On Thursday (July 15), the official Twitter handle of the Vagina Museum (VM) attempted to obliterate the ‘female’ identity through the use of supposed ‘gender-neutral’ words.
In its tweet, VM suggested alternatives for commonly used words to make the language more ‘inclusive’ to people. As per its recommendations, terms such as ‘sanitary products’, ‘feminine hygiene products’ and ‘becoming a woman’ must be replaced with ‘menstrual products’, ‘period products’ and ‘starting puberty’ respectively.
Vagina Museum, the first brick and mortar museum dedicated to female anatomy, also had additional suggestions. “Instead of ‘women’s health’, say ‘reproductive health’ or ‘gynaecological health’ (whatever you prefer); Instead of ‘women and girls’, say ‘people who menstruate’ or ‘people who have periods’,” it tweeted.
Instead of ‘women’s health’, say ‘reproductive health’ or ‘gynaecological health’ (whatever you prefer)
— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) July 15, 2021
Instead of ‘women and girls’, say ‘people who menstruate’ or ‘people who have periods’
Vagina Museum, which boasts of 1 lakh followers, recommended the removal of ‘gendered language’ from everyday speech. It stated, “A good way to get into the habit of removing gendered language as the default is to start looking at your everyday speech. Instead of using gender-specific terms to describe professions and people, like ‘fireman’, opt for a gender-neutral term such as ‘firefighter’ and so on.”
A good way to get into the habit of removing gendered language as the default is to start looking at your everyday speech. Instead of using gender-specific terms to describe professions and people, like ‘fireman’, opt for gender-neutral term such as ‘firefighter’ and so on.
— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) July 15, 2021
“Remember it takes practice and it’s okay to mess up. Try not to have a knee-jerk reaction when somebody flags this with you. We’re all learning as language is evolving!” it added. However, the most bizarre part of the tweet was the claim that ‘anyone could mensturate’ regardless of gender. Vagina Museum then went on to claim that one should use ‘shame-free language’ and suggest that menstruation was somehow associated with shame. Nevertheless, it recommended the use of confusing language and normalise it in discussions, questions and actions.
By using gender-neutral language, we normalise the idea that anyone can menstruate regardless of their gender.
— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) July 15, 2021
By using shame-free language, we normalise discussion, questions, freedom of choice and action!
Gender politics, normalising de-recognition of women
While this might look like harmless wordplay, the strategy is often employed by leftists and ‘social justice warriors’ to normalise bizarre practices and lingo. By using ‘gender-neutral language’, we are essentially denying the existence of two seperate genders and playing into the hands of the leftists. For those who believe gender is fluid and ever-changing, such a narrative building through control on vocabulary serves the purpose.
Last year, journalist Abigail Shrier in her book ‘Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters’ documented the terrible impact gender politics had on teenage girls in western countries. Shrier said that teenage girls, who did not necessarily suffer from gender dysphoria, started to believe that they were ‘trapped in the wrong body’, as a consequence of which they undergo medical procedures that at least some of them come to regret later and others had their lives turned upside down.
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was also attacked by ‘social justice warriors’ as well for saying that biological sex is real and only women can menstruate. The episode began when the celebrated author expressed her unhappiness over the fact that a media portal had called women ‘people who menstruate’. For her perfectly sensible opinion, abuses were hurled at J.K. Rowling and she was labelled a Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF).
