An Inclusive Litany
11/1/01
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, seventeen-year-old Christian Silbereis earned
a top prize at a Community High School costume contest as well as a
two-and-a-half-day suspension when he showed up dressed as a giant
vagina. More than a simple adolescent prank, however, Silbereis said
his mother, midwife Rosalyn Tulip, created the costume the previous
year and wore it to a party. When he asked if he could borrow it,
Tulip warned that it might make people feel uncomfortable, but she
would support his decision because it encourages people to talk
positively about their bodies. But in fact, many staff members said
they felt demeaned by the costume. "It's just another body part,"
Silberis said. "They teach us about it in school.... I just don't see
what the big deal is. I mean, what if I was wearing an elbow costume?
That's part of the body. Would they suspend me then?"