Shonda Rhimes had a conflict with ABC at the start of the Grey's Anatomy series over being able to use the term "vagina" in one episode.
We tell you right away, Shonda Rhimes has lost her battle. In 2005, an episode of the hit series, Grey's Anatomy, arose out of a conflict between the show's creator and ABC. While Meredith Gray, played by Ellen Pompeo, dealt with a penis torn off during a rape for most of the duration of the episode, the TV channel did not want the actors to use the term "Vagina". Shonda Rhimes then fought so that this word could be heard on the screen… to no avail. So, if there was no problem saying "penis" on television, the term "vagina" was too offensive to him. Astonishing when you know that it simply designates an organ.
It was Ellen Pompeo, guest (remotely) on Jimmy Kimmel's Nov. 13 show, who addressed the disagreement between ABC and Shonda Rhimes. "There is a big conflict about this – maybe I'm twisting the story – because it didn't fit within the standards and norms of the chain at the time", she said. Before adding: “Shonda got into a fight, telling them 'We said' penis' 97 times in this episode. You can hear "penis" 97 times, but not "vagina". They said no, it was not possible. So she had to come up with a nickname. " In the original version of the series (in English) viewers had the right to "Vajayjay" instead of "Vagina". Another fine example of sexism. Fortunately, things have changed on the channel today.
Let's call our vagina, "vagina"
As the expression "let's call a spade a spade", let's call our vagina "vagina". No more nicknames like "pussy", "kitty", "cat" or even "mold", which do not do justice to this superb reproductive organ that we have. Let’s not be ashamed to say “our vagina”.
In fact, according to the Gynecologic Cancer Research Institute Eve Appeal, we should avoid using nicknames rather than the terms "vulva" and "vagina" to talk about the female sex to little girls. In a survey of more than 2,000 parents, the UK research center found that 44% of parents used nicknames to refer to their daughter's vagina. Worse 22% of respondents avoid talking about the genitals in the presence of their child, because it makes them difficult to help. An alarming finding for experts. "Vulva is not a bad word, it is a part of the body like the nose or the mouth (…) and talking about sex with your children helps to fight against the lack of knowledge and against stigma", said Eve Appeal. Before adding: “We all have to use the right words about our bodies from the start. " It must be said that if we heard them more on television, the embarrassment of using the words "vagina" or "vulva" might not exist anymore.