According to Elon Green at The Awl, I was the first mammalian contributor to use the word "vagina" in The New Yorker.
vagina
First used: 1995, James Wolcott, ?An Absolutely Fabulous Finale"
On the sofa, Edina (Jennifer Saunders, the show?s creator) is explaining to her pal Patsy (Joanna Lumley) how in her feminist heyday she spent a week celebrating her vagina?making artistic molds out of it, taking it out for three-course meals--all in vain.
I remember the occasion well. I had flown over to London to witness what was to be the final episode of Absolutely Fabulous, though the series was later revived to a, shall we say, mixed reception. The finale was a taping before a live studio audience, all the more abuzz because Cher was seated among us, and who doesn't love Cher?
Frankly, if I may use that word in a non-Newt Gingrich sense, it amazes me that I, without trying, was the first person to use the word "vagina" in Rea Irvin typeface. How could John Updike not gotten there ahead of me? I hope he was not jealous.
I'm proud and humble to have played my part in breaking down language barriers in the magazine that perhaps should be propped up again.
I wonder if this makes me, in some small, historic way, a feminist heroine.
I believe it does.
I think I shall fire off an email to Stephen Fry so that he can inform Lady Gaga.
Source: http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2011/05/my-vagina-monologue.html
Kim Jong Il Islam Karimov Ted Kennedy John Kerry Ban Ki-moon
No comments:
Post a Comment