Don’t Fear the Clitoris January 17, 2012

Don’t Fear the Clitoris

By Hemant Mehta
January 17, 2012

A couple of days ago, Laci Green posted a video explaining the clitoris:

It was quickly flagged as inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18.

To which Laci responded:

Keeping information a secret never helped ANYONE. You are only hurting those you are trying to “protect”. The idea that discussing female anatomy & pleasure is something “18+” is nothing short of oppressive…ESPECIALLY since none of my videos addressing male anatomy & pleasure ever get flagged. Pleasure is for everybody. Yes, even teens. Get over it.

*Applause* Yes to that. There’s nothing to be ashamed or scared or freaked out about.

Thankfully, the video has since been reinstated so anyone of any age can see it. Watch it yourself. You might learn something.

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  • CelticWhisper

    “Don’t Fear the Clitoris.”

    Okay, somebody get ahold of Blue Oyster Cult.  We got some remixin’ to do.

  • griffox

    Not only do girls need to know how to pleasure themselves, but they need to know that it’s okay and normal to do so.  I was twenty before I knew that other girls masturbated. The stigma surrounding female pleasure is so rampant that my friends and I were too embarrassed or ashamed to talk about it. I wish I’d had a female like Laci Green in my life as a teen. Young people shouldn’t have to guess their way through puberty. They deserve the truth. 

  • Gus Snarp

    Yeah, but then you’ve got to slur three syllables into two, or draw one out into two. The only two syllable variant of clitoris I can think of just doesn’t work for me in song…well, not that song?

  • By trying to get it censored, they gave it more publicity.

    Streisand effect

  • Michael

    So… the video was restricted for a few hours, then the uploader appealed and it was restored?

    Working as intended I’d say.

  • CelticWhisper

    Yep indeedy.  In the words of everyone’s favorite passive-aggressive A.I., “Nice job breaking it, hero.”

  • The only organ that has been “discovered”, banned and then “rediscovered” in Western Culture. LOL.

  • Rich Wilson

    anyone of any age can see it

    I think you mean “people won’t have to lie about their age to see it”

  • CelticWhisper

    I also love that she’s sportin’ half a trollface in that picture up top.  The slightly-raised eyebrow, the askance glance…it’s as if she knew what the reaction would be and is reveling in it.  “Video’s back.  U JELLY?”

  • Andrew Morgan

    Meh.

    I’d have to imagine that we can all agree that there exists content that is 18+.  Sex ed is clearly not 18+, since it’s the sort of thing we teach in most places to at least high school students, sometimes younger.

    But the question isn’t “Is discussing female anatomy and pleasure 18+” but “In the context of YouTube is there a reasonable case to be made this should be behind an age restriction.”  It seems to me that it’s a bit of a leap to say that the reason is “fear of the clitoris”.

    I like the end of her quoted response:

    “I am in the appeals process & will be hosting it on my website so
    ANYONE can see it. Even *GASP* minors! Yeah. Suck my clit, douchebags.”

    Classy.

  • What are you talking about? It’s impossible to lie about your age when asked by an automated pop-up, just like it’s impossible to click “I’ve read the terms and conditions” if you haven’t.

  • Johann

    Made a topic about this on the Google forum asking for tools for users to submit feedback about mis-flagged videos, sound off if you want. =)

  • Kevin_Of_Bangor

    I’ve been telling my 13 year old daughter that masturbation is perfectly normal for over a year and I will even make her aware of the video. If she watches it, that is up to her though.

    Sex is not really scary to talk to your children about and I have no clue why people make such a big deal out of it. I don’t want my daughter going out and having sex anytime soon but I can tell you that she does know how to put a condom on properly.

  • Sex is not really scary to talk to your children about and I have no clue why people make such a big deal out of it.

    People have this mistaken assumption that if you educate someone about something that they’re going to do it.  The whole idea behind “sex education” in North America is trying to keep teens / young adults from doing it, regardless of whether or not that makes any sense.

    We also live in a sex negative culture where having sex or deriving pleasure from sex is seen as a “bad thing”, even for married couples!, and so if you get some horrible disease or get pregnant its your fault for having that dirty nasty sex.  The idea that you can have sex safely and responsibly also goes against may people’s religious beliefs, which is another why reason people freak when you try to teach young people about their bodies, sex, pleasure, and the risks / benefits.

    Luckily I had good parents who weren’t afraid to give me a “good” sex talk that covered both the biological and emotional issues surrounding it.  Got enough good information to make informed decisions about my own sex life; like my old man once told me “Not telling you about this would be liking loaning you the car after taking out the seatbelts, if you’re a careful driver you’d probably be okay but any accidents and you’re going to die.”

  • Anonymous

    It is always irritating how female pleasure is viewed with much more discomfort than male pleasure.  The way movies are rated shows this pretty well.  

    Count me as a woman who discovered the wonders of the clitoris years and years before I understood what sex was, had no knowledge of the word “orgasm” and by the time I learned it was “sinful” it was far too late to stop.  Even so it was years before I met other women who admitted to masturbating and that was a huge relief.  Now I just feel bad for women and girls who don’t masturbate because they are missing out, and missing out on better sex too.  I have a married friend who revealed that she has never orgasmed. I almost cried.
    Anyway, if you don’t want your daughter having sex, her knowing how to get herself off should be helpful right? 

  • Anonymous

    This is reminiscent of the threat of an NC-17 for the film Blue Valentine. The issue the MPAA had was not with the anal sex scene where Michelle Williams’ character wasn’t really into but with the guy on girl oral because she was into it. It is ridiculous. So many people still think that it is somehow taboo for a woman to experience pleasure. 

  • Rich Wilson

    This Film Is Not Yet Rated has other examples.

    Another aspect is male nudity.  The major difference between the European and North American releases of Eyes Wide Shut was Tom’s penis.  So we can see breasts and even female pubic hair, but we can’t handle penises.

  • Sware

    I WISH I had YouTube when I was growing up.  My mother who was raised Catholic was so horribly uncomfortable discussing anything at all to do with lady parts let alone *gasp* anything sexual.  I remember asking her once why and how tampons were used and rather than talk plainly about it she gave me the pamphlet from the tampon box to read and let it be at that.  If there wasn’t a pamphlet she found suitable to cover my questions it didn’t get discussed.  Granted it sucks big time for any kid to lack personal resources for this information.  Leaving a kid to seek out these questions on their own will inevitably lead them to a fair amount of misinformation too but I’d have been hugely grateful to have had at least this much to seek out information.