My Menopause Blog: Man Discovers the Clitoris

This is the Sunday post of the racy weekend edition.

I'm still reading Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho. In a conversation between Maria, the prostitute and her female librarian friend, yes an unlikely coupling, the librarian reports some findings from a collection of sex books she's glanced through.

"Did you know, for example, that the clitoris is a recent invention" queries the librarian.

"It (the clitoris) was officially accepted in 1559, after a doctor (man), Realdo Columbo published a book entitled De re anatomica."

Further down the page the librarian goes on to explain that in 1561, another doctor (man) names Gabriello Fallopio, claimed the he discovered the clitoris.

Once again I put down the book.

Sixty seven years earlier, Before Clitoris, in 1492, Christopher Columbus 'discovered' America. Apparently he and his crew were greeted by people as they beached their boats. These people of course believed they were at home, where they'd lived for hundreds of years. Intimately familiar with the hills, forests, rivers, valley's, mountains and general lay and flow of the land these people likely thought they were discovering Chris and the boys on their beach.

But I guess the first guy to plant a flag in something is the real discoverer. And I think it's telling, although I'm not precisely sure of what, that America was discovered Before the clitoris. If nothing else, it speaks of priorities rather clearly.

This may be something to be wary of as you live your life. According to history, until something is claimed, named and stabbed with a cloth topped stick, it is up for grabs. And your needs, that being the female version, may not be at the top of the list.

And so dear women, our clitoris was discovered by a man in or around 1560. Prior to that, who knew? And how could we know. 'Down there' was distinctly considered off limits despite being part of our body.

As the actual flesh and blood owner of a clitoris I am indebted to these men and eternally grateful that I was not born prior to their critical clitoral discovery. What a celebration there must have been in 1559. Dancing, singing, women laughing, bells ringing, perhaps a loud and joyous parade in the centre of every town, city and village. Ah yes, the thoughts do warm my heart. Must have been quite a party!

Where I live, we have a provincial motto that's printed on our car license plates. 'Ontario: Yours to Discover'. Please be forewarned. The descendents of Realdo, Gabriello, Christopher are amoung us. They might just be looking to discover something that is already yours.

Sue Richards

P.S. My Menopause Blog has moved to http://www.mymenopauseblog.com.

Tags: My Menopause Blog, Sue Richards, clitoris, Christopher Columbus.