April 11, 2013

"'Yoni Ki Baat,' loosely translated as 'Talk of the Vagina,' is a nationwide theatre ensemble..."

"... dedicated to creating a space in which womyn of color can express their own views on sexuality and their bodies - topics which are traditionally kept 'hush-hush' in many of our cultures and communities.... YKB also aims to end the silencing of violence against womyn, especially in diasporic cultures around the world."

Email inviting me to a (free) theatrical performance which will take place at Madison's glitzy Overture Center.
We are proud to present UW-Madison's fifth production of YONI KI BAAT, also known as the womyn of color Vagina Monologues. We will be performing the narratives and stories of womyn in the diaspora, some of which have been written by the performers themselves.

The yoni (Sanskrit word for "vagina") has long been held sacred in Hindu mythology, but through years of patriarchy and colonialism, it has rarely been allowed to speak its mind. In 2003, South Asian Sisters, a collective of progressive desi womyn, decided that the yoni needed a chance to get on stage and tell its side of the story. Thus, "Yoni ki Baat" (YKB) was born.
Thanks for defining "yoni," but what about "diaspora"? The OED (which I can't link, unfortunately) gives only one meaning of "diaspora," and it relates to the Jewish people:
The Dispersion; i.e. (among the Hellenistic Jews) the whole body of Jews living dispersed among the Gentiles after the Captivity (John vii. 35); (among the early Jewish Christians) the body of Jewish Christians outside of Palestine (Jas. i. 1, 1 Pet. i. 1). Hence transf.: see quots.

(Originating in Deut. xxviii. 25 (Septuagint), ἔση διασπορὰ ἐν πάσαις βασιλείαις τῆς γῆς, thou shalt be a diaspora (or dispersion) in all kingdoms of the earth.)

1876   C. M. Davies Unorthodox London 153   [The Moravian body's] extensive diaspora work (as it is termed) of evangelizing among the National Protestant Churches on the continent.
1881   tr. Wellhausen in Encycl. Brit. XIII. 420/1 at Israel,   As a consequence of the revolutionary changes which had taken place in the conditions of the whole East, the Jewish dispersion (diaspora) began vigorously to spread.
1885   Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 760 at Philo,   The development of Judaism in the diaspora differed in important points from that in Palestine.
1889   Edinb. Rev. No. 345. 66   The mental horizon of the Jews of the Diaspora was being enlarged.
I am no fan of the talking genitalia theater genre, but I'm very interested in word choice and the appropriation and repurposing of one culture's highly serious words by another culture.

84 comments:

edutcher said...

Presumably, diaspora refers to getting women out of the kitchen and the home and turning them into womyn.

FWIW, I've seen references to yoni as meaning the vaginal muscles in particular.

rhhardin said...

The _Job of Sex_ in the 70s suggested value in learning to speak simple words with your vagina, starting with "boat."

Unknown said...

"...sexuality and their bodies - topics which are traditionally kept 'hush-hush' in many of our cultures and communities"

But not in the communities that are invited to glitzy events.

If they really wanted to work on equality for women they'd go to those communities and work with their culture.

You're right the co-opting of the word "diaspora" is disgusting. Especially since it doesn't apply at all and ends up being a new lefty victim word.

rhhardin said...

Loose lips sink ships.

Big Mike said...

Women have a "yoni"? Who knew?

chickelit said...

We are proud to present UW-Madison's fifth production of YONI KI BAAT, also known as the womyn of color Vagina Monologues.

They're all pink on the inside.

Tim said...

No doubt performed to the Rolling Stone's "Some Girls."

Or it should be, anyway.

Tim said...

No doubt performed to the Rolling Stone's "Some Girls."

Or it should be, anyway.

rhhardin said...

Plants pollenate by diaspora.

Anonymous said...

Apparently the indians want to claim the word. I looked at Desi wiki and found:

The word ' desi' evolved from the Sanskrit term 'desh', which stands for country. With time its usage shifted more towards referring to people, cultures, and products of a specific region . Now a days the word desi [d̪eːsi] is a term for the people, cultures, and products of the Indian subcontinent or South Asia and, increasingly, to the people, cultures, and products of their diaspora.[1]

rhhardin said...

