Did the title get your attention? It did me too, only I was in the grocery store this afternoon and it was there on the shelf as big as life. I laughed out loud and it got me a few unwanted glances. The phrase "Untamed Va-jay-jay" was on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine. Now, I will defend with my life the absolute right of Cosmopolitan to have whatever they want on their cover. I do not in any way, manner, shape, nor form question whether they should have and do have the right to put that on their cover. On a purely First Amendment basis, I applaud the fact that I live in a country where they can do so. Okay, disclaimer over....
I just wonder; at what point did we become a society where it made any sense to put that on the cover of a magazine? When did we become a society that is concerned with the care and grooming of the female genitalia in a public way? I kinda liked it when issues such as this were limited to discussions between a woman and her OB/GYN and/or her husband or boyfriend. I will freely admit that I have personal preferences in this regard, but these preferences are of no concern to anyone but me and a woman with whom I have a relationship of sufficient quality that allows us to have these kinds of conversations. Is this a subject that lends itself to public discussion? I really don't think so, but then that is just my own opinion and each and everyone on the planet has the absolute right to disagree with me.
Free speech... This is a really touchy issue (no pun intended) to many, many people. I defend the right of the KKK to march down the main street in predominantly Jewish Skokie, Illinois. I do not support the opinions of the KKK, nor their beliefs, but I do believe that, as despicable as they may be, their right to engage in displays expressing their abhorrent opinions is the price we pay to live in a free and open society. In my not-so-humble opinion, it would be a great day if, when these racists and bigots marched, they were ignored; no counter-protesters, no observers, no curious onlookers, just an empty street. Heck, if the businesses closed down, for the hour or so they marched, it would be that much better. Imagine if they held a march and nobody came? What kind of message would that send to people? There are those that think we cannot allow such a display go without some sort of response, but the act of ignoring them sends the message that they are meaningless and unworthy of response or reply. It does not imply that we accept anything they represent, nor does it imply that we agree with it. It does recognize our tolerance for an extraordinarily divergent view, one that, in other countries and other times, would have resulted in people being shot or at least rounded up and imprisoned.
While the comparison of these two issues may not seem to be of equal measure, and I don't think they are, the point is the same. Sometimes, just because you have the right to do something, does not mean it is a good idea to do it. I have the absolute right to go into downtown Harlem and start yelling the "N"-word at the top of my lungs, and presumably the police, regardless of whether they wanted to, would probably be obliged to protect me. I do wonder if it would constitute inciting a riot, and it probably would incite one. Many people are so personally and viscerally offended by this word that they do not see the philosophical importance of the First Amendment and are incited to violence. I shall leave the right and/or wrong of it to the opinions of individual readers.
It is very interesting how such a seemingly funny and relatively insignificant title like "Untamed Va-jay-jay" can be the seed for deep and meaningful thought and discussion. I cannot help but wonder if that makes my argument just a little less effective, possibly negating it completely, but if we have to be motivated by the socially acceptable grooming styles of the vulva to consider meaningful social and democratic ideas, what does that say about us?
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