Apparently, Feminism = VULGAR SEXUALITY

So if you haven't read THIS ARTICLE yet, you really should. Meghan Clyne's review of the Title IX suit in the New York Post has been all over Facebook today, provoking almost unanimous fury from the queer and feminist who come up in my News Feed. Whatever you think about the Title IX suit -- and I understand people who are totally conflicted about it -- this article is completely uncalled-for and offensive.

In case you don't want to read the entire article, here are some highlights:

"Before you shed a tear for Yale or its feminists, consider the role that both have played in saturating the campus with vulgar sexuality. In an effort to foster "dialogue" and "acceptance" of every possible sexual choice or act, they've drenched students, faculty and administrators in images and vocabulary of graphic sexuality."


Really, Meghan Clyne? Vulgar sexuality? The incidents cited in our attempts to hypersexualize all of Yale include hosting drag workshops during Trans Week and discussions about intercourse and its relations to patriarchy. OH GOD PEOPLE WEARING DRAG! OH GOD PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT SEX! VULGARVULGARVULGAR. This just seems ridiculous to me. And frankly, it's incredibly offensive. Heteronormative reactions like Clyne's are prohibitive to constructive dialogue and completely criminalize alternative sexualities. I don't personally see how drag workshops are a legitimate provocation for the "We Love Yale Sluts" incident. But what do I know? I'm just a little girl feminist. I don't know anything.


"When every taboo around sex is systematically eradicated, aren't cries of "We Love Yale Sluts" inevitable?"


Inevitable? Yes, please, please, PLEASE tell me that eradicating heteronormative, discriminatory, exclusive practices of sexuality is a cause for misogynistic chanting. Please, please, PLEASE demonize any form of public sexuality that isn't "inoffensive" to your poor eyes. I truly, TRULY do not understand how having discussions of masturbation or demonstrations of the use of condoms makes that incident okay. I also don't understand why we would want to keep taboos about sex that are clearly outdated, unhelpful, and offensive. You think that the administration should "insist on the basic norms that govern life outside the academic bubble"? Those norms are excluding of a large portion of the Yale student body. They cause problems throughout the United States for queer, feminist, and sex-positive people regardless of gender. The institution should work to eradicate harmful norms, not reinforce them.

And, perhaps the most ridiculous claim of all: "The people who truly must suffer in Yale's climate are those who disagree with the Women's Center's agenda."


The Women's Center. Is not. A majority. They are not the loudest voice on campus. And these incidents of harassment being protested by the Title IX plaintiffs are real incidents that occurred regardless of the Women's Center's attempts at advocacy. Sexual culture at Yale is not dictated by the Women's Center. In fact, my experience has been that--outside of the LGBTQ Co-Op events--sexual culture is far more dominated by hegemonic, heteronormative ideas of sexual interaction. Who in that culture is suffering because of the Women's Center? Should we feel bad for the members of Yale's campus who "suffer" because sexual harassment is becoming an increasingly public and less tolerated issue? NO.


Honestly. I want an answer from this lady. Who's really suffering? The members of campus culture who follow the norms of Yale sexual interaction? They seem to be fitting in just fine to me.

What does everyone else think? Am I overreacting? Or are Meghan Clyne's accusations of "sexual exhibitionism/vulgar sexuality" completely out of line?

Vagina Love

So if y'all didn't make it out to see this weekend's production of The Vagina Monologues, you missed out. Big time. And I'm not just saying that because I was in it.

"This is a story about how I came to love my vagina."

While it may seem weird, prior to the Vagina Monologues, I did not appreciate having a vagina. Don't get me wrong- on other people they were fine and dandy, but I could never reconcile general vagina love to self vagina love. As a woman who grew up in a conservative household, performing in such a feminist, liberal play was somewhat nerve wracking. I came from a household in which "naughty bits" were not mentioned unless someone was doing a biology project, and even then it would be in hushed tones as if we were speaking about something forbidden. Needless to say, saying "vagina" in front of a crowd of people seemed intimidating and, frankly, embarrassing. How was I supposed to yell about vaginas, profess vagina pride, when I had been conditioned to think of my own as merely a biological (and awkward) commodity? I can safely say that I have since been desensitized from that embarrassment, and I am eternally glad about that fact. Post VagMon, I have a new love for what I previously thought was just a weird anatomical thing stuck between my legs like an afterthought.

Love your vagina, love yourself.

Vagina Monologues

Since tech week has rendered me unable to write a legitimate post this week, I plan to shamelessly use this space to once again tell everyone that YOU SHOULD COME SEE THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES! Read the post below for details.

C'mon, ladies. It's going to be AWESOME. You can't miss this :)

Peace.