Baat looks Thai.

It's probably their money.

Shouting Thomas said...

The liberal women have been doing nothing but yakking about their pussies for the past 60 years.

Why the continued insistence that more of the same dreary old shit is radical and nervy? And, feminist pussy ain't worth a fuck. We men have other choices.

You'll be happy to know, Althouse, that I've undergone Special Sensitivity Training for my male chauvinist pig tendencies.

An old liberal white woman has been attempting to court me for the past several weeks. Her method? Typical. She blabbered at me for 90 minutes on the phone yesterday about how everything would go exactly the way she wants.

My Way or the Highway. The usual brain dead shit from white feminist women. Somehow, the feminist pussies believe this challenge to give them everything their little princess hearts desire is supposed to be attractive.

DADvocate said...

The last time a yoni spoke to me I had eaten one too many peyote buttons.

Unknown said...

"They're all pink on the inside. "

Some particularly insane ones are five and a half feet tall and dance at political protests.

Anonymous said...

"..We are proud to present UW-Madison's fifth production of YONI KI BAAT, .."

AA: How were the first four? Any new wrinkles for this production?

DADvocate said...

My Way or the Highway. The usual brain dead shit from white feminist women. Somehow, the feminist pussies believe this challenge to give them everything their little princess hearts desire is supposed to be attractive.

It's not just the feminists, I don't think. I'm punishing my 16 year old daughter for lying to me about where she was. Her response: let me do what ever I want and I won't lie to you. I'm writing her out of my will.

pdug said...

wikipedia

"It has even been noted that as charismatic Christianity becomes increasingly globalized, many Christians conceive of themselves as a diaspora, and form an imaginary that mimics salient features of ethnic diasporas"

(an imaginary? an imaginary what?)

chickelit said...

You'll be happy to know, Althouse, that I've undergone Special Sensitivity Training for my male chauvinist pig tendencies.

That sort of "training" passes for judicial restraint amongst judges in Madison, Wisconsin.

MadisonMan said...

A free event at Overture. That makes me wonder who is underwriting it. Other than UW Students through Segregated Fees, of course.

At least it's just in the Rotunda Studio, not in Overture Hall. Even if it's free, I doubt more than 150 will show up.

Shouting Thomas said...

My father was absolutely right in everything he told me about women when I was a still a kid.

I rebelled against him in college and accepted the conventional wisdom of the eggheads.

Father, forgive me, I did not know what I was doing.

President-Mom-Jeans said...

Strong evidence that the 19th Amendment was a bad idea.

traditionalguy said...

The USMC became the American Diaspora into the Pacific from 1942 until 1945.

And then Australian and New Zealand war brides became those country's reverse diaspora back to the USA after the regathering of Marines in 1946-47.

The Hebrew tribes were also a unique diaspora that regathered itself in and around Jerusalem in 1946-47 after WWII ended.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

You have never seen "diaspora" used in other than the Jewish context? Believe me, it's very common, especially in the phrase "the African diaspora," meaning the population of people of African descent dispersed to other continents through slavery. I think I have also seen "the Asian diaspora," "Asian" there meaning "Indian subcontinent" (i.e., "Asian" in the British sense), and referring to migrants from India and Pakistan who established themselves elsewhere in the dominions while they still retained British passports.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I can't imagine anything that I would want to do LESS than attend "womyn of color Vagina Monologues" What an enormous waste of time.

Anyone who uses the term "womyn" is the first flag that they have the independent thinking abilities of a flatworm.

I'd rather file my nails, trim my husband's ear hair, scrub moss from the paving stones, clean the cat's litter box.

Insufficiently Sensitive said...

Yeah, that 'patriarchy' stuff actually trumps colonialism. Let those diverse cultures look in mirrors before they start rallying against the honkies, and see what they're going to do against 'their own' sacred males of color to stop their disproportionate control of females.

Then they can start in on the colonialists of color who go around enslaving their captives and making them fight in their armies and submit to the embrace of the pasha.

Heck, even a few of us old geezers who had history classes remember the centuries of activity of the Barbary pirates, who used to go on slaving expeditions against everyone else around the Mediterranean and up and down the Atlantic.

CommonHandle said...

