I’ve been getting emails offering me help to fall pregnant. I’ve been getting others offering to help me build a chicken coop too. I’m not planning on doing either, with or without help. But the ones about falling pregnant got my strop-meter ticking.

Why do we use such negative words for things to do with love and life? People lose their virginity and fall pregnant. Surely one’s virginity is not lost, but given away in a joyous step along the avenue of life! And why should we bracket conception with falling over, falling from grace, fallen women?

I suggest that we all start using other words and phrases, for example:

• Not “She lost her virginity” but “She attained post-virginal status.”
• Not “She fell pregnant” but “She became an incipient life-giver.”

Fallen Woman

Incipient Life-Giver

Not as snappy perhaps, but a lot more positive. Anyone got a better idea?

Then what about ‘vagina’?  The first time I came across the word was in a Latin lesson: it’s a scabbard.  Not a pretty association.  The Malay word translates as ‘baby tunnel’.