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AIBU?

To wonder why when people want to refer to women's or girls external genitals they say vagina

55 replies

BoundandRebound · 15/09/2013 23:12

It's not called that

It's vulva

We don't refer to boys urethras do we?

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Cooroo · 15/09/2013 23:13

Yanbu. It puzzles me too. Especially The Vagina Monologues.

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gordyslovesheep · 15/09/2013 23:14

erm because it's an easier catch all for small children (my eldest 2 actually know the difference)

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CuttedUpPear · 15/09/2013 23:15

Yes it right winds me up.
For years I've been thinking..."No, actually you can't see her vagina". It 's the vulva that you can see.
Unless you are a gynaecologist.

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Pantone363 · 15/09/2013 23:15

Because vulva isn't as well known so vagina works for the purpose.

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CocacolaMum · 15/09/2013 23:16

it might be inaccurate but at least its not stupid as some names for it..

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BasilBabyEater · 15/09/2013 23:17

No yanbu.

no-one refers to testicles as penises.

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2beornot · 15/09/2013 23:17

Because regardless of official medical terminology it has come into common use to include the external organs. And everyone knows what you mean if you use it to describe that area.

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BoundandRebound · 15/09/2013 23:17

Might as well call it a kidney then

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CocacolaMum · 15/09/2013 23:20

pretty sure there is no law to say you can't call it a kidney if you are that way inclined..

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TheFallenMadonna · 15/09/2013 23:21

I find quite a few 11/12 yo girls think they wee out of their vagina... They are surprised to find that there are separate holes. Unlike the multifunctional penis.

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AnitaBlake · 15/09/2013 23:21

I don't get this at all, I know people who teach their girls that the whole area is called a vagina, and then look down on 'cutesier' names, when its just plain inaccurate, use vulva, or pubic area maybe, but vagina is just plain wrong!

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CocacolaMum · 15/09/2013 23:22

yup I knew 2 girls (I think we would have been 12?) who thought that they were uniholers and 1 friend who only discovered the truth about peeing last year... she was 30. :|

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StuntGirl · 15/09/2013 23:44

YANBU, but sadly it's a very common misconception and I don't know how one could combat it.

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Ziggyzoom · 15/09/2013 23:50

I wrote about this on a feedback form DD's school sent out about their sex ed lessons. They asked whether their teaching was helpful and I pointed out that it wasn't helpful at all as they were teaching incorrect terminology. DD has her own name for her labia/vulva, but she knows the correct names and for schools to teach incorrect terminology, just because everyone makes that mistake is crap IMO.

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MajesticWhine · 15/09/2013 23:53

Why does it matter so much? I have only ever known of this causing concern on mumsnet not in real life.

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OryxCrake · 16/09/2013 00:02

It is weird. I once worked with a woman who used the word 'vagina' for the whole area because she thought it was 'yukky' to say 'vulva'. Wtf?

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happygirl87 · 16/09/2013 12:44

I get that vagina is more well known, but it self perpetuates doesn't it, because unless we use vulva it will always stay more well known?! I am really curious as to how vagina came to be the most used- don't think its any easier to say, and it technically describes the bit you are less likely to see/touch etc, do how did this come about?! Grin

I was told vagina as a child, and didn't learn the word vulva until I had a booklet from a tampon packet.... and my DM was quite into using "proper" words, so no idea why.

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Wheresmycaffeinedrip · 16/09/2013 12:48

I think if what people call genitals bothers you then you have too much time on your hands. Unless your a dr it isn't exactly going to harm anyone.

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Ziggyzoom · 16/09/2013 12:53

The feminist in me thinks that it is probably a reflection of a general male bias. The vagina being the part of the female genitalia involved in sexually satisfying the male. Therefore when young girls (and boys) asked what there genitalia was called - and let's face it they are primarily focused on the bits they can see - they were given the male perspective, and it has stuck.

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Tee2072 · 16/09/2013 12:56

Yes, MajesticWhine, this is the definition of a MN problem.

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Branleuse · 16/09/2013 12:57

because they think theyre being better than the people who give it a fluffy name, but theyre just being wrong

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Tee2072 · 16/09/2013 12:58

So blow jobs don't count for sexually satisfying the male, Ziggyzoom?

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Ziggyzoom · 16/09/2013 12:59

I'm sure they are sexually satisfying, but your mouth isn't part of your genitalia!

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SPsTotallyMullerFuckingLicious · 16/09/2013 13:00

I came on to say what majestic said.

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SaucyJack · 16/09/2013 13:00

YANBU.

I do sneer inwardly at people who make outwardly sneery comments about "anatomically correct" terms, and then use vagina for vulva.

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