And why not the clitoris?

A loyal reader steered me toward Sophia Wallace's "cliteracy" art, and I thought, what if, instead of a tiny pocket penis, women carried a tiny clitoris around -- not a real one, you understand, because we already do carry a real one around. (No, really. It's there. Trust me.) I mean a representative tiny clitoris made of metal like those little, precious penises I wrote about last night that are supposed to represent both confidence and the ridiculousness of sexism. Of course, such a talisman would have to be very very tiny, not easily found unless you knew what you were looking for. Certainly not obvious to the uninitiated. 

And I wondered, what would a tiny bronze or silver or gold clitoris represent, if you were to find it and clutch it in your hand when you needed confidence in, for example, a business situation with men? Might it represent sensitivity? Broad, hidden reserves that can only be tapped by true connection and effort? Persistence? Stubbornness? Passion? Stamina? A refusal to be anything other than what it is no matter how much we want those highly touted vaginal and g-spot orgasms?

As a metaphor for confidence against sexism, couldn't it be that which is hidden, but ready to respond and make a powerful statement when the conditions are right for it to do so?

I have no desire to carry around a wee metal clit in my pocket. That sounds kind of painful, and anyway, I've got one of my own. But if we're going to objectify body parts -- and we certainly do -- why not the clitoris, which is so essential to women's pleasure and fulfillment? Why would a woman consider carrying around a penis when the clitoris offers so many unexplored metaphors?

Maybe one answer is that the clitoris is not so obvious, not so in-your-face, not out there loudly touting its rigid symbolism, so people pass it by for bigger, easier fish. It takes work, the clitoris.

Maybe another answer is that the clitoris is often simply ignored, by both men and women, and that shit needs to stop. Women don't need to carry a phallus in our pockets, because we've got our own ways of doing things. Ways that complement and invigorate differently, but just the same.

And yet for those who care and take the time and pay attention, it's not really so elusive. Maybe its confidence comes from cooperative negotiation, not from forcing the issue. Maybe it doesn't stand at attention like a flagpole, but different doesn't mean wrong.

I don't intend to carry around a graven image of any human genitalia -- nor animal neither. But I think as a metaphor, the clitoris might have something different to offer when it comes to building confidence. If nothing else, I'd certainly like to see it getting more attention.

What say you, ladies?

*****

On a different note, Blogher picked up last night's post about tiny penises and slapped it on the table up on their homepage today. Go take a look! It's kind of a big deal for a small blogger like me to get that kind of recognition, so I've been a little giddy today .... But enough bragging. Go find a clitoris and give it some attention!