I've heard the word "diaspora" used in many contexts, and Wikipedia seems to think it's origins are Greek (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaspora).

I'm not clear what they mean in this context. "Women in the diaspora" doesn't make any sense.

Insufficiently Sensitive said...

Women have a "yoni"? Who knew?

In Greek it's closely related - they say 'muni'.

Darrell said...

What's the Sanskrit word for "vulva," because that's what they're talking about.

edutcher said...

traditionalguy said...

The USMC became the American Diaspora into the Pacific from 1942 until 1945.

No Navy, Army Air Corps, Coast Guard, or US Army?

Last I looked, the Marines sent 6 divisions to the Pacific while the Army sent 21.

You've got your diasporae mixed.

Jason said...

I've seen "diaspora" used to refer to the mass emigration of Irish during and right after the Famine.

Mark said...

The term diaspora has been in use by some people of Indian descent since I went to graduate school with some in the mid 90's.

I am not fond of the term, but when sitting with people of Indian descent discussing their mother's curries yet born in London, Toronto, the Caribbean, and the west coast of US ... It made a certain sense.

I was surprised to see it still in use, actually. It might be a word full of emotion, but it lacks the poetry and wordplay that permeate many South Asian languages.

I enjoyed my time there greatly, the language was dense with layers of meaning if you are fluent and spend enough time there to catch the references. The use of diaspora is weak chai coming from a history of linguistic greats.

Darrell said...

White is a color, too.

DADvocate said...

Talking vaginas in Madison will be a huge help to womyn in diasporic cultures around the world.

Insufficiently Sensitive said...

phrase "the African diaspora," meaning the population of people of African descent dispersed to other continents through slavery.

The Greeks have used it forever and apply it to their own far-flung settlements. The word itself is Greek: dia spora, two seeds.

Hulk Smash said...

YONI KI BAAT?

WONDER WOMN USED TO
SAY SHIT LIKE THAT
ALL THE TIME

I THOUGHT SHE
HAD SOME SORT OF
INFECTION

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

...dedicated to creating a space in which womyn of color can express their own views on sexuality and their bodies.

I take it these "women of color" are poor?
I also take it that if this "space" has to be created is because it dosent exist and these womyn? are not talking vagina? elsewhere.

Yesterday we learned poor women are not talking, or should I say, talking fewer to their infants, when compared to their economically better off counterparts.

So if their vagina is silent and they are not talking to their infants... Where Am I going here?

I thought I had something to say but I lost it.

Shouting Thomas said...

The feminist women seem to be engaged in a weird struggle to prove just what miserable spoiled rotten brats they can be, don't they?

Is there any limit? How awful can women be?

Seems to be infinite.

Anonymous said...

The USMC became the American Diaspora into the Pacific from 1942 until 1945.

Backed by a special diaspora-support version of the B-25 bomber, popularly known as the Yoni Mitchell.

William said...

I have sympathy for the plight of third world women, but isn't
the major source of their plight third world men. It will be interesting to see how they finesse this. I suspect that they will claim that the prevalence of rape in the third world is one of the enduring effects of colonialism.

Anonymous said...

Insufficiently Sensitive said...
Let those diverse cultures look in mirrors before they start rallying against the honkies, and see what they're going to do against 'their own' sacred males of color to stop their disproportionate control of females.


LOL, Diverse Cultures: If those evil colonialist hadn't shown up (Like General Napier), those Desi Womyn of colour would still be drugged and burned as Sutee on funeral pyres...

"Be it so. This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs."

Shouting Thomas said...

I have sympathy for the plight of third world women, but isn't the major source of their plight third world men.

William falls into the chivalry trap. No wonder feminist women keep defeating men.

The "blaming downward by class status" bit is the principle feminist strategy for snagging men with their chivalry stupidity.

"I'm one of the good men. It's that poor, stupid bastard over there's who's oppressing the women!"

The classic. Another white knight.

Anonymous said...

LOL Paul wins the thread :)

Kevin said...

Diaspora = a word applying to victims

Victimization = empowerment

Women = victims desiring empowerment

Therefore, diaspora = women.

I seriously don't think their minds process it beyond this level.

Anonymous said...

Poor Ms.D , she let a gem just slip through her fingers.

