So, it turns out that the medical world has discovered recently that the clitoris is huge. A huge triangle of pulsating, vibrating, pleasure-giving, becoming-engorged-iating nerves and tissue just twsting and turning and dancing around constantly in our lacey underthings.
Irigaray already is mostly remembered for suggesting that we run around at all times just unable to keep from touching ourselves:
A women “touches herself” constantly without anyone being able to forbid her do so, for her sex is composed of two lips which embrace continually. Thus, with herself she is already two – but not divisible into ones – which stimulate each other.
Of course, most folks read Irigaray and nod thoughtfully, but the vast majority of us have, I believe little idea what she’s talking about, except–and no offense to the Professor–that it sounds like it might be more fun than most philosophy.
And people who make sex toys have long made sex toys for women designed to stimulate more than just one tiny protrusion.
And women ourselves have, for as long as we’ve had bodies, known they bring us pleasure in many, many different ways.
But now that science has discovered it, it must be true!
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You know, it occurs to me that what would make this post more interesting is if some post-colonial theorist could come by and theorize about the parallels between say “discovering” a continent on which people already live and “discovering” a part of the body most people in the world have.
But, I am not a post-colonialist, so I don’t get much father than saying “Hmm. That’s an interesting parallel. I wonder if it means anything.”
Are there even still post-colonialists or are we now onto post-post colonialists?
I’m unsure.
But, we’ve talked about clitorises, name-checked a French Feminist philosopher, poked fun at the very scholars we need to help us make sense of something, and given props to the sex toy industry.
All in all, a successful post, I think.
All thanks to Andrew Sullivan.
Tiny Cat Pants 
Fascinating.
Yeah, this definitely falls into the “and water is wet” category.
Heh heh, you said, “wet.”
And even in the world of Western or medical discoveries, I just don’t think that Australian doctor is bringing us news. Our Bodies Ourselves talks about the parts of the clitoris that reveals a larger whole. And that’s jut the first example that comes to mind. I also spent a little time on medical knowledge of women’s bodies when first studying epistemologies of ignorance. So, I guess it really is new news to plenty of people, but not really news at the same time.
Although all praise to you for the post, even at the slight of my “boring” field.
I’m just hoping to have a long line of philosophers and post-colonialists of all sorts at my door, looking to teach me a lesson.
Tee hee.
Hee. Given that this post has made me more conscious than usual all day of what’s going on in my nether regions, I hope they show up to teach me a lesson too.
Given that “it” in my case manifested as a continual supply of really fine quality REM-state entertainment, I’m sure I’ll see them tonight if not before.
I feel like Woman: an Intimate Geography should be required reading for scientists going into ladybits research. It’s female anatomy for laypersons, but it might keep them from embarrassing themselves in this way.