Have you ever wondered if your bits look… well… normal? Have you wondered if your girl is the same size, shape, or color as everybody else’s girl? Have you stressed before a waxing appointment because you’re scared they might judge how your vulva looks? 

Believe it or not, vulva insecurity is kinda common! Labiaplasty surgery, a procedure to alter the appearance of a vulva (mostly for cosmetic reasons), has become more and more popular in recent years. Vulvas are just as unique as faces-- everyone has their own unique features, and all of them beautiful.

Your vulva is composed of the visible outer parts of the vagina, including the clitoris (clit), the labia (lips), vaginal opening, and urethra opening. The clitoris itself looks different on just about every woman. Sometimes they stick out, and sometimes they’re tucked in. They can be puffy, dangly, long, short, asymmetrical, darker, or lighter.

Just as we might criticize our eyes, nose, or lips, it’s perfectly natural to do the same with the features of our vulva. Since many women don’t regularly see other vulvas, we’re often left in the dark about whether ours looks “normal” or not. Since vulvas are so unique, there’s no “normal” v that serves as the end-all-be-all for “vaginal beauty.” All of our girls are different, which makes them beautiful and special in their own individual ways.

There’s a lot of bad ju-ju around discussions on our private parts, which is a little crazy-- we all have them, so why don’t we talk about them? Throughout history, women have been taught not to talk about their bodies. But where would we be without them? It’s thanks to women's bodies that we’re all where we are today. Vaginas and vulvas should be celebrated-- they really make the world go ‘round! 

Instead of spending so much time worrying if our vulvas are too dark, too round, too big, or too small, we should be normalizing conversations about our bodies. Next time you’re out with your homegirls, ask them how they feel about their vulvas. I’m sure you’ll find you’re not the only one with vulva insecurity. The lady doing your Brazilian wax probably has it, too! 

-Allison Kindley, Team Happy Girl