Timothy Leary
The Clitoris
1993
NOTE.
This essay presents the viewpoint of an uninformed
20th century male. These primitive, amateur, naive observations
are designed to stimulate thought about four crucial
issues:
1. The invisible, pervasive, relentless, unadmitted repression and
dehumanization of v^omen and children by armed Male Authorities.
From 25,000 BC until today.
2. The masculine glorification of the phallus monstrous, monumental,
gigantic, towering, penetrating, potent, powerful,
strong, competent, forceful, commanding.
3. The contemptuous demonization by males of the female genitaha.
The depreciating word "clit" denies the central importance
of this wonder organ. The most insulting put down of
another man is to call him a "cunt" or "pussy." The recent
usage of the derogation "dick," according to tabulated wordcounts
is almost exclusively used by women.
4. The awesome significance of the Clitoris in human life and
species evolution. The Clitoris may be the most important
"organ," THE GENETIC BRAINLOBE of our species which
has been totally ignored, trivialized, and demonized by masculine
culture.
Male Definitions of the Clitoris
According to Marshall McLuhan the words we use to fabricate
the realities we inhabit. The American Heritage Dictionary defines
the Clitoris as: "A SMALL(?) ERECTILE ORGAN AT THE UPPER
END OF THE VULVA, HOMOLOGOUS WITH THE penis."
In my viewpoint, this definition reflects the ultimate
oppressive humiliation of Humans by Masculine Authorities.
Scientific Definitions of the "Penis"
Brushing aside this hysterical masculine mysticism, we can agree
that the penis is an impressive plumbing tool which performs two
valuable bio-engineering survival functions and one important
neurological function:
1. Urination. One or more Quarts of Urine Per Day. QUPD.
About five times a day, the male unzips and takes his penis
in hand and squirts out a stream of urine.
2. Ejaculation. The penis also squirts out around 300,000 sperm
per orgasm (SPO).
3. Psychological-Neurological function.
In discussing these controversial issues let us acknowledge the
enormous erotic and symbolic significance of the Phallus in male
mythology.
Body
Erections make men feel like "Men." The throbbing, pulsating
orgasms make males feel good.
The penis is the sword, the lance, the tower, the plough, the
very essence of man's potent power over the submissive, handicapped,
genetically disadvantaged, semi-plegic woman.
Indeed, the Sage of 19th Century Sexuality, Sigmund Freud, in
a bizarre fit of hebephrenic silliness fantasized that woman's basic
neurosis was caused by "penis envy!"
Parable: The boy is confused. He says to his father, "The teacher
talks about the 'vagina.' But the guys in the school yard called it
a 'cunt.' What is the difference between a vagina and a cunt"
The father replied, "The vagina is a warm, juicy, sweet thing
designed to make men feel happy and strong. The cunt is the
individual who owns the vagina."
The Vagina
The hipper Random House Dictionary (1987) defines the Vagina
as "the passage leading from the uterus to the vulva in certain
female mammals."
The homologue of the penis is not the clitoris but the Vagina-
Cervix-Ovary (V.C.O.) organ system which performs two unbelievably
complicated biogenetic functions.
1. Pissing: The V.C.O. contains the urethra which ejects around
one QUPD. (Notice that the female usually does not handle
her urinary disposal equipment. The mechanics of "pissing
on" something or someone, so central to male dominance psychology
is not a central part of female mythology. Except, of
course, as an exquisitely rowdy form of sexual aesthetics.)
2. Conceiving: The female reproductive system produces one egg
a month and nurtures the fertilized egg for nine months.
The Clitoris
There is no male homologue for the Clitoris.
The Clitoris has no plumbing or sperm-egg functions.
Like the Eyeball, the Clitoris is a sensory organ, an extension
of the brain, which happens to be tactically located between the
legs of females. From the evolutionary viewpoint the Clitoris is a
bundle of neurons which might be called the brain of DNA.
It is fascinating to speculate about the genetic significance of
this neurologically enriched organ.
It could be argued that the Clitoris assigns to the female the
basic and ultimate power of determining the survival of the species
and the direction of species mutation.
Macho-sexist Darwinism preaches the survival of the fittest
i.e. the strongest, toughest males. The strong males who can manage
to arouse the Clitoris are selected for mating.
In most species it is the males who are loaded down with the
plumage, the gaudy markings. It is the males who strut, dance,
display, exhibit, show-off to attract, to arouse the Clitoris of the
elegant, discriminating female to be aroused by the most appealing
sperm deliverer.
