Vaginal teeth take a bite out of crime
Vagina dentata. Haven’t heard of it? It’s a mythological toothed vagina. In the movie “Teeth,” the myth comes to life in a bloodbath of absolute genius.
Dawn, the main character, is an advocate of sexual abstinence and goes to a school where the anatomical pictures of vaginas are censored in the textbooks. With everything telling her to repress herself, Dawn wouldn’t find that her ferocious vagina was anything extraordinary until it had already claimed its first victim.
Don’t worry gentlemen, Saddleback College is full of vagina warriors. Saddleback’s performance of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” packed the McKinney Theatre opening night and received a standing ovation at the end. The women of the cast spoke about coming to know and love their vaginas. Some stories reflected aspects of Dawn’s life, including having never seen her vagina and doing everything in her power to not touch it. Vaginal unawareness wove throughout the monologues; women were taught not to talk about it and that they were for men’s pleasure. “The Vagina Monologues” encourages the subject to be open for discussion, whether it’s an intimate experience or a comedic critique.
The victims of Dawn’s vagina, who were all quite graphically either dismembered or lost fingers, all deserved what they had coming. However, had Dawn been an audience member of “The Vagina Monologues,” perhaps some of them would have been spared. Ultimately, Dawn learns to use her “teeth” to her advantage and transforms into an empowered woman.
V-Day, which stands for Victory, Vagina, and Valentine, draws funds and attention to ending violence against women and girls. On April 12, V-Day will focus on the women of New Orleans and to celebrate the tenth anniversary of V-Day, will be holding an event called “V to the Tenth” featuring guests such as Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Ellen Degeneres, and Eve Ensler.
Vaginas are sweeping the nation in a whirlwind of empowerment. Whether they’re celebrating the organ that creates life or fighting off unwanted intruders, women have learned that the subject can no longer be closeted and that knowledge makes them stronger. This year, join the V-Day movement and take time to observe, honor, and remember the beauty of the vagina.