TMink said...

"womyn of color can express their own views on sexuality and their bodies - topics which are traditionally kept 'hush-hush' in many of our cultures and communities"

Yeah. nobody listens when women talk about sex.

Trey

Darrell said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Darrell said...

Yeah. nobody listens when women talk about sex.

But when they do, it's always boring shit. Shit that makes your dick go down faster than a picture of Rosie O'Donnell. Sorry ed... Not yours, of course.

William said...

ST: The existence of Gloria Steinem does not negate the fact that many third world women have a tough time. Fifty percent of the women in South Africa claim that they have been raped. Overt lesbians are subject to something called "corrective rape". This type of rape is notable for its excessive brutality. Zuma, despite being credibly accused of rape, was elected to that country's highest office. I think it's safe to say that the men of that country lack chivalry, I think that it is also fair to say that the feminists here in letting such atrocities pass unnoticed reveal an agenda that is more anti bourgeoise white male than pro third world woman,

'

Rabel said...

It's curious that the OED doesn't offer the broader, non-Jewish definition of diaspora.

I whipped out my battleship sized Websters unabridged (1981) and it does have the non-Jewish definition.

Maybe Cedarford could explain the difference.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

The existence of Gloria Steinem does not negate the fact that many third world women have a tough time.

Then maybe these "womyn" should do something constructive about that, instead of yakking about their special vaginas in white bread Madison.

Do something of value. This isn't it.

Shouting Thomas said...

ST: The existence of Gloria Steinem does not negate the fact that many third world women have a tough time.

Apparently, it has escaped your attention that many third world men may also be having a tough time.

Men are so fucking stupid when it comes to feminist propaganda. It's hopeless to even attempt to speak sense to them.

Darrell said...

I used to help a woman who had just moved from Africa in college with coursework for our shared class. Over the course of the semester, she mentioned that where she came from rape was part of the culture--it was talked about as normal among men. She had been attending a university in her country but left when she was always arguing with men in college about that. Her feeling were that if men at university could not accept that rape was wrong--if only that--there was no point in staying in such a place. Any female was fair game, from 6 (or less) to death. The only women safe at the moment were women from dangerous families or women that traveled with males in sufficient numbers. Or armed. She had been raped as a child, but her parents went to work for the British and they then lived at the British compound. Friends she had made there helped her come to America.

Darrell said...

And that was before the civil wars and roving gangs with automatic weapons. Now it's "nuke from orbit" territory.

Shouting Thomas said...

My late wife was Filipina. My girlfriend is Filipina.

Are any of you yahoos aware that other cultures have values that they think are better than your stupid fucking feminism religion?

The Filipina women I know think that their traditional culture, and the way they relate to men, is a lot smarter than the style of American women.

Shouting Thomas said...

I've actually lived in black communities in San Francisco, Brooklyn and Chicago, and I play organ at back Baptist and Pentecostal Churches.

Black women like black men a lot.

Try getting between a black woman and her man and see what happens to you.

ricpic said...

Shouldn't the title be Queef Of The Vagina?

Darrell said...

Black women like black men a lot.

What's your point? Do you think that Black women like to be raped? Would you want to be the Kleenex every time some guy wants to blow his load?

LordSomber said...

And then there is the Armenian Diaspora.

From wiki:
In Armenian, the diaspora is referred to as "spyurk." Although, in past, the word "gaghut" was mostly used to refer to the communities of Armenians. It was derived from the Hebrew word "galut."

April 24 is Genocide Remembrance Day.

Darrell said...

The worst day in America and Britain would be the best day almost anywhere on Earth you could live. I thank God daily for my good fortune.

David said...

Reminds me of Yoni Berra, who first said "it's not over 'til the fat lesbian sings."

Songs by slim lesbians end nothing.

Shouting Thomas said...

What's your point? Do you think that Black women like to be raped? Would you want to be the Kleenex every time some guy wants to blow his load?

Another stupid question from an indoctrinated Western man.

Your notion about what black African culture is all about is probably just based on Western propaganda.

Feminism is now a fully developed religious doctrine. All religious doctrines picture their opponents as child molesters and rapists.

It's a propaganda tactic.

David said...

