‘Women’ or ‘vagina owners’? Teen Vogue’s publication of ‘masturbation guide’ mocked for advances in woke linguistics
Teen Vogue has rolled out an ultra-inclusive anatomically-based new category of person in its never-ending bid to avoid offending anyone, and social media users are rolling in the aisles at the result. Behold “vagina owners.”
The publication posted its “no-nonsense, 101 guide to masturbation for vagina owners” on Twitter on Tuesday, deploying the unusual phrase instead of more common descriptors like “women,” “girls,” or even the more generic standby “people with vaginas.”
Also on rt.com ‘You mean women?’ People pounce on CNN for reporting medical guidelines for ‘individuals with a cervix’While linguistic gymnastics are nothing new in the woke fever-swamp Teen Vogue calls home – see CNN’s “individuals with a cervix” or Pantone’s “people who menstruate” – this unusual construction was too much for some.
Marketing at teen girls, and teaching then that they should be compliant in the face of - and complicit in - their dehumanisation, to suit a patriarchal, sexist ideology. Shame on you. @ErasingWomenpic.twitter.com/mdjEHKZXBg
— Idolly Dancing (@IdollyDancing) December 22, 2020
People don't own vaginas and the sooner you realise this the better off we are all going to be.
— George Orwell was a terf (@radfemwellian) December 22, 2020
Many pointed out that despite Teen Vogue’s supposed bid to empower readers, identifying women (or anyone else) by their body parts was actually dehumanizing.
The following terms do not appear anywhere in this article about women's sexual pleasure:-woman-girl-female-feminine-lady1,000 word essay on lady-bits and not one mention of the actual 𝑙𝑎𝑑𝑦 those bits are attached to.https://t.co/OCOrbCRyjR
— 🔲 Unsafe Space (@unsafespace) December 22, 2020
Dehumanising. Also capitalistic. I don't OWN my body. I am my body.
— Ani O'Brien (@aniobrien) December 22, 2020
Others had some fun with the concept of “vagina-shopping.”
Don't own a vagina, lease one. It's the financially responsible thing to do.
— 𝕃𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕔𝔹𝕠𝕥🤖𝟛𝟘𝟘𝟘 (@logicbot3000) December 22, 2020
Is this the manual that comes in the box when you buy the vagina, what is your returns policy if they are faulty or don't look like a piece of fruit as advertised. Asking for my husband.
— Kookie (lisa) (@Kookie86739363) December 22, 2020
Build, Price & Locate A Dealer In Your Area. Find Your 2021 Vagina® Now! Enjoy Technology That Makes You Feel More Connected, Confident, And Excited. Exhilarating Power. Remote Start. Leading Technology. Advanced Safety. Automated Breaking. Dynamic Design! https://t.co/fc3PL3nTlA
— Known Heretic: Amy E. Sousa #IStandWithJKR (@KnownHeretic) December 22, 2020
Though a few interpreted the article as a nod at Teen Vogue’s “real” audience – apparently, a bunch of pervy old men.
Congratulating y’all at Teen Vogue and your new target audience; pervy, neck-bearded, 45 year old critical theory professors.
— Mark Ashworth (@marklarflash) December 22, 2020
Teen Vogue the favourite read of paedo's.
— Jools (@JoolsJuevans) December 22, 2020
Several of Teen Vogue’s followers, however, thanked them for expanding their horizons in terms of both describing their body parts and explaining how to use them.
Real feminists believe in empowering women, girls, and other vagina-owners with knowledge about our own bodies and control over our pleasure, Angie.
— The Whore On Christmas (@sextoyspolitics) December 22, 2020
Sorry about the TERFs in the replies.. Youre doing amazing 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
— Jordan (xe/xir/xirs) 🌌 (@seabreeze843) December 22, 2020
Celebrities like Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling have ended up in the digital doghouse for daring to use simplified, easily-understood terms like “women” to refer to “vagina owners” in the past.
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