It's Not a Vagina!

As a clinician who frequently works with sexual problems, I talk about genitals a lot! A lot! As I embark on these conversations with my clients, I have noticed how many people either don’t use the correct words for their genitals, or don’t even say the words at all. One of the most common errors I see is that people commonly say men have a penis and women have a vagina. While this is true, they are not the equivalent of one another.

I see this error in common culture verbiage also, peoplereferring to the female genitalia only as her vagina. The vagina however is onepart of the female genitals. It is the canal that leads from the vaginalopening to the cervix. This is an internal part of the female anatomy. I hearmany people use the word “vagina” to refer to a woman’s external genitalia.This would be somewhat equivalent to calling the male external genitals a vasdeferens (male internal tube) instead of a penis.

What people mean to say is that men have a penis and womenhave a vulva. Vulva is the correct term to refer to the external femalegenitals. It is made up of the 2 sets of lips called the labia majora andminora. It protects the internal components of the female reproductive system.

So, next time you say the word vagina, make sure you arereferring to the correct anatomy. If you have never even said the word vulva, Iencourage you to start using it as the appropriate term for female externalgenitalia.