There is a Pittsburgh diaspora. By their Steeler stickers ye shall know them.

William said...

I don't think it's excessively chivalrous to state that women should not have to live in a country where they have a fifty fifty chance of being raped. That is a scandalous statistic. The fact that feminists here consider Sandra Fluke's birth control a more pressing issue than widespread rape is another scandal. A woman is not truly a victim unless she has been victimized by a white man.......I agree with shouting Thomas that Filipina women are absolutely terrific in every possible way, but the fact remains that they are lining up to migrate here. So maybe our society has some positive attractions not found in the Philllipines.

Shouting Thomas said...

So maybe our society has some positive attractions not found in the Philllipines.

Money and jobs.

Every Filipina I know is sending money home to the family to build a retirement villa in her home town.

Darrell said...

Your notion about what black African culture is all about is probably just based on Western propaganda

Yeah. A woman from Africa that had been raped who just came from there. You have to read comments other than your own. She lived in an area of Chicago that was high in crime and she thought it was just fine. She thought it was funny and sad that people here did not know how lucky they are.

Shouting Thomas said...

A woman from Africa that had been raped who just came from there.

Women, and men, get raped everywhere.

You really don't know what's going on there.

Take it from me. I was just as stupid about what's going on in Filipino culture before I spent considerable time there within a Filipino family.

Darrell said...

She said that it was almost every woman. But she only lived there. Not like you talking out of your own ass. Now that they have automatic weapons and civil wars, you should go there. They need stuff--even Kleenex, I bet.

Darrell said...

But you'be ben to the Philippines, so that makes you an expert on every place on Earth. Stop while you still have some credibility left.

Shouting Thomas said...

But you'be ben to the Philippines, so that makes you an expert on every place on Earth. Stop while you still have some credibility left.

No.

I've been to the Philippines, so I know that Western feminist propaganda can be utter bullshit.

Shouting Thomas said...

Stop believing the propaganda of the Western feminist press.

I don't know the truth about what's going in on black Africa, but I sure as hell don't believe the Western feminist press.

Anonymous said...

Responding to the talking vagina my loquacious ass says, "Hi, Baby".

Anonymous said...

Responding to the talking vagina my loquacious ass says, "Hi, Baby".

Darrell said...

I don't disagree about what feminists and the Press--actually Leftists--are doing here. But don't confuse that with a story from a woman that just came from a place. Lots of supporting evidence, too, like DoctorsWithoutBorders surgeons coming back and saying that they could spend their whole careers there and still not finish with the child patients that need surgical repair of the tissue separation between the vaginal and anal cavities. Or reports of baby rape because of rumors of an AIDS cure. Does that happen in the the Philippines? Probably not.

Seeing Red said...

Yawn, is this travelling in India?

Darrell said...

is this travelling in India

Thanks for your concern!!!!
Asshole.

Seeing Red said...

"... dedicated to creating a space in which womyn of color can express their own views on sexuality and their bodies - topics which are traditionally kept 'hush-hush' in many of our cultures and communities.... YKB also aims to end the silencing of violence against womyn, especially in diasporic cultures around the world."



Pick another country where this could be useful.

In America it's YAWN!

Seeing Red said...

Saudi Arabia just gave the OK for women to ride bikes.


Here's it's just more banging on high chair public masturbation. Might even be taxpayer-supported. It allows wymen to mind-diddle other wymen and make money.

Sex sells, after all.

Seeing Red said...

Now if we can tie this in with Vodkapundit's SWUG post, we could really have fun with feminism.

Known Unknown said...

The worst day in America and Britain would be the best day almost anywhere on Earth you could live. I thank God daily for my good fortune.

You forgot Canada.

Darrell said...

You forgot Canada

Depends how broad your definition of "America" is, actually. Without the "North" and "South," America includes both. But the sentiment mostly points "North" in my example.

Darrell said...

I almost moved to Vancouver in the late 1980s and I had already gotten a job at B.C. Hydro--so I certainly always think of Canada.

ampersand said...

Shari Lewis died too young.

todd galle said...

Where I come from, a Yoni is an Amish person. Don't know if this helps at all, but there it is.

Unknown said...

loquacious ass
(giggle)
Ritmo's source of talking points.