Dispelling 7 Myths About The Vagina

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Dispelling myths about the most taboo part of the female anatomy, the vagina.

Valentine’s Day, the holiday celebrating love is upon us. What better time for us to consider and speak on behalf of the most taboo part of the female anatomy…

In 1994 playwright and women’s activist Eve Ensler brought issues about women’s sexuality, abuse, and stigmas about… you guessed it, our vaginas, out of the shadows and into the limelight in her groundbreaking play, “The Vagina Monologues.” Her play boldly brought these issues to life and opened up public conversations as well as a worldwide movement to end violence against women.

This Valentine’s Day marks the anniversary of the “Vagina Monolugues” and what has come to be known as V-Day. Across the globe communities acknowledge the movement with performances of the original play to increase awareness and fundraising events to raise money for local outreach programs that benefit women all over the world. In honor of this enlightened movement we present you with an informative piece about the most feared and revered part of the female anatomy throughout time, the Vagina!

Dispelling 7 Myths About The Vagina

After thousands of years of suppression of women’s sexuality by societies and religions there is a huge lack of information and mystique surrounding the female genitalia. Many women regard their vaginas with embarrassment, shame, and a complete misunderstanding about how things work “down there.” This has created many myths and questions regarding the female genitalia. Here are some common myths and the truth:

A map of the vaginal area.

Everything “down there” is vagina:
Not true. The outside of the female genitalia is called the vulva. The vagina is only an inner tube that leads to the cervix, our doorway to the inner chamber of the uterus where our babies grow and develop. Vulva is a general term that includes the clitoris, urethral opening, outer and inner labia, vaginal opening, perineum, and anus.
All vaginas are the same:
False! Vaginas come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and color variations just like men’s genitalia. In fact gynecologists say that no two are alike.
Vaginas remain the same throughout life:
Not true. Vaginas change and evolve throughout our life spans due to hormonal changes. Before puberty girls have very small vaginas that nothing should enter into. As the hormones of adolescence begin to create changes the estrogen produced allows the vagina to expand and lengthen. However, it doesn’t stop there. Once women reach menopause and the body stops producing estrogen the elasticity of the vagina is reduced which can cause pain during sex for some older women.
The Vagina has a fixed shape:
Not at all. The vagina can change it’s shape according to different situations. It changes during sex and even during sexual stimulation. It is stretched during pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, there is no “right” size, vaginal size is determined by genetics and changes over time with age, during menustration, pregnancy, childbirth, and sex similar to variations in the size of a man’s penis.
The vagina dirty:
Not true! The vagina actually has the ability to self-cleanse! Just like the tears in our eyes, normal vaginal secretions are meant to prevent infections. The vagina maintains a balance of vaginal acidity and proper humidity all the while creating a perfect environment for facilitating acts of reproduction 😉 In fact, the use of perfumed soaps, deoderants, douches, or over-showering can disrupt the protective environment of the vagina and contribute to fungal and bacterial infections.
The vagina smells bad:
Inaccurate. All humans have a particular odor associated with their genatalia including men. Each woman and her vagina have their own personal fragrance which is normal not to be interpreted as foul! This scent may vary throughout the menstrual cycle or be more noticeable after intercourse or sweating. If there is a disturbing odor that doesn’t get better after showering a simple test at the gynecologist or family doctor can determine if there is an infection of some sort to blame.
Before having sex the first time women always have a “virginity membrane”:
Not at all. Many women lose their hymen without being aware well before they are sexually active. This can happen due to daily physical activities like bike riding, horseback riding, exercise, or even masturbation.

by Erica McMillan

Out of curiosity and necessity I have become accustomed to wearing many hats in life. The latest hat in my collection is as owner/publisher/author/photographer/videographer for Marquette Magazine. Among other things I am a doula, certified breastfeeding counselor, NMU student, and mother of 5... whew, I'm getting tired just writing that...

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