JULIE BINDEL says women’s health charity is guilty of ‘nothing short of misogyny… again’

As holes go, they are arguably the most important in the world. Every man and woman ever to have lived – except those born by caesarean section – has sprung forth into this world from one.

And yet a charity dedicated to women’s health, Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, is suggesting that the word ‘vagina’ could be referred to as the ‘bonus hole’ to avoid offending or excluding trans men or ‘non-binary’ people.

As a feminist campaigner, I am appalled. I’ve spent time over the decades trying to raise awareness among women about our bodies. 

I’ve encouraged women to unlearn the shame associated with our biology. 

So the idea that we should stop referring to the vagina by its name is grossly offensive.

I recall, back in the Eighties, buying tampons only to have the shopkeeper quickly put the box in a brown paper bag as if it were a porn magazine (STOCK IMAGE)

I grew up absorbing the message that our bodies were dirty. 

We would use euphemisms to describe its parts, because ‘vagina’ and even ‘breast’ were considered unpleasant.

I recall, back in the Eighties, buying tampons only to have the shopkeeper quickly put the box in a brown paper bag as if it were a porn magazine. But we feminists learned to take pride in our physical form.

 I would shake the tampons out of the bag to make the point that I was not ashamed of menstruating. After all, it’s a reality for half the population.

It’s worth noting that this form of McCarthyite censorship is reserved for descriptions of female anatomy only. That’s why this is nothing short of misogyny.

There is no such suggestion, of course, to swap words that men use to describe their biology. 

Perhaps, to be fair, we should change ‘penis’ to ‘flesh roll’ to avoid offending trans women? I’m sure men won’t object. Just a thought.