It's VDay again, and I still can't say the "C" word

I've seen "The Vagina Monologues" three times now, and I just love the show. I always walk away feeling empowered, enlightened, energized.

Except for one thing.

If you haven't seen the show (and you really should), it was written by Eve Ensler based on interviews with hundreds of women all around the world. And one monologue requires a little audience participation.

It's called "Reclaiming Cunt."

I wince every time I look at the word. In fact, this may be the first time I've ever written it or typed it or done anything other than trying to avoid it.

Without giving too much away, at the end of the monologue, the audience is supposed to say the word.

And once again tonight, at Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge's Smith Theater, I couldn't do it.

This show moves me, it gets under my skin and stays there. Every time I see it, I feel like I want to do something, like I should do something, to support and celebrate womanhood, to fight the horrifying things that happen to women and their vaginas every day. Rape, torture, mutilation ... not just every day, every hour of every day.

"The Vagina Monologues" forces women to bring their vaginas out of the darkness. It shines a big, bright spotlight on all those things we don't want to talk about out loud, like orgasms and gynecological exams and the heat of passion and the agony of intimate violence.

And I embrace all of those ideas, I know how important it is to raise awareness, to be inspired to action by a show like this. I shouldn't get stuck on this one little thing, right?

So please, please go see "The Vagina Monologues" – 33 performances are happening in Michigan, and finding them on the map on vday.org is kind of fun. Let it fill you up, let it empower and inspire you.

If you are so inclined, say the "c" word for me. And I'll keep working on it.