Lindsey: Recently I read an article in the Seattle Times that said, [slide] "Some cultures create elaborate rules about mixing sex and speech... In parts of New Guinea, you're not allowed to have sex with anyone who shares your primary language... Some aboriginal Austrailians have a sort of incest-related taboo against speaking with the family of your spouse...so they create artificial 'mother-in-law languages' to talk to their Mother's-in-law."

In places I've lived, the rules about sex and speech, you don't publicly say or write the word "cunt" referring to vulva. I'm not typically a rule-breaker, but let's change this!

[intro]

Two circles overlapping: In one, there's a finite collection of data, in the other, there's a separate set of data except where the two overlap. You may call this a "Venn diagram" or a "logic diagram." They're helpful at showing relationships. If it's like this, for example [image of two separate circles] it means that they have nothing in common. Two circles which fit perfectly together [short animation of two circles combining completely into one] have everything in common. And varying degrees of intersection [image of two half-overlapping circles] show what they do or don't have in common.

There was a day this last year when I wanted to know what the shape in-between is called, it's where we come together. Can't it have a more powerful name than "the overlap?" There's "intersection," which isn't a terrible name for it, but I still think that there's a lexical gap - we can do better. I want something shorter that doesn't make me think of traffic. Something special. So I brainstormed it for a while. "What words are about similarities and how does this space make me feel and what does it look like?" I realized that it's "cunic", it's shaped like a vulva, so what if we just call it a "cunt?"

It's Venn's cunt. "Cunt" - first definition, "noun, woman's genitals" - or more accurately - "a vulva." Sometimes even "sexual intercourse with a vulva." This is being pulled directly from the dictionary. Second definition - "noun, the overlap of circles in a Venn diagram." And the third definition - "noun, and expression of contempt or disapproval."

It would be great if the meanings took this order: pussy first, then logic, then name-calling, preferably how New Zealand and Austrailia refer to "cunt" where it's neutral or out of affection, but I would take anything.

I'm not trying to replace any meanings or to censor them; I just want to add something that deflates the fear and/or hatred of the female sexuality. [sings] Oh, female sexuality! [normal voice] "Cunt" feels good in my mouth. It feels like an accurate sound for the vulva, and now, the shared space in a Venn diagram

[slide of Venn diagram with various food choices] "Where do you want to go for dinner?" "I don't know, what's in our cunt?" "I've been trying to find music that we both like." [slide of Venn diagram with various music genres] "Bluegrass lives in our cunt." "How's your relationship going?" [slide of Venn diagram with various personal wants/needs/goals] "Great! We have a huge cunt!" [slide of Venn diagram with vulva/vagina-related descriptions and sensual preferences] And cunts can have cunts, too. Slightly widening the fingers during penetration - "Put that in the cunt!"

I told friends of mine about this idea, and then we made a bet to incentivize my efforts. The wager: If we - not just me but us because I need your help - can get this new meaning of "cunt" in the dictionary by 2023, my friends will adopt a dog from Baja. If we can't get the new meaning of "cunt" in the dictionary by 2023, I have to finance a helicopter to drop them off at a ski summit. Ahh!

Okay, the goal is 2023 because I'm familiar with word-adoption, and I know that this is going to take some time to make happen. Part of a word or meaning success is based on the breadth of usage. Venn's cunt can't just be placed in a YouTube video; it needs to span multiple platforms many [x5] times. This is where you come in. We are people from all over with diverse ambitions, networks, and influence; we have the ability to employ "cunt" in many different contexts across many different disciplines so it actually builds and sustains its meaning.

[scrolling image] Here's what the online application looks like for adding a word or meaning to the dictionary. What are you submitting? [image of form, drop-down menu] "A new word or sense." For you logophiles, "semantic shifting an extension."[form image] "Word - cunt." I'm so excited for them to receive this and not just click "delete," because the use of "cunt" will be so widespread at this time, that they'll just know it's coming. [laughs] "Coming!" [form image] "Part of speech - noun. Pronunciation -" I really just want to put Eve Ensler's response from The Vagina Monologues "cunt" here:

"C C. Ca Ca. Cavern, cackle, clit, cute, come-closed, c-closed inside, inside ca-then u-then cu-then curvy, inviting sharkskin, u-uniform, under, up, urge, ugh, ugh, u — then n then cun — snug letters fitting perfectly together — n — nest, now, nexus, nice, nice, always depth, always round in upper case, cun, cun-n a jagged wicked electrical pulse-n [high pitched noise] then soft n-warm n - cun, cun, then t - then sharp certain tangy t - texture, take, tent, tight, tantalizing, tensing, taste, tendrils, time, tactile -"

But I will probably go with "k-u-h-n-t." I want it to sound the same as the other "cunts." Ultimately, part of this effort is to destigmatize hearing and saying "cunt." "Cunt" certainly makes the Venn diagram more magnificent to me, but it also permits one of the sexiest words for my anatomy to be spoken without shame and reservation. Because now, "cunt" is a geometric shape! It's the region of two sets overlapping! "Intersex-tion." The cunt!

Stay curious, and please let me know in the comments how you end up employing the word "cunt" to pull this off. We've got two years, 2023.

[outro]

"High pitched noise then soft n-warm n - cun -" Okay, start from the beginning. [laughs]

[end]