma begins where, unfortunately for the world, women’s bodies oftentimes do not comply with these standards. Because of the rifts between expectation and reality girls are shamed, oftentimes unconsciously or via systemic responses and interactions. It becomes an ingrained and understood conduct, teaching girls that their bodies exist for objective purposes, and it lays the foundation for developing insecurities. Bodily insecurities tend to run so deeply that even women in adulthood shy away from taking proper care of themselves. Because of how taboo discussing women’s

I had a very difficult time reading The Vagina Monologues. I felt the book lacked a cohesive, defining message. Some parts of the book was very powerful and deep. The monologues involving rape and mutilation were intense and well written. In contrast, the chapters on vagina name calling, vagina dressing, and using the cuss word, “Cunt” were unnecessary and offensive. In this instance, a choice of text would be beneficial. Perhaps a different book about the subjects of female rape, mutilation, or molestation would give the reader and writer a choice about which book they would like to further research.

The sarcastic tone of the line suggests that women are perceived in a condescending and degrading fashion. Incapable to evaluate their own feelings in reference to rape and that they do not possess the intuitiveness to recognize the magazines offensive manner in portraying such a serious topic. Estelle is offended at the magazines depiction of rape and finds it incomprehensible, "you think it was just invented...I mean what's so new about it" (356) she is further offended at the questionnaire, she is fully aware that rape has been around for sometime. She recognizes, unlike her co-workers, the magazines ploy, at exploiting women's insecurities of self-consciousness, powerlessness, fear and loss of control over their own will and condemns the magazine for minimizing the seriousness of such a sensitive issue.

Society has told women that when a man takes you on a nice date, you owe him something in return and that something is your vagina. Traveling back to the young girl’s at York University story, for the police officer to say “women should not dress sluts…” is mind-blowing because how exactly does a slut dress? Women are “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” in any aspect of life especially with the way they choose to dress and sex. Believe it or not, a woman can choose to be conservative or revealing with no intention of pleasing a man. When giving her speech, she encouraged women to speak up and out about rape.

Anne McClintock first talks about how women’s sexuality has always been suppressed in many cultures and societies around the world. There is a huge focus on making sure that men are taken care of sexually and that they are able to go out and show their sexuality and not be ashamed of it. Men are able to enjoy pornography and not feel guilty about enjoying it because it is apart of their nature. Everyone knows that men masturbate and they are not really shy with talking about it but when it comes to women it a foreign topic that if talked about makes you seem to promiscuous.

I awoke to beams of a dozen spotlights, my vision gradually adjusted to the brilliant white light which illuminated everything around me. The realization that I had fallen asleep during rehearsal caused my eyes to widen in utter shock and confusion.

I found this article on Discus under Opposing Viewpoints In Context. One of the things that really stuck out to me in this passage was a certain quote “To be sexually free, women must be able to discover and legitimate their own sexualities through representing and seeing them represented in a vast variety of ways. We don't want the U.S. government, or Andrea Dworkin, telling us which representations are "good" and which ones "degrade" us. To be equal, women must take control of their bodies, aided by information about contraception, abortion, and AIDS that

An urge to run came over him. When he willed himself to move, his limbs stiffened rendering him immobile. Then right before his eyes, a cloaked entity revealed itself. Its predatory crimson eyes glared back at him as it seized him by the neck with its claws piercing his flesh..

The year is 1979, 15-year-old Jamie (played by newcomer Lucas Jade Zummerman) is reading an excerpt from “Our Bodies Ourselves”, one of his newly acquired feminist essays to his mother Dorothea (cinema’s matriarch Annette Bening). He proclaims every line about the politics of the female orgasm with pride and satisfaction in regards to the rapid pace of his maturity. After excitedly finishing the last paragraph, his mother looks at him and says with tender anguish “Do you think you know more about me from reading that?”

I stood at the very rock where she had last lied. Her putrid string of words interfering with my line of sight. I had only met her days back, however, I had felt I had known her for eternity. A constant pressure of darkness looming over my back.

This binary relationship manifests itself in Levy’s work in another way, as well. Toward the very end of the book Levy claims she has no complaint against women who do gain genuine sexual pleasure from “their vaginas waxed, their breasts enlarged” (Levy, 198). On one hand, Levy recognizes that sexuality is personal and that everyone’s own experiences and preferences are unique. Yet at the same time, by drawing the line between “authentic” and “fake”, she must impersonally interpret these experiences in order to classify them as “problematic”. This desire to judge yet not judge women’s sexual nature represents an underlying tension within the book that threatens to unravel her arguments.