In which I use words that violate the Oscar Tango’s standards of decorum

Why yes! The V-J word was used on numerous occasions tonight at the Oscar Tango. But I also used the BS word and the K-R word and probably a couple other mild swear words. The V-J word? It was bandied about with wild abandon. “And how is your vagina tonight?” After all, the V-J word is the offical term for a certain part of female anatomy. I do not think it is a controversial word in any way, shape, or form.

I hate to keep going on about the Michigan Misogynists but I am not sure if they quite know what they have done to themselves by spuriously banning a female state representative from speaking on the floor for using that term. “She was hysterical! yada yada”. I dunno. I watched the video of Rep. Lisa Brown speaking and she sounded angry but I don’t think she was out of control. I have witnessed people of the male persuasion get more out of control than that. Anyway, among other things touched on tonight was Eve Ensler’s play The Vagina Monologues (which I have never seen performed). Lo and behold, when I got home from the Oscar Tango tonight, I checked Twitter and there, big as life, was a link to this facebook page, announcing a performance of the monologues in Lansing, our loverly state capital, with the playwright in attendance. Of course our state representatives are on vacation until mid-July but I hope they are taking a note, as the theatre folks say.

Funny little digression. This noon, a bunch of us at work met up with a recently retired work friend at a park. And wouldn’t you know, we pushed two picnic tables together and the men all sat at one with the women at the other. Randomly. We made all manner of jokes about this and counted male and female folks as the numbers shifted throughout lunch. I heard not *one* person talk about yesterday’s debacle in the state house. We. Don’t. Talk. Politics. At. Work. It isn’t verboten. It’s just that we are geeks. We talk about non-work things but most folks have geeky non-work activities too. Very few politicos among us (and I am the neophytiest of politico neophytes). We respect each other for our knowledge, experience, and the quality of our work. There is NO disrespectful talk about anatomical differences in gender or presumed gender roles. That kind of stuff just does not fly. I know how lucky I am to work in an environment like that and I wish that every human being could experience the same conditions.

I doubt that I truly violated the Oscar Tango’s standards of decorum by using the BS word or any other mild swearwords that may have escaped my lips tonight. For one thing, it is a barrroooom and I am sure that the staff has witnessed far worse things than me talking about a bull’s pile of crap. Also, it is too loud in there for anyone to hear anything I might have to say (it is a barrroooom after all).

Lemme see… It is late and my own personal Friday night chimney has stopped blowing cigar smoke in the door at me. I adopted a beautiful rosemary bush that was left on my front porch tonight. I hope I don’t kill it. And a new adventure is in store for tomorrow. You are happy about that! It may well help me to move on from blahgging about the Michigan Misogynists.

Good night,
KW

3 Responses to “In which I use words that violate the Oscar Tango’s standards of decorum”

  1. Margaret Says:

    That whole incident has certainly stirred people up!! Glad for that.

  2. Pooh Says:

    Considering some other euphamisms for the V-J word that are routinely used perjoratively to describe women, and not just a particular part of her anatomy, I’d say you were well within your rights! Definitely go see the Vj-Monologues.

  3. Tonya Watkins Says:

    w00t! I would LOVE to see the V-J Monologues! Hope those asshats get the message.