The Vagina Bible. Jen Gunter
truly believed the vagina was filled with dangerous bacteria. Of course, that idea is absurd, and you don’t need a medical degree to reach that conclusion. If the vagina were perpetually in such a state of infectious near-catastrophe, women would never have survived, evolutionarily speaking. The narrative of a dirty vagina did, however, fit the societal goal of female oppression.
A male-dominated profession, a male-dominated society with little interest in women’s experiences and opinions about their own bodies, a penis-centric view of female sexuality, and the belief propagated by Freud’s work that the clitoris was unimportant are a lot of obstacles to overcome. The clitoris, being largely internal, is practically also harder to study than the penis. Eventually, anatomic studies using female cadavers to dissect the clitoris were allowed, but it is important to note the limitations of the work. Most cadaveric studies involve a few bodies; seven is considered a lot. Cadavers are expensive and not readily available. Many cadavers are also older subjects, and clitoral volume reduces after menopause; in one cadaveric study, all subjects were between seventy and eighty years old. The preservation process also distorts the clitoris. Before the advent of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), it wasn’t really possible to know exactly how the clitoris in a living woman was positioned or how it engorges with blood in response to sexual stimulation.
Anatomic knowledge has come a long way. While I don’t remember each anatomy lecture from medical school and residency, I still have my textbooks. Two were printed in 1984 and another in 1988. The two that are specific for OB/GYN are anatomically correct clitoris-wise, but the general anatomy book (1984) devoted three pages of illustrations (two in color) to the penis, with the clitoris relegated to an inset image in an upper outer corner—and the entire structure is the worst shade of puce. It’s also called a “miniature penis.”
As if.
The Clitoris
The clitoris has one purpose: sexual pleasure. It is the only structure in the human body solely designed for pleasure.
Structurally, think of the clitoris as an inverted Y, but each side has two sets of arms. The very tip of the Y is folded and is the only visible part. This is known as the glans, which is partially covered by the prepuce (clitoral hood). The inverted Y sits on top of the urethra, with the two arms draped over either side.
Beneath the surface, you find the following:
• THE BODY: The part of the inverted Y that folds on itself. It is 2–4 cm in length. Connected to the pubic bone with a ligament.
• THE ROOT: Connects the clitoral body with the crura. The erectile parts of the clitoris converge here. It is very important for sensation because it’s very superficial (beneath the skin right above the urethra).
Image 2: Clitoral anatomy. ILLUSTRATION BY LISA A. CLARK, MA, CMI.
• THE CRURA (“CRUS” IS THE SINGULAR): The outside arms of the inverted Y (some people also describe them as looking like the arms of a wishbone). They are 5–9 cm in length, and there is one on each side, approximately beneath the labia majora.
• THE CLITORAL (ALSO CALLED VESTIBULAR) BULBS: The inside arms of the inverted Y. They are 3–7 cm in length and are in contact with the outside of the urethra and vagina.
Because the clitoris is so intimate with the urethra and the lower walls of the vagina, many experts feel a better terminology is the clitorourethrovaginal complex.
All parts of the clitoris are involved in sexual sensation and all parts are erectile, meaning they can engorge with blood, becoming firmer. The glans has the highest concentration of nerves and the least amount of erectile tissue. The body and the crura have the most erectile tissue. The presence of sexually responsive nerves and erectile tissue in all parts of the clitoris likely explains why there are reports of women who were born without a clitoral glans, women who have had surgery that removed the urethra (and likely parts of the clitoris that were connected), and women who have endured female genital mutilation (FGM) who are still able to achieve orgasm. This tells us that all of the clitorourethrovaginal complex is capable of sexual sensation. It means there are a lot of sexually responsive areas to explore. This can be for fun, discovering the results from sexually stimulating various areas (sexploration at its best). This can also be in search of orgasm. For some women the glans clitoris may not be the best pathway to orgasm, so moving sexual stimulation to other areas may help achieve orgasm. This information about the clitoris being so much more than the glans may also give hope to women who have endured injury to their clitoral glans—for example as a consequence of cancer surgery or FGM—although obviously, it does not make up for the loss.
The Labia and Mons
The mons and the two sets of labia, the labia majora and labia minora, exist to enhance sexual pleasure and to protect the vestibule (vaginal opening).
The mons is the area of skin and fatty tissue from just above the pubic bone down to the clitoral hood—the fat pad raises the tissue a little, and this may offer a mechanical barrier of sorts. The labia majora are folds of hair-bearing skin and fatty tissue that extend from the mons to just below the vestibule. They are filled with different kinds of glands. They are generally 7–12 cm in length, but if yours are larger or smaller, that is just fine.
The labia minora do not have fat, but they have erectile tissue, so they engorge or swell with sexual stimulation. At the level of the glans, they divide into two folds; the top forms the clitoral hood (prepuce) while the bottom is called the frenulum and sits under the glans. The glans of the clitoris is nestled between these folds, so traction on the labia minora enhances sexual pleasure. The labia minora are filled with specialized nerve endings important for sexual response, especially along their edge. They are capable of distinguishing touch on a very fine scale.
The labia minora may or may not protrude beyond the labia majora, and there is no “normal” size or shape. They can range from < 1 cm in width to 5 cm, but wider would not be considered medically abnormal. They may be asymmetric—think of them as sisters, not twins.
The Skin of the Vulva
Under the microscope, all skin looks like a brick wall—cells are stacked on top of each other in layers upon multiple layers. The very bottom layer has specialized cells called basal cells. Basal cells produce new skin cells that are pushed up towards the top, like a conveyor belt. The cells develop as they move upwards, producing a protein called keratin that serves as waterproofing and makes the cells tougher so they can resist injury. At the surface, the skin cells release fatty substances that provide protection against trauma and infection, as well as trapping moisture. The cells in the top layer are dead, and they are brushed off with everyday wear and tear, or with trauma. A new layer is replaced approximately every thirty days.
The mons and labia majora have sweat glands (eccrine glands) that secrete perspiration through pores directly onto the skin. They also have vellus hair (fine, peach fuzz–like hair) and pubic hair; both provide a mechanically protective barrier and trap moisture. As each pubic hair is attached to a nerve ending, tugging or friction on the hair may have a role in sexual stimulation.
Inside the hair follicle of each pubic and vellus hair is a sebaceous gland that produces sebum, an oily substance that keeps the skin soft and pliable and contributes to the waterproofing. Pubic hair follicles also have specialized sweat glands called apocrine glands (also found in the armpit) that become active during puberty. They empty a specialized oily sweat with trace amounts of hormones and pheromones onto the hair shaft. Skin bacteria convert the secretions from apocrine sweat glands into odorous compounds, which are responsible for the typical, intense apocrine sweat smell. The true function of the apocrine sweat glands is not known, but as they develop and become functional around puberty and secrete pheromones, it is likely they had or still have some role in sexual attraction.
The skin of the labia minora has fewer layers and less keratin. These skin changes become more pronounced as you move towards the vaginal opening (vestibule). The labia minora has no hair, but it does have sebaceous glands. Less keratin, thinner skin, and no hair makes the labia minora more vulnerable to trauma