Reading of Vagina Monologues planned after Michigan state rep. silenced for uttering ‘V-word’

Michigan State Representative Lisa Brown is forbidden from speaking on the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives.

If this seems counter-intuitive to you, you’re not alone. Brown is in trouble, apparently, for uttering the word “vagina” during debate over a controversial bill on women’s reproductive rights.

“I’m flattered that you’re all so interested in my vagina, but no means no,” she said. A short-time later, the Democrat received word from House Speaker James Bolger, a Republican, that her speaking privileges had been revoked indefinitely. Bolger didn’t tell her directly, but rather sent word through other Democrats in the House.

In response, at least nine female legislators will join actresses from around Michigan to read the play “The Vagina Monologues” on the steps of the Michigan Capitol building Monday night.

Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan’s Senate Democratic Leader, will be one of these readers.

“This is an unprecedented move by the Speaker of the House to take away someone’s ability to speak on the floor,” Whitmer said. “We’ve never seen this happen, and really because she said the word vagina, they’ve used that as an excuse to cut off her voice and to silence her.”

Ari Adler, a spokesman for Bolger, said it’s the responsibility of every member of the House of Representatives to maintain decorum on the House floor. When they don’t do that, then there are consequences.

Whitmer said there was no violation of decorum. She also criticized Adler for saying Brown and other women who were upset by Bolger’s move were throwing temper tantrums.

“This is all gender-driven politics that is trying to silence an important voice in policy-making,” Whitmer said. “We are told to use the anatomically correct word to describe healthcare for our kids. She was using, vagina, which is an anatomically word, for an issue they were trying to legislate. If they can’t say the word, then they sure as heck shouldn’t be trying to legislate it.”

So Monday evening, Whitmer and her colleagues will stand on the steps of the Capitol and stand down the bully, she said.

“Silence would only send the message to them that it’s OK to shut someone’s microphone off for saying a word they deem, personally, inappropriate,” she said.

These are the debates, Whitmer said, that the founding fathers wanted our legislators to have. It doesn’t matter if a term makes you uncomfortable.

“This is a freedom of speech issue and a right to represent her constituents,” she said.