Vulva vs. Vagina: What the Research Says You Need to Know
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Viva La Vulva II by Silvia de Bejar
In the US, talking about our sexual anatomy is pretty darn taboo. We teach our kids to use words like “cookie”, “ding-a-ling”, and “private parts” and tend to avoid providing our kids with the specific terms like vulva, penis, and genitals.
Our sex education is also sorely lacking, with only 17 states required to provide medically accurate information about sex and anatomy (1). Additionally, studies have found that educational textbooks fail to cover the clitoris and vulva as much as the penis or only focus on internal anatomy like the uterus, ovaries, and vaginal canal (2).
Folks think it’s inappropriate to show accurate pictures of the vulva and penis to, well, anyone--but especially kids. I wish I could count the number of times I was told as a sexuality educator that the drawing I use to show external anatomy of the vulva, clitoris, and vaginal opening was “too graphic.”
(First image: what I wish I could show students, from the Our Whole Lives curriculum. Second image: what I sometimes end up being allowed to show students.)
So it’s no surprise that as adults, we lack basic vocabulary and understanding of our sexy parts, specifically female* ones.
There’s research to prove this. A study from 2013 found that 80% of male college students and 62% of female college students were unable to locate the vagina correctly (3). 62% of female college kids can’t find the vagina?! Where do they think their period blood has been coming from?!
Another interesting study suggested that many women do not know what exactly the vulva describes and what is considered “normal” genital anatomy because they have not been exposed to a diverse range of normal genitalia (4). This is a huge issue when we’re trying to figure out what ours look like and if we should be embarrassed about them or not. (Hint: you should NEVER feel embarrassed about your sexy parts! Variety is normal!)
And there is some indication in a number of other studies that race and class may impact our knowledge of sexual anatomy, with low income individuals of color scoring lower on sexual anatomy knowledge and understanding than white individuals (5). Which is just extra bad (i.e. scary, infuriating, racist, classist, oppressive…) because everyone deserves to be represented and to know that their bodies (and their sexy parts!) are great.
So on the whole, the research points to a general lack of understanding of specifically female* genital anatomy and a confusion about what’s normal.
So let’s clear it up a bit.
One particular wisdom nugget that has been lacking in our public understanding is the difference between the vulva and the vagina.
What’s a vulva, you ask?
The word “vulva” isn’t often included in our anatomy lessons even though it’s pretty much THE term to describe the private parts of about half of the world’s population.
The vulva describes the area containing the labia, clitoris, vaginal opening, and urethra. The vagina is the canal that is mostly on the inside of the body and that connects the vaginal opening to the uterus. The vaginal opening is the only part of the vagina we see from the outside.
The vulva is the whole bit, the vagina is the internal canal leading to the uterus. We can only see the vaginal opening from the outside. (Source: Lady Suite)
To brush up on your general sexual anatomy knowledge, check out this great resource page from Planned Parenthood: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/sexual-and-reproductive-anatomy/what-are-parts-female-sexual-anatomy (Source: Vulval Pain Society)
The TV show Big Mouth does a great job explaining the difference and walking you through the different parts of the vulva, with a cute vulva friend as your guide:
The other aspect that is sorely lacking is diversity of vulvas. Because of anatomy textbooks and porn, we imagine all vulvas are white and smooth, with pink lips, no hair, and tiny labia. Not true! Vulvas come in so many shapes, sizes, and colors and it’s a sad thing that we don’t get to see that variety until we’re actually having sexy time with others. It causes folks to think their vulvas are abnormal, smelly, embarrassing… when in reality, they are totally great just how they are!
So I leave you with a great big variety of truly lovely vulvas.
And if you haven’t already, go ahead, take a mirror, and do a little exploring yourself. Or treat your vulva-owning partner to a little tour, with their consent of course.
Image 1: #VULVALUTION by Cult Beauty
Image 2: The Vulva Gallery by Hilde Atalanta
Image 3: Vula art by Vielma.at
Image 4: Vulva art by Vielma.at
Image 5: The Great Wall of Vagina (although it should be called ‘The Great Wall of Vulvas’....) by artist Jamie McCartney
Image 6: By Erin Tobey
End Notes:
*female: I use the term “female” because the research uses this term to describe folks with vulvas, uteruses, and ovaries. However, some folks with vulvas don’t identify as women, and some women don’t have vulvas.
References:
Guttmacher Institute. (2020, October 12). Sex and HIV education. Guttmacher Institute. https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/sex-and-hiv-education
O’Connell, H. E., Sanjeevan, K. V., & Hutson, J. M. (2005). Anatomy of the clitoris. The Journal of Urology, 174, 1189 –1195; Ogletree, S. M., & Ginsburg, H. J. (2000). Kept under the hood: Neglect of the clitoris in common vernacular. Sex Roles, 43(11/12), 917-926; Orenstein, 2015, cited in Hesse, C. & Pedersen, C. L. (2017). Porn sex versus real sex: How sexually explicit material shapes our understanding of sexual anatomy, physiology, and behaviour. Sexuality & Culture, 21, 754–775.
Volck, W., Ventress, Z. A., Herbenick, D., Adams Hillard, P. J., & Huppert, J. S. (2013). Gynecologic knowledge is low in college men and women. Journal of Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, 26(3), 161-166.
Howarth, C., Hayes, J., Simonisa, M., & Temple-Smith, M. (2016). ‘Everything’s neatly tucked away’: Young women’s views on desirable vulval anatomy. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 18(12), 1363–1378.
Angulo-Olaiz, F., Goldfarb, E. S., & Constantine, N. A. (2014). Sexuality information needs of Latino and African American ninth graders: A content analysis of anonymous questions. American Journal of Sexuality Education, 9, 21-40; Cooper, S. C., & Koch, P. B. (2007). “Nobody told me nothin”: Communication about menstruation among low-income African-American women. Women & Health, 46, 57– 78; O’Sullivan, L. F., Meyer-Bahlburg, H. F. L., & Watkins, B. X. (2001). Mother-daughter communication about sex among urban African American and Latino families. Journal of Adolescent Research, 16(3), 269-292; White, L. R. (2013). The function of ethnicity, income level, and menstrual taboos in postmenarcheal adolescents’ understanding of menarche and menstruation. Sex Roles, 68(1–2), 65–76.
