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Original poster

To stick up for Fanny

183 replies

bluebeach · 27/01/2017 09:54

www.bbc.co.uk/news/video_and_audio/features/magazine-38749364/38749364

I have always called my vagina/vulva my Fanny. My 5 year old does too. To me it is the natural equivalent to Willy. It's a shortened girls name. However I if I refer to it as this amongst Mum friends and my own mother, It's like I'm calling it something disgusting, vile and shocking.

The more I think about it, most names for Vagina/vulva somehow end up being really bad words. Cunt, Pussy, Twat are all thought of as pretty shocking words where as Knob, Plonker and Dick are much milder insults and kind of jovial.

Most women I talk to seem to try and call it non words or sounds or things that are so euphemistic you don't even know what they are talking about. One friend calls it her 'hmmm hmmm', another just silently points to it if it ever needs acknowledging.
It's like we have to be so ashamed of our Fannys that we can barely even refer to them. How many men refer to their Dicks as their 'front bottoms'?

So in light of this BBC article asking for a new name to be thought up I just wonder what is wrong with Fanny?

OP posts:
SignOnTheWindow · 27/01/2017 11:18

We used to call it a tuppence. Mary Poppins made us fall about laughing:

'Feed the birds, tuppence a bag...'

NeepNeepNeep · 27/01/2017 11:18

Just in general conversation user?

SignOnTheWindow · 27/01/2017 11:19

Isabella Grin

MustBeLoopy390 · 27/01/2017 11:20

A bit grim, we prefer the anatomical names here, and have heard dd and ds1 correct people using twee nicknames. SIL's face when dd (3 and a half) told her that our baby would come out of mommy's 'agina' not from a cabbage patch was a picture Grin

Cherylene · 27/01/2017 11:20

another Spartacus I have absolutely no idea. He did not pick it up from family as it was all boys unless his grandfather called his mother that? (Unlikely from how I remember). He was fond of picking up traditional stuff though.
I can't really ask as the conversation to end it did not go too well and ended in terrible embarrassment as it involved women stuff Wink

ElsaMars · 27/01/2017 11:22

We taught DD 4 to say Vagina, not, I suppose strictly anatomically correct but it felt best for us. She also says penis. My mum finds ut very odd Grin

She's shortened it to gina, pronounced Gyna, so we all say that now!

Jett99 · 27/01/2017 11:23

I like snippa!

The80sweregreat · 27/01/2017 11:30

You cant sexualise kids or adults anymore! was listening to a phone in show about people that are 'gender fluid' and they want 'boy' and 'girl' banned from being used. The presenter was ' well. what are they meant to call them then?' it was very confusing and although I respect that some people do not identify as male or female, I was a bit puzzled as to what are meant to do or say?
I just used the word willy for my two - probably not socially acceptable these days. if I had girls I have no idea what I would have called their bits to be honest. Took me years before I realised a John Thomas was referring to a Penis. ( so many different names for mens bits)

228agreenend · 27/01/2017 11:30

I wonder it's a regional thing. I've always considered Fanny to be okay, maybe a little rude in a seaside humour sort of way, but nothing stronger than that.

My dm never called it anything either.

RhodaBorrocks · 27/01/2017 11:30

We always called it a muff and I never thought too much of that until the boys at school started saying it and got it to trouble for using a 'filthy' word. Hmm

I say a gynae once who was really plummy and said "Hope up on the bed and we'll take a look at your fanny." She was so down to earth I actually started to like the word and have been in favour of it since then.

My DM and I went to see the vagina monologues and have unabashedly used the word cunt ever since. DM also calls it her la-la. We did say vajayjay but J or JJ is now a family member's nickname so it makes us giggle because it sounds like "For JJ".

I never knew Minnie was a thing until my DS asked "What's that car?" And I said "It's a mini" and he burst out laughing. He still says it's a 'rude' car and a 'girls' car. I pretend that I've forgotten the time I've slipped up and called him a 'skinny minny' even though he hasn't forgotten! Confused

I got told off by a teacher because DS knew the word 'testicles' at age 7. Apparently it was inappropriate. I asked what would they prefer - balls, nuts, plums, 'nads? I was never questioned on using anatomical terms again. DS says peepee, penis or willy.

AntiQuitty · 27/01/2017 11:31

I'm glad there are so many tuppence users! I never heard anyone else call it that so it wasn't something I continued.

QueSera · 27/01/2017 11:31

I like the word fanny too! I also like fanjo and vajayjay. But with my DD (4) we've always called it vulva. I will tell her there are other words for it too. But I don't like calling it vagina, because that is just one part of the whole vulva area, unless of course you're actually talking about that part specifically.

aintnobodygottimefodat · 27/01/2017 11:32

Oh I cringe when I hear this. It's "foof" in our house.

PollytheDolly · 27/01/2017 11:35

Poonani Grin

SmilingGivesYouWrinkles · 27/01/2017 11:35

My DM uses Fanny for any female whose name she can't bring to mind. As in, "Hurry up, Fanny, and get your shoes on." LOTS of girls in our family so it is Fanny or "Sh..P...A...K...Belinda."

Men and boys are all Nobby.

Notsoyummi · 27/01/2017 11:37

Fanny or fanjo here Dd calls it her fanjo

D0lph1nWatch3er · 27/01/2017 11:37

Paedophiles apparently hate referring to private parts using their anatomical names (penis, vagina, etc) so there is that argument in favour of using the correct names I suppose.
We always, as euphemistic cop-outs, say, "tinky" and "foo foo". How totally embarrasing. As they get older, these words will have to be up-dated. But to what?????????????
I never would have thought I would actually put that in writing.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 27/01/2017 11:39

Isn't the paedo thing a myth? Like police not knowing that a child had been abused because they don't use the correct words?

LucilleBluth · 27/01/2017 11:39

I call it tu tu to DD, my mum called it tuppence and I had a friend who referred to hers as muffin. All a bit mad really. I find Fanny slightly off and I don't know why.

astormgivenflesh · 27/01/2017 11:41

I always find it super interesting how terms used end up either really ~innocent and twee like foo, fairy, lady garden or very entrenched in societal taboo like cunt or twat. Really reinforces that virgin/whore dichotomy! Women either have these delicate, whispered about special places or they have loud, brash, 'vulgar' areas and it's fascinating to me!
fwiw, my friends and I call it pussy. I'm having a baby girl this year and am already wondering what I'll tell her to call it

squoosh · 27/01/2017 11:42

The best thing about 'fanny' is that at least it's (almost) universally known. Like 'willy'.

Userfriendly · 27/01/2017 11:47

What's wrong with vulva?

ArcheryAnnie · 27/01/2017 11:52

I have become fond of fanny after I heard Nimko Ali, the anti-FGM activist, describe anti-FGM women and supporters as "Fanny Forward". It makes me smile every time, and she's so fab!

I am otherwise fine with vagina, fanjo, penis, dick and willy to kids. Cock to grownups, or prick as an insult. All the others seem a bit coy.

amusedbush · 27/01/2017 11:53

fwiw, my friends and I call it pussy.

That's one word that makes me want to climb out of my skin Envy < vom face

I think I'd rather any other word in the world.

MichaelSheensNextDW · 27/01/2017 11:56

Fanny all the way.
Pussy has always been sleazy but is now definitely a misogynist, porno, Trump name.