UnWilly

[UnWilly]

Hi

(I have name changed for this, in case people think it is a ridiculous suggestion)

It’s from a few years ago, but I thought this initiative in Sweden was really interesting:

Sweden invents a word for girls’ genitals equivalent to ‘willy’ for boys

www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/01/sweden-girls-genitals-feminist-invention-snippa-vagina

We don’t really have a universal similar word here, and for the same reasons as Sweden, perhaps it’s time we did!

I reckon that if we could agree on a word, that Mumsnet likely has enough reach to get it into common usage.

So, does anyone think it is something we would benefit from, and if so, any suggestions for a term?

(and for avoidance of doubt, I am not actually suggesting unwilly as the term!)

So now I know why Fred was banging on the door. What must the neighbours have thought!

Yep, that's the one Chaz

Don't like "bits", sounds disgusting.

"Privates" just reinforces that this is a body part that you should keep private from everybody, all the time, which is mostly true but is unhelpful at the doctor for example and also later in life when you might want to have a partner!

"Foof" makes the vulva sound like a puff of stale-smelling air.

Vulva 440...

Play on words from the car Volvo 😂

Vulva 440

We are team foof in this house

When my three dd were small they referred to it as a peach. My granddaughter 4 yo calls it her vagina and her 3 yo brother has a penis.
When I was little —I’m as old as dirt— my brother had a winkle and I had a Mary. I’ve always thought is unfortunate for anyone actually called Mary!

It was referred to as a 'sixpence' by my parents.
The issue was that the old Noddy theme song lyrics were 'a sixpence an adventure and he'll take you home again' which led to some confusion 😂

Point being - I prefer to keep it anatomically correct to avoid the mix up with other connotations for the words!

My daughter used to say "boys have willies and girls have frillies" so it's often referred to as that here. Dd1 also came home from school one day to tell me, wide eyed; "did you know a boy's willy is really called a pyenis and we have ....(deep breath for added effect) A CHINA"

Dd1 called hers a pippa and dd2 called hers a pipsy as apparently that was the noise it made when she used the potty, I called them their bits. I did make sure they knew the proper terms before they were school age though.

It was just "down below" when I was little.
I live in Glasgow now, where"fanny" means a stupid person e.g. "Aw, yer big fanny! "

It was a tuppence when I was a child.

I say 'tushy' to DD

We could just go all Anglo-Saxon and call it our sheath.

Sue my horror watching Mary Poppins with the bird lady singing 'tuppence a bag, tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag'

We say a 'tail' and a 'tuppence' Shameful really but both of mine know the correct terms but would cringe to use them unless specifically pushed on the issue.

I think it should be willy and Jilly, if we are making up words.

In real life I call it a vagina. If my little girl ever tells someone that someone touched her vagina they are going to understand that a hell of a lot quicker than any other cutesy nick names. That's a product of my own neurosis though.

A lot of suggestions are long established names, not sure how Wilmas or Jilly's may feel...

@Babdoc

"You don’t use euphemisms for your legs or arms"

We do. Knee not patella, for example.

We also use all kinds of words for body parts which aren't the correct anatomical terms. Tummy ache.

Did you talk to them about cleaning their anal sphincter / anus after defecating or 'wipe your bum after a poo'? I suspect the latter. Why turn genitals into some kind of political point?

Genitals aren't upsetting but they are private and that's one of the many reasons we use euphemisms.

Surely you knew that.

Tirf, you seem to have your terms for body parts rather confused. The patella is not the knee joint, it’s just the knee cap!
This is why it’s better to use the correct words. As a doctor, I found it quite puzzling when patients used euphemisms or colloquial terms, especially as I was English and working in Scotland. My first patient when I was a medical student told me he was suffering from a sair thrapple and dry boaking! I had no idea he meant a sore throat and dry retching.
I think many parents use genital euphemisms out of embarrassment, but as they are wildly variable, the kids lack any common terms of reference.

Missed the point and ignored my question despite it even being underlined, @Babdoc ?

We use girly bits in our house. But we have talked about correct names for genitals and other parts of our anatomy. I don’t like random words to describe the vulva/vagina as they can get mixed up but I think the term ‘girly bits’ is fairly self explanatory. (We are an all female household so rarely talk about penises/willies)

Thanks to everyone who has commented, and a cheeky bump for any more opinions or suggestions

Another vote for tuppence here!