It seems that the 'genitalia' keeps making the rounds within the local political discourse.

After Austin's iniquitous 'ghamilna pipi' it was the time for a ticklish 'm'intix żigg' by the Prime Minister! 

This country never lets me down when it comes to bewilderment!

As the renowned expert in Maltese language, Sergio Grech rightly said during this week's Ghandi xi Nghid (http://andrewazzopardi.org/ghandi-x-nghid-radio-show/) 'we' play the holier than the Pope act to perfection when we really feel that we need to expurgate in this Country of ours. 

In fact Grech made reference to the Dizzjunarju Malti - u Teżawru ta' Malti mħaddem collated by the distinguished Mario Serracino Inglott.  In testimonial to the description given in this dictionary, the term 'zigg' is used to express a sense of awe even though it might also refer to that 'naughty word'.  Grech continues to add that we act in such a bigoted way and then we forget that 'we' are the same people and the same Country who have no problem sitting for 2 or more hours of Bla Kondixin sarcasm which essentially uses sexual-allusions from start to end, rate high in consumption of pornography, have been amongst the highest 'consumers' of 50 Shades of Grey, have attended en masse to the penis monologues, Minn Wara z-Zipp (of Trevor Zahra) and the pantomimes so many of us flock to see at this time of the year are flooded with non-stop doppju sens! 
 
This is a society that really needs to be honest with itself and come clean on this pseudo-morality.

Now to add insult to injury, the Leader of the Opposition during the much coveted budget speech, considered to be his best oratory since he took over the PN leadership, gets to mix up the status of Minister Joe Mizzi's family. It was the giggle which I liked best as he got the il-oht il-mara confused with il-mara ta' ohtu which meant more banging on the desks.  We had Minister Dalli shouting from the other end of the hall that maghna kollox possibli.  So there you go our politicians are getting confused with sex, gender and all the rest now.   

Oh bless everyone's soul!

And if that wasn't enough, in comes Minister Evarist Bartolo who in a political charged speech one Sunday morning bring into play stylish dialectics in front of 30 or so supporters who travel from one political gathering to another.  The Senior Minister speaks about the hymenoplasty or the reconstruction of the hymen (il-hajta), the lost virginity and so on and so forth to have a go at the PN. 

I really don't know what got into him!

So now it was the Education Minister talking about health issues after having the Minister of Health seeing to the gas turbines and power stations - I'm sure the Prime Minister is enjoying the versatility of his Cabinet!

Back to the 'hymen'. 

Now whilst I think that it is women who should be the ones to cut-and-dry whether the use of Bartolo's metaphor was inappropriate or not, in all fairness if someone had to ask me, I think it was an allegory in bad taste.  I'm sure there are other honorable comparisons one could make.  Notwithstanding, as far as I'm concerned this doesn't in any way impinge on the substantial role this politician had in helping our society 'locate' minority issues and not only that but contributed in helping these citizens get what is theirs by right. So it was a howler for sure, but what the hell, the man has done a lot to bring about inclusion and that shouldn't be taken away from him. 

At this point I can't think of suggesting anything better than inviting you to see the episodic plays which ran at the Off Broadway Westside Theatre, The Vagina Monologues written by Eve Ensler to help us all get some feminist perspectives within context. 

These notorious monologues raise awareness about the use of language, the perceptions that develop around and in relation to women and lots of other vagina-related issues! 

These monologues written back in the late 90's have been translated in almost 50 languages and performed in some 140 countries.  So whilst Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close, Cyndi Lauper and Ophra Winfrey have starred in this pluri-awarded performance I suggest that the opening event to inaugurate our new parliament will be one or two monologues our politicians could perform themselves, a sort of catharsis you know to help with the purification and sanitization of thought and behaviour. 

Imagine having a cultural calendar event that said, 'The Vagina Monologues now in Parliament' - what a hit that would be!

Dr Andrew Azzopardi presents Ghandi xi Nghid and lectures at the University of Malta