Vagina Boat Artist Officially Indicted In Japan

Megumi Igarashi, the Japanese artist who was arrested on obscenity charges in July and again earlier this month, has officially been charged for her crimes. According to BBC News, Igarashi was reprimanded for "displaying a work modeled on her vagina and for distributing data that could be used to print out a 3D copy of her genitals."

Igarashi plead her case in court with a prepared statement. "My works are all meant to induce friendly laughter because they involve cutely decorating sexual organs. The works are not obscene," she said. Nevertheless, Japanese obscenity laws require the blurring and obscuring of genitalia — even in pornography — and Igarashi was officially indicted.

"If convicted, Ms Igarashi could be jailed up to two years and/or fined as much as 2.5 million yen ($20,750)," BBC News reported. Igarashi's lawyer said they will continue to fight the charges and pleaded not guilty.

Igarashi's indictment also calls into question the Japanese double standard for male versus female genitalia. The latter is considered obscene, while the former is celebrated during an annual fertility celebration called Kanamara Matsuri, which translates to "Festival of the Steel Phallus." The festival features a parade of massive sculptures of male members, none of which are obscured. (BBC News)

A video about Igarashi's kayak made from a 3-D copy of her vagina.

Some of Igarashi's vagina art.

Igarashi with her vagina character.