I once had a friend tell me that a vagina is like a snowflake - unique and beautiful (what a guy!). Individual differences aside, each flower still has plenty in common with their fellow coochies.
Whether you’re a vulva-owner or just a person who’s still mystified by the black hole that gave them life, it’s good to know what you’re working with.
Here a few facts to set things straight. Did you know?
We tend (and by "we" I mean everyone, but a gynaecologist) to use the word "vagina" to refer to the whole down-there package. Uh uh. The word vagina actually refers to the canal between the vulva and the cervix.
In other words, it’s not what you see on "Girls Gone Wild." That honor is (generally) reserved for the external parts of the genitalia, including the clitoris, inner labia, outer labia and perineum.
Or at least they start out that way. Through the wonders of science, we now know that the bundle of tissue that makes up a clitoris is the very same as the one that makes up the penis. Ditto for the testicles and ovaries, clitoral hood and foreskin ... you get the picture.
We’re all the same, weird little peanuts until about the sixth week of gestation, when our sex cells begin to differentiate.
The G-spot used to be a bit of a poontang poltergeist, as it were; it could rattle the roof, but geeky experts with funny instruments continued to seek proof of its existence.
Well, now you have it: Proof. The G-spot is real. After years of fumbling around, a team at the University of L’Aquila finally found it in 2008. (For those who haven’t been so lucky, it’s on the front side of the vagina, not far from the belly button.)
As it turns out, the G-spot is also right around the crura, or the deep part of the clitoris, which means that mysterious G-spot may just be part of the age-old go-to spot for orgasm anyway.
On the hunt for your or your partner's G-spot? Try a sex toy! Especially if you're hunting for a g-spot that's deeper or with a pronounced curve, a sex toy can make hitting the g-spot easier. It can also help avoid hand fatigue and allow your play session to go even longer.
It's the perfect toy to help you on your quest to find the G-Spot.
There’s also a newly-discovered hot spot, and while it has a a very unsexy name - the "A" stands for anterior fornix erogenous zone - it’s believed to increase lubrication and stimulate intense orgasmic contractions.
Sex researcher Desmond Morris described it as the vaginal equivalent of the prostate, and provides directions: Head toward the G-spot along the upper wall of the vagina toward the cervix to discover this sensitive and tender bit of tissue. Spot on!
There are all kinds of rumors about vaginal strength, power and control, but while the vagina has a power all its own, some strong vulva-owners bring a whole new meaning to the phrase. Like Russian Tatiata Kozhevnikova, who (as of 2012) holds the world record for lifting 31 pounds using only her vagina.
Since the vaginal walls are made of contractile tissue (ie. muscle), they can be trained to contract more strongly. But this isn’t (necessarily) done with record-breaking goals in mind - vaginal exercises such as Kegels or use of Ben Wa Balls can help improve a vulva-owner’s physical health - and improve the strength of orgasms.
While the penis is a handy-dandy, multi-purpose tool (like a Swiss Army Knife!), the clitoris and the bulbs of its vestibule (an internal organ) are the only body parts designed only for sexual pleasure.
And that's the way vulva-owners like it - a place for everything, and everything in its place.
The best way to thank your clitoris or your partner's clitoris for being so awesome? A well-designed, dreamy sex toy! A wand massager or clitoral vibrator (like the LELO Smart Wand Medium or Wild Flower Enby 2) can be the right fit here.
Remember how we said that the vagina is not the whole package? Here’s where that becomes important, because a vagina can actually fall out (eek!). It’s called vaginal prolapse, and in severe cases, the vaginal canal can actually protrude from the opening of the vagina.
But don’t freak out - diet, fitness and Kegel exercises can help prevent it. It can also be fixed with surgery.
Not all vulva-owners ejaculate, but it’s possible, and normal. During orgasm, some vulva-owners release a milky fluid from the para-urethral glands inside the urethra. And although penis-owners may be the ones with the gun in their pants, vulva-owners have also proved to be pretty good shots.
Read more about squirting orgasms:
You probably know that the "Big O" visits vulva-owners more frequently than penis-owners. What you might not know is how many "multiple" really means. It’s an individual equation, but fortunately, enterprising young people continue to push the limits of human capability at Masturbate-a-thon events worldwide.
Read more about multiple orgasms:
The average vagina is three to four inches long; the average penis is between five and 5.7 inches long when erect. Uh oh. Fortunately, a vulva-owner's love canal can expand by up to 200 percent, which means there should be plenty of space. Heck, it can pass a baby. Trust us, penis-havers, it’ll fit.
It's amazing how much misinformation is out there about the vagina. Given how fascinated our society is with the this piece of anatomy, you'd think we'd be a little more informed.
Well, vulva-owners, we'll forgive for this one. As it turns out, there’s a lot to know.
Tara Struyk is a co-founder and the editor-in-chief of Kinkly.com. She’s a content creation and management executive with 15 years of experience working in online media. As a writer, her work has appeared in dozens of publications, including Forbes, Glamour, MensHealth and Investopedia.
Tara is currently the VP of Content at Janalta.com, where she leads the editorial department and directs content production for a diverse portfolio of websites in niche verticals. She has launched several...
