Carolee Schneemann—Interior Scroll (1975)

[all my exes agree i’m too sensitive. inside i’m keeping track of slights on one long receipt, a diaristic indulgence. ask me your score and i’ll open my legs. vulnerability is in. Schneemann made this at thirty-six, which was my first question because i’m still unlearning that youth is worth for women. i wanted to measure myself against her flesh, and her stance invites it. to have a stance at all is to be called a cunt so why not serve yourself. all this focus on the body, these primitive techniques—it’s what they use against us: this video has been removed for violating YouTube’s Terms of Service. the American public is very sensitive. but certain films argue for their context. interpreted too literally, my body is my context. gender scores the surface. Schneemann called herself the cunt mascot on the men’s art team. her boyfriend took the pictures of this performance as she pulled the scroll from her vagina—why does this feel disappointing? sometimes i take my body off but then somebody puts it back on for me. holds out the sleeves so gentlemanly. we are fond of you. you are charming. in the pocket is my long receipt but i don’t whip it out immediately. my cunt is cluttered with problems i’d like you to see. ask me your score and i’ll sit on your face. see if you can find your name.]