I have not read The Higher Power of Lucky, but I did work on "The Vagina
Monologues" for many years. I always thought that the disgust, shame, and horror
that exists around the word vagina was based somehow on an underlying desire to
keep women ashamed of and baffled by their own bodies. If women don't control
their own bodies than others can come in and take over. This, I have always felt,
was part of the reason that 1 in 4 women in the United States will be sexually
assalted in her lifetime.
I still feel this way. But I now see how deeply disturbed we are as a culture when
it comes to any word describing "private parts" in men as well as in women. What,
I wonder, is the rationale for this? Where did this come from and, much more
importantly, when is it going to go away?
As School Library Media Teachers, what can we do to make sure that these public
venues, like The New York Times and NPR stop portraying librarians as people who
wish for this rediculous puritanical behavior to continue? We all know that there
is a problem. What are we going to do to try to help fix it? Can we write letters
to the editor? Can we write or call NPR and try to get another side heard? Let's
try to do something! Many of us are being totally misrepresented and we need to
make sure that other sides are heard - loud and clear.
Lori Feldstein-Gardner
Lower School Library Media Teacher (K-3)
The Hewitt School
New York, NY
lfeldstein@hewittschool.org
________________________________
From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Kathy Reel
Sent: Sat 2/24/2007 11:43 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Lucky and Vagina Monologues
I read an article in the news about the nation section stating that a board
member of a theatre/performing center somewhere resigned because the Vagina
Monologues playing there included the word "vagina" on the theatre's billboard. The
rest of the board refused to demand its removal. The man complained that he didn't
want children to have to ride by the theatre and see that "word." The absurdity of
this man's outrage made me realize just how excessive some of the initial reaction
to the word "scrotum" has been in The Higher Power of Lucky. What are body parts
supposed to be called? Did the guy want them to put the name up as the "Female
Private Part Monologues," or worse yet, "Female Unmentionables Monologues?" Why is
it inappropriate to call body parts by their appropriate names? Isn't it better for
children to learn the actual names, than to use euphemisms that make body parts
sound like a dirty little secret? If we treat body parts like they're something to
be ashamed o!
f, then what bizarre lesson are we teaching children? Of course, on the other
hand, opposition of these appropriate terms and the controversies that ensue sure
do provide excellent free advertising for the products that contain the "words."
I'm not so sure that I would have run out and immediately purchased The Higher
Power of Lucky if the surrounding controversy hadn't erupted over it. I just
finished reading it, and I am grateful for the controversy sparking my curiosity. I
thoroughly enjoyed the book and was charmed by the Lucky character, as well as
Miles and Lincoln. As Lucky is scientifically inclined, the appropriate name,
scrotum, fits in nicely. Her curiosity about its meaning is a natural curiosity, in
sync with her character.
Kathy Reel
Former English/Writing Teacher
New Librarian Looking for Job
Owensboro, KY
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