issue 178
No, not ‘lips’, the ‘lady V’ or ‘lady bits’ – it is, quite simply, the labia. Say it loud and proud. Do you feel a little bit of cringe entering your body? Maybe. I don’t blame you if you do, because, for some strange reason, it is 2020 and yet we still shiver at the thought of addressing vaginas for what they really are, and the respect they so rightly deserve. It is about time that we get our terminology straight. So, what is the labia? The labia consist of the labia majora (outer lips) and the labia minora (inner lips), or as some lovely mediums jump to call it, the dear old ‘flaps’. The irony is, it is so much more than just a piece of skin, and, let’s be honest, ‘flaps’ is hardly an appealing adjective. The ‘flaps’ of the labia minora can provide sexual stimulation for sexual partners through friction during penetration, and when aroused, the skin provides a lubricated barrier to protect from irritation and ensures you have pleasurable sex. You would assume, in this case, that bigger is better…right? If only this were the preferred opinion. Overall, the labia are brilliant at their function in the human body. We’ve all watched porn or have been held witness to a similar depiction of female genital anatomy. We’ve all seen our poor ladyflowers presented as hairless and as plucked as naked mole rats with a symmetry only ever seen in geometry. I bet that we’ve also all pondered, head-angled, ‘why doesn’t mine look like that…am I weird?’ It’s time to give up the joke – the ‘perfect’ vagina is far from real and it will always remain as an artificial facade, because the average and normal vagina will always be found between our legs, not on our screens. This small and creeping feeling of self-doubt about our own anatomy can be detrimental, and this can often start from a young age. Statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery revealed a distressing truth: in one year alone, 200 girls under 18 went under the knife for labiaplasty. Over 150 of these girls were under 15. This should hardly be surprising, given the feeling of inadequacy that we have all experienced - a mirror wedged between our legs on a cold bathroom floor, examining every nook and cranny, and yet, still wondering why it did not look ‘enough’. At a woman’s most vulnerable, alone and naked with her legs open wide, she is still judged for her most intimate parts.
Labiaplasty is often marketed as a way to ‘reduce the size or correct the shape of the labia minora and majora…a designer vagina surgery’ according to medbelle.com. You hear that? Correct. As though there was ever a problem with its shape and size in the first place. Very rarely are these types of surgeries performed for medical reasons, but instead, for aesthetic purposes to give the aspired ‘perfect vagina’. If that weren’t enough, large labia are often fetishized as something alien-like and freakish for the pleasure of porn-watchers. Labia can be stretched or change in shape or size due to the wonderful phenomenon of childbirth – if only people knew that it was more than a piece of flesh to be sexualised. More often than not, it is shown that women either fit the mould, or they don’t; if they deviate from this specific standard then they are subject to dehumanising and fetishizing. When will simple and plain acceptance of the body win and rise above societal expectations? It is all good to ask the questions, but having an action plan to stop and change this is what will move things forward for future generations of women. The perfect woman with the perfect body is something ingrained deeply within all of us, but it is so important to think about where we got these ideals from. Advertisements, marketing, pornography, surgery – it isn’t real. If you want to see true and honest variation, all you need to do is look at Jamie McCartney’s 2008 masterpiece, ‘The Great Wall of Vagina’. A brilliant title if I do say so myself. It is a nine-metre-long piece consisting of 400 plaster casts of real vulvas across 10 panels. The plaster casts include the vulvas of women age 18-76. The first time I saw this piece, I felt at ease and relief and I hope that it brings comfort to you, too. Female sexuality is integral and hell, is it powerful. The pivotal moment that we realise our bodies are enough as they are is the moment that all the power from outside sources are lost. We are all that matters, our opinion is all that matters. For your own female sexuality, a certain appearance of your genitals is not necessary. It’s time to talk about the ‘L’ word, and to be proud of it.
words by: MOLLY GOVUS design by: ESTHER LOI
PLEASE DEETE THESE BORDERS WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED DESIGNING
It’s time to talk about the ‘L’ word.
FEATURES - 17