What Darwinism Called Natural Selection
Turns Out To Be Clitoral Aesthetic Choice
Even more humiliating to male pretensions is the fact that once
the 300,000 sperm are spurted into the vaginal-cervical system
they are forced to thrash, splash, and swim up the fallopian tubes
often described by poets as the Boulevard of Broken Genes.
Body
These bizarre self-serving scenarios of male biologists would
have us believe that the 300,000 sperm immediately engage
some sweaty, Olympic swimming race, frantically bumping, tv^isting,
and flagellating.
Clitoridectomy
The crucial importance of the Clitoris is demonstrated by the ritual
of Clitoridectomy.
The 1975 American Heritage Dictionary contains no reference
to this ultimately savage practice of the mutilation of one million
African and Islamic young girls each year.
The 1987 Random House Dictionary states that clitoridectomy
is "the excision of the clitoris ... to curb sexual desire; female
circumcision.
Infibulation
The 1987 Random House Dictionary defines infibulation as
stitching together of the vulva, often after a CLITORIDECTOMY;
leaving a small opening for the passage of urine and menstrual
blood."
Again, the prudishly antique 1975 American Heritage Dictionary
makes no reference to this brutal practice, which each
victimizes more humans than the unspeakable atrocities of
Nazi Holocaust, Stalinist, and Maoist genocides.
In African and Islamic countries, clitoridectomy is the standard,
glorious "rite of passage" for young teenage girls.
Remember, the word ISLAM means submission-obedience
Allah, the vengeful, stern, male god. Clitoridectomy is, therefore,
a highly sophisticated religious ritual, the ultimate sacrifice female
humanity to male mastery.
Castration-Circumcision
Please do not compare clitoridectomy with circumcision or castration.
Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin a useless, insensitive
flap of flesh which has no survival function or sensual potential.
Riddle: What do they call the insensitive bag of skin at the base
of the penis?
Answer to Riddle: The insensitive bag of skin at the base of the
penis is called The man!
Castration is a simple removal of the testicles. These sacks of
sperm are equipped with exaggerated pain-avoidance reflexes, but
minimal pleasure responses.
Clitoridectomy, however, is like surgical blinding or lobectomy,
the removal of the most important lobe of the brain.
Do we dare equate the CLITORIS to the soul?
To be clinical, after surgical removal of the clitoris, do we assume
the woman cannot have full orgasm?
Is this true?
How would I know?
A distressing question arises. It is obvious that, for thousands
of years, the female orgasm has been censored and suppressed by
male rulers. A fierce taboo has ignored and even demonized the
female orgasm.
Here, we must recall the Freudian theory that depreciates CLITORAL
orgasms in favor of vaginal orgasms.
This taboo about the clitoris is profound. Cloaked in silence.
In the texts written, of course, by white males.
This taboo still exists in America today. The American Heritage
Body
Dictionary gives three definitions of castration. The word clitoridectomy
is not mentioned.
The very concept of female orgasm is unacceptable in most
human societies.
The image of a woman writhing in pleasure, moaning and exultantly
screaming in gratification, is intolerable to almost all cultural
moralists.
Listen to the most hip, modern Random House Dictionary written,
of course, by white males: "Orgasm: the physical and emotional
sensation at the peak of sexual excitation, and usually
accompanied in the male by ejaculation."
The crucial genetic fact is this: A woman can have many repeated
orgasms. The unwieldy male unit is embarrassingly limited
by its sperm-delivery capacities.
Parable: Around 1966 Alex Haley, the legendary African-
American writer interviewed me for Playboy magazine. During
the discussion, I fabricated the provocative exaggeration that a
female could enjoy as many as 200 orgasms during a psychedelic
session.
A few months later I lectured at Reed College in Portland,
Oregon. The room was so jammed that around 20 students sat
on stage behind me. I was also seated.
During Q&A a somber, scholarly-looking man standing in the
back of the hall said: "What is the scientific basis for your statement
that a female can have 200 orgasms during a psychedelic
experience?"
Feigning confusion, I leaned back and whispered to the students
behind me, "What shall I say?"
A young woman replied: "Tell him the answer is 'y^s.' And
that they come in colors like the rainbow."
Now, at the end of the 20th century it is possible to suggest
new metaphors about female sexuality.
Why Not Think of the Clitoris as the Legendary Third Eye?
Clitoridectomy is like blinding the eyeball, removing the basic
organ of neurological intelligence which so charmingly designs
human evolution.
The fact that we are now aware of these matters and can discuss
them is a good sign. I think. What do I know?
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