Thursday 9 October 2008

Vulva

Everything you can see below is called a vulva. ie pretty much everything you can feel or see with a little mirror 70s style is called a vulva. Unless you're super flexible. Or have long fingers. But let's not go there ;)


1. Clitoris
2. Labia majora
3. Hymen
4. Perineum
5. Hood of the clitoris (also called prepuce)
6. Labia minora
7. Urethral orifice - or urethral opening (where you pee out of)
8. Opening of the vagina

From coolnurse.com

As far as you can see in this picture the vagina is a small hole. Now for those of us who have birthed children via one they may not look quite so tidy, but I promise you as someone who has seen quite a lot of them now that they are not a major part of the genitalia. Sure they're fun and you can do fun things with them, but if the only area of your vulva that gets any action is your vagina then you're certainly missing out. Aside from anything else did you know that the portion of the vagina not considered part of the vulva has no sensation?

This is something that cheeses me off considerably. People who reduce the female external genitalia to a vagina piss me off. If you do it, you piss me off. Just letting you know. It is NOT a "correct" term. I don't care if your Aunty, Sister, Mum and 4 ladies from Mothers Group call it a vagina. It STILL ISN'T CORRECT. Don't give me shit that it's too hard to teach them the "correct" terms. VULVA is easier to say. VULVA has less letters. VULVA ACTUALLY IS CORRECT.

I use tummy and belly also. I don't teach my children correct anatomical names and am happy with accepted euphemisms. But VAGINA is not a euphemism. It is its own special anatomical zone. It does its own awesome things. But it is not and never will be a vulva. Unless you need reconstructive surgery. And TRUST me, you dn't want that.

*breathe in*

13 comments:

Shannon said...

I'm one of those people that piss you off. :)

TheThingsIdTellYou said...

I piss you off too. But, in my defense, your comments in that thread today made me rethink my position.

I don't like euphamisms though.

Simone said...

Cripes but I am getting rid of the Volvo before I teach them that word!

I can just see us all going out and they say to the stranger in the street "We went out in the Vulva"

Nope- getting a new car - a saab or something!

Jenn said...

Lol I did get ranty. Wonder how many hits my blog will get now that I have nude genitals on here.

But I stand by it, if people think that using vagina is less twee and more correct than vulva then I have massive issues. Especially when people tell me that the meaning of vagina has now etymologically changed simply because of ignorance about female anatomy.

Mothership said...

It's also a pretty cool word to say. And reminds me of that Seinfeld episode.

How would you feel about "flaps" then? :P

Averil said...

I'm a "vagina" user. Heh heh!

Only in our house, thanks to the toddler, we call them "Ginas"

That's "JYENA" not to be confused with "Geena".

xx Ave

Jenn said...

You know the thing I just don't get is how people say they're teaching vagina because they don't like euphemisms. If you don't like euphemisms why teach vagina?

I really am confused. The EB thread is ridiculous - clearly a lot of women on there have no idea what a vagina actually is.

Jayne said...

Ok ok OK already!!! :P I stand by my original thought that I'd prefer vagina to "fluffy wuffy bunny wabbit" or "front bot bot". ANY day. But ok, any thoughts on how to now explain to my 3 year old that her 'bits' should cease to be spoken of as her "gina" (HER abbreviation not mine) and now called her Vulva? And I can see some confusion at kinder around pick up toime arising!

Nicole S said...

Okay, so I got technical with my girls, just for you, Jenn :) We talked about vaginas, how that is the bit that the baby comes from, yet you can't really see it. So it is odd that we call the whole area a vagina, because really it is made up of all sorts of bits and pieces. And that technically we don't wee out of our vagina, either, different purpose/different name. It was fun and informative.
My sister's girls use vulva, so it wasn't unfamiliar to them.
Though, Charlotte still can't remember whether poo comes out her bottom or her vagina lol

Blythe said...

I piss you off Jenn.

On to penises.... In Hebrew the slang/kiddy term for a penis is a "bull-bull". How twee is that?

hissychick said...

As you know I a with you all the way on this one.

VIVA LA VULVA!!!!!!!!!!!

Mary said...

Guess I piss you off too Jenn (hee hee). Oh alright, it will be vulva from now on.

Anonymous said...

I don't have any daughters and I never really talk about my vulva to anyone except my OB/GYN and she calls it a vagina!!

I will correct her for you Jenn, she is perpetuating the myth that we all have vaginas where our vulvas are :P

Still cracking up at Motherships 'flaps' comment hahahaha.

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