Okay everyone, it’s time to get down and REAL. A few posts ago, I may have *ahem* initiated a discussion about unrealistic expectations concerning a certain male organ we Chicks dubbed the “banana”. But now, ladies, it’s our turn.
Yep, we’re talking papayas.
No?
Peaches?
Okay, since we’re all big girls (and boys) here, let’s use its real name. Vulva. I have to admit I was hugely inspired to write this post after watching a video a friend of mine posted on Facebook. Yep, folks, I am actually trying to use social media!!! Whoo! *pats self on back*.
The story behind this video is a British artist Jamie McCartney, who set out to tackle a very real social issue… Which is:
Women don’t know what we *really* look like down there.
I really recommend every woman (and man!) to watch this. At first, I expected it to be a female artist. And yep, prude that I am, I was a little shocked a man had done this. But then I listened to his reasoning, and oh man, I loved it. Here is a guy, telling us ladies that we are all beautiful. Now, I think that makes it even more powerful. Don’t you?
Okay, back from the video. It was great, right? Gents? Seriously, you can turn off the video now… And never let it be said that we only play Chick stuff in the Hen House ;)
My favorite quote is: “It’s not vulgar, it’s vulva!” LOL. So let’s talk about the issue, which is: We’re uncertain what we’re supposed to look like. And as a consequence, many women are seeking “cosmetic labial surgery”, or “labiaplasty”. What the heck is that, you ask? Well, it’s plastic surgery to alter the appearance of the labia minora and labia majora
—which are the folds of skin surrounding the vulva (the outside of our lady bits).
Why would a woman seek surgery down there? Well, there are medical reasons, such as discomfort after childbirth. Tell me about it! (Kegels, ladies. They’re a lifesaver!). According to one study, 32% of women undergo surgery to correct a functional impairment, 31% for function AND aesthetics, but a whopping 37% go under the knife for aesthetics alone.
Yikes!
Which bring me back to the Great Wall of Vagina. Part of what Mr. McCartney wanted to address was the fact that so many women are seeking surgery because they don’t think they look “normal”. But the truth is, that IS normal.
Take, for example, Josie’s experiences with waxing. What was it your waxologist called us ladies? Some of us are coin-purses, flowers, or, um, flounders? And yep, we are all beautiful. So why can’t we see that?
Think of it this way. Women are cutting off parts of their genitals to “conform” to what they think is a societal standard. Whoa, right? I mean, where did we get this idea of a “perfect” vulva from? Pornography is certainly one culprit. And hey, while we’re at it, let’s toss a dart at textbooks. Pictures like the diagram above make it seem like we’re supposed to be totally symmetrical and “even”. Yeah right. Compare that to the Great Wall of Vagina, and you’ll see that it’s simply not true.
For the record, I’m not against doing what you want with your body, but the point here is that we need to make an informed choice. Women shouldn’t be messing around with a scalpel down there (and cutting off precious pleasure-nerve endings) just because they’ve been told they aren’t beautiful. Really look at that wall. We come in all shapes and sizes. We aren’t made from cookie cutters or molds like these ;)
To take it from the male perspective, if you’re bare enough to be showing off your lady parts… Well, you’re naked. ‘Nuff said.
Oh, and just to clarify, the title of this post ranks amongst the Worst Pickup Lines Ever. Use at your own risk!
After watching the Great Wall of Vagina video once, or twice, or six times, what’s your take? Psst. Guys, feel free to chime in here too!
Did you realize women come in such different packages? How do you feel about surgery to alter a woman’s down there appearance? If you could send one message to the young women of today about their bodies, what would you say?
