From Sam Edge, Ringwood, Hampshire, UK
I agree with Adam Taor that some of the terminology used for female anatomy, especially reproductive parts, is extremely paternalistic, if not outright misogynistic, and could do with revision(14 June, p 21).
I remember a discussion on the subject involving Germaine Greer, who recalled that once she had found out “vagina” comes from the Latin for “scabbard”, she began to prefer the earthy, four-letter C-word, as it has a more interesting and less demeaning derivation from Old Norse or possibly Latin. Of course, given the less-than-positive uses to which the C-word is now put, making its anatomical use mainstream might be difficult.
