the V word...

Now. I have to speak in hushed tones about this subject, quickly get to my point before i offend too many people.. i just wanted to ask what is about the word Vagina that freaks out so many people, and i have come to find out that women tend to be even more shy about it than guys..
why? its not a swear word; its the anatomical word for it you know. well actually that would be vulva.. but that is neither here nor there..

we have so many secret words for it; for our "thingies"..
i think in some ways hiding from it; giving it an alias could be seen as a way of detaching ourselves from our sex; its a way for us not to think about it in real terms; we can flower it, spice it or deaden it all by the name that we choose for it..

And then there is the translation aspect of it all.. why is it that a simple word (well maybe not so simple) once translated can have more shock value to it?! Lol! Trying to talk about your kuma, or uke will get you Shushed in a heartbeat! During the production of the Vagina Monologues in Tanzania, the cast came up with a list of the Swahili words we call it; love love love this list.

Kuma
Mofa
Uke
Sehema za Siri
Nyanya
Mashine
Kipapa
Sambusa
Dudu
Kwa Bibi
Kinembe
Kinena
Kisimi
Mana (kihaya for grown women)
Mpari (kihaya-for both men and women)
Kamana (kihaya-for girls)
Mnyo (in mbenna and mhehe)

I think i need to find a way to incorporate one word from this list daily. And see what happens..
:)

What words have you got for your "V"?
Check this out: http://www.vaginafestival.com/about.html