Uter-"I"

What is a uterus?

"Uterus: 1. In the primates; The organ in which the young are conceived, developed, and protected till birth; the female organ of gestation; the womb. b. In other animals: The matrix; the ovary 1753. 2. Bot. a. = PERICARP 1676. b. In fungi: The envelope of the sporophore 1829." -- Oxford English Dictionary.

Uterus, then, appears to be a medical or botanical term. My uterus is there to perform a reproductive function, as in other animals (and fungi), and in some ways it is not dissimilar to a nut shell (pericarp -- the pod, husk or shell of a fruit). This description does seem to lack depth and breadth, being purely about physical form and function, but then that's exactly why I recognize it as a scientific definition.

So aside from its nutshell function, the cultural relationship of uterus to 'woman' is an interesting one to explore. What happens when our uterus betrays us by not holding life? Or when we lost it to illness? Or what happens when a perfectly functional uterus turns fifty and stops serving its life purpose? I am interested in a discussion of uterus vs femininity or gender roles in particular. I am most interested in an international discussion because I am sure it varies - I mean, shit, it probably varies from brownstone to brownstone here in Brooklyn.