People with penises generally don’t face a lot of confusion when it comes to their parts. Knowing how to clean and care for penises generally isn’t hard. Vaginas, on the other hand…less simple. For centuries, vaginas have been cloaked in mystery, surrounded by myths and misinformation, a nasty and dangerous side effect of sexism. Well, we at Her Campus USF are here to clear up a few things.
1. Vaginas become “loose” the more often you have sex.
This one is ridiculous. If there was any logic behind this, if a woman had just one child, having a second baby would be easy as it would just fall out of her. This whole myth is just trying to dissuade women from having sex, lest they be too loose for “the one.”
2. Vaginas are dirty and should be cleaned thoroughly.
Unless you get something really gnarly in there, like mud or peanut butter, you shouldn’t be cleaning the inside of your vagina (if you get mud or peanut butter in there, please call your doctor). A little bit of mild soap and warm water will keep you clean enough. Even special wipes made for your parts shouldn’t be used inside, and when you do use them, opt for “sensitive skin” types and use sparingly to avoid irritation or infection.
Unfortunately, again, this myth was created to make women clean their gross and inferior parts. If you’re worried you smell bad down there, spritz a little perfume between your thighs. If it’s really bad, go to a doctor, because you might have an infection. Sometimes guys, or even other girls, will advise you to douche or clean vigorously down there so that you smell or taste better.
Here’s a fact: vaginas are supposed to smell and taste like vaginas. Not lavender, tropical fruits, or flowers. If the smell or taste of a vagina isn’t pleasant to you, don’t sniff or lick one.
3. Vaginal discharge is abnormal or gross.
First and foremost, discharge is normal. If you never have vaginal discharge and are between puberty and menopause, see someone. Discharge is just a sign that your body is doing its job, which is to clean itself out. You usually have more discharge when you ovulate, and the consistency and color changes slightly throughout your cycle, which, if you pay attention, is a good way to track where you are in your cycle. If it begins to smell very strongly or look a lot like cottage cheese, you might have an infection. So when you catch yourself thinking that it’s gross or embarrassing, remember what a good indicator of health your discharge can be.
4. Only a certain type of vagina is acceptable.
This one is perpetuated by the porn industry. Hairless with small, pink labia seems to be what people aspire to. Comparing your vulva to porn is a lot like looking at the cover of a magazine and comparing yourself to that: it’s all smoke and mirrors, people. Casting directors look at an actress’s vagina before making a decision, and many porn stars will undergo a labiaplasty, a surgical procedure that changes the size and shape of your labia. Very few people have naturally small labia, and almost no one has naturally hairless genitals. So whether you shave, wax, let it grow, or whatever else youths are doing these days, remember that you should only be trying to achieve what makes you happy, not what you think you’re “supposed” to look like.
5. Vaginas aren’t amazing and wonderful.
If you want it to, your vagina and attached reproductive organs can create (with a little bit of help) a whole new person. Vaginas can do some serious, back-breaking work, and then go right back to normal. Be proud of your vagina.