Sylvia de Béjar
Reprint from ¡Viva la Vulva!
"Femalia" by Pegi Eyers
ACRYLIC ON CANVAS
Represented as a shrine, the vulva can be a portal opening to creative energy, mythic imagination, or the wisdom of the Goddess that
permeates the ecstasy of the cosmic embrace.
Not a few women doubt the meaning of the word "vulva," too many are disgusted with theirs, and most have never seen anything other than their own, and sometimes not even that! In fact, many gentlemen have admired vulvas more than any female owner of one, unless she is a lesbian and/or a gynecologist, pelvic floor physiotherapist or midwife. So it's time to talk about it and see a few, because it's time to love them as much as the men and women that are shared with women.
To begin with, two tests to raise awareness. They are designed for us, but I invite men to participate because you always learn or understand something new. Do you know how to identify the parts of the upper image? To find out, sign up for this test that the brand of feminine hygiene products Summer's Eve® proposes on its website (they explain that almost 70% of women fail). In what blank space would you place the terms: anus, clitoris, labia, vaginal entrance, and vulva?
Do you need me to tell you the answer? Well, this is the correct order: clitoris, labia, vaginal entrance, vulva, and anus. Actually, they have simplified quite a bit, because they could have differentiated between labia majora and minora, and included the urethral orifice (external part of the urethra, through which urine is expelled), because the vulva (sheath in Latin) includes from the pubic or Venus mons to the lower part of the vaginal entrance. If you still don't see it clearly, I hope that the illustration below, from my book "Your Sex is Yours," will finish clarifying the female geography and, if you are a woman, why don't you look for a moment of tranquility, arm yourself with a mirror and take a closer look? Getting to know each other is essential. And if you've looked at yourself before (how long ago?), it doesn't hurt to repeat. And what if you share this experience with your partner?
Do you need me to tell you the answer? Well, this is the correct order: clitoris, labia, vaginal entrance, vulva, and anus. Actually, they have simplified quite a bit, because they could have differentiated between labia majora and minora, and included the urethral orifice (external part of the urethra, through which urine is expelled), because the vulva (sheath in Latin) includes from the pubic or Venus mons to the lower part of the vaginal entrance. If you still don't see it clearly, I hope that the illustration below, from my book "Your Sex is Yours," will finish clarifying the female geography and, if you are a woman, why don't you look for a moment of tranquility, arm yourself with a mirror and take a closer look? Getting to know each other is essential. And if you've looked at yourself before (how long ago?), it doesn't hurt to repeat. And what if you share this experience with your partner?
Before showing you other women's vulvas, one more test[1], this one only for women, to check how you relate to yours (if you're a man, it doesn't hurt to understand women's insecurities regarding their genitals). It doesn't score, as the idea is to make you think and ask yourself the causes of your answers if they are negative. Read each of the sentences and think before you decide if you:
strongly disagree.
or disagree.
or okay.
or very much agree.
1. I feel good about my genitals.
2. I'm satisfied with their appearance.
3. I would feel comfortable letting my partner look at them.
4. I think my genitals smell good.
5. I think they work the way they should.
6. I feel comfortable letting a health professional (gynecologist, midwife, pelvic floor physiotherapist...) examine my genitals.
7. I'm not ashamed of them.
It's time to recover the title of the article: "I love my vulva, do you love yours?" If so, fabulous! But if you hesitate, you can do two things: learn more about your genitals and, above all, play with them more.....you can't hate pleasure! For both, I refer you again to my book "Your Sex Is Yours." But if your difficulty is greater, if you are disgusted or ashamed of them, ask for help (addresses in professionals to go to).
And let's get to what will probably get the most attention: What are other women like? Every time I convene a workshop on female sexual empowerment, the expectation aroused by images of vulvas makes me realize the enormous need we women have to see others in order to normalize. So, for starters, here's this curious collage of photographs of female vulvas. Maybe a lot in a small space, but I have more to show you.....
strongly disagree.
or disagree.
or okay.
or very much agree.
1. I feel good about my genitals.
2. I'm satisfied with their appearance.
3. I would feel comfortable letting my partner look at them.
4. I think my genitals smell good.
5. I think they work the way they should.
6. I feel comfortable letting a health professional (gynecologist, midwife, pelvic floor physiotherapist...) examine my genitals.
7. I'm not ashamed of them.
It's time to recover the title of the article: "I love my vulva, do you love yours?" If so, fabulous! But if you hesitate, you can do two things: learn more about your genitals and, above all, play with them more.....you can't hate pleasure! For both, I refer you again to my book "Your Sex Is Yours." But if your difficulty is greater, if you are disgusted or ashamed of them, ask for help (addresses in professionals to go to).
And let's get to what will probably get the most attention: What are other women like? Every time I convene a workshop on female sexual empowerment, the expectation aroused by images of vulvas makes me realize the enormous need we women have to see others in order to normalize. So, for starters, here's this curious collage of photographs of female vulvas. Maybe a lot in a small space, but I have more to show you.....
Here's a video, made by a Dutch therapist, that includes images of 72 pubic spots. In addition to being aesthetically beautiful, I upload it because it strikes me that being a health professional, she explains what vaginas are. No wonder we make such a mess with terminology!
 |  |  |
TRIBUTE TO WOMEN
by Mirjam van der Hoek
This is a tribute to all women, to celebrate diversity.
This short film shows 72 vaginas.
Also, be sure to enter the website of the "Large Labia Project" or directly in its archive, where you will find many photos and explanations uploaded by individuals who have wanted to join the initiative of Emma, a young Australian, who posted images of her genitals and invited other women to do the same, to "be able to show everyone the diversity of appearances that the lips and vulva have." Initiatives like this change our outlook.
Another page that is worth visiting, or rather, it is essential to know, is "The Vulva -A Photo Guide," from the wonderful educational website The-Clitoris.com, which has a Spanish version. And lastly, the "Labia Library" in Australia provides a wealth of information.
¡Viva la Vulva!
Sylvia de Béjar
Another page that is worth visiting, or rather, it is essential to know, is "The Vulva -A Photo Guide," from the wonderful educational website The-Clitoris.com, which has a Spanish version. And lastly, the "Labia Library" in Australia provides a wealth of information.
¡Viva la Vulva!
Sylvia de Béjar
NOTES
Live links in the article may connect to the Wayback Machine, as the publication or organization is defunct.
The original article was in Portuguese, and the translation to English is as accurate as possible.
The YouTube video will play, if you select "watch on YouTube" and sign in.
[1] The Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS): Results from a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Women in the United States" by D. Herbenick, V. Schick, M. Reece, S. Sanders, B. Dodge and J.D. Fortenberry (Journal of Sexual Medicine 8, 158-66). There are other tests, including a simplified version of this one.
The image that opens the article is "Femalia" by Pegi Eyers at Lyssanda Designs.
Live links in the article may connect to the Wayback Machine, as the publication or organization is defunct.
The original article was in Portuguese, and the translation to English is as accurate as possible.
The YouTube video will play, if you select "watch on YouTube" and sign in.
[1] The Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS): Results from a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Women in the United States" by D. Herbenick, V. Schick, M. Reece, S. Sanders, B. Dodge and J.D. Fortenberry (Journal of Sexual Medicine 8, 158-66). There are other tests, including a simplified version of this one.
The image that opens the article is "Femalia" by Pegi Eyers at Lyssanda Designs.
| Pegi Eyers is also the author of Ancient Spirit Rising: Reclaiming Your Roots & Restoring Earth Community, an award-winning book that explores social justice, nature spirituality, the ancestral arts, and resilience in times of massive change. www.stonecirclepress.com |
