What’s a “normal” vagina? Part 3
VulvaLove knows that one of the best ways to reduce feelings of self-consciousness and unhappiness with your genitals is to learn how much female bodies vary. Thorough sex education can lead to greater confidence, contentment, and pleasure. Even though they are external, many women have never seen their vulvas in their entirety. You may have seen your outer labia and some of your inner labia, but somehow the thought of looking at your whole vulva makes you feel uncomfortable and awkward or even weird. That’s okay. It’s important, however, to your overall health and wellbeing to become familiar with your genital anatomy. The more you know about your genitals and how they function, the more likely you are to take care of them and experience the full range of pleasure that they can provide. Here’s a great way to start: make yourself comfortable in a private space—your bedroom, the bathroom, or wherever you feel at ease. Take off your underwear, sit down, and spread your legs. Angle a mirror between your thighs so that your vulva is in view. Make sure the lighting is good. You might have to adjust your pelvis, tilting it up or back so you can see your entire vulva in the mirror. Take a deep breath, and now take another one. There you go! You’re looking at your vulva. With curiosity, an open mind, and purposeful lack of self-judgement, sit with yourself for a while and notice what you see. Try not to compare yourself with anything you’ve seen before. Take note of your individual landscape. Does anything surprise you? What? Is there anything you like more than you thought you would? What are you observing? What colors and shades can you identify? Are your labia majora puffy, flat, or somewhere in between? Are your labia minora long, short, or asymmetrical? What does your clitoral hood look like? Can you find the tip of your clitoris when you pull back the hood with your fingers? Can you see the opening of the urethra? It is often hard to locate, as it sits deep between your clitoris and the top of the vaginal opening. Can you see how the labia minora go up and form the clitoral hood? This is all normal anatomy! It’s you in your natural state of beauty! Whatever you see and feel here, remember that your vulva is unique to you. There’s