To not wash the inside of my vagina?

[Secretname123]

First AIBU so please be nice! There is a huge debate going on on twitter where people are horrified that some women wear tampons in the shower (it seems to be the majority of the many women responding to the tweets who are horrified). They claim it’s unsanitary because then you can’t wash inside your vagina. I thought we weren’t supposed to do this? I’m sure I had this drummed into me as a child. I never have and have never had an infection. Have I been doing it wrong all these years?!

"Vaginas, like Cats and Ovens, are self-cleaning."

Can't remember where I read this but I love it...

@Blanice

What is meant by “inside”?

I assume they mean deep inside given the discussion is about not being able to clean there is a tampon is in place

Why would you wash the inside of your vagina?

Some women (men too) participate in “Hygiene Olympics”. It’s posited that this behaviour is rooted in racism as it was previously held that certain races were (falsely obvs) dirty/smelly. This “competitive cleanliness” is a way for people to regain agency and pushback against this false narrative.

An interesting idea.

Part of the stupidity is because of the confusion between vagina and vulva. Vag is self cleaning. Vulva needs a nice wash with water or emollient but not soap or shower gel.

@fulgrate how on earth is one expected to reach the vagina? Even with a shower head attachment?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2F3AOpI9t-/?igsh=MTB3a2o2YmlmYzA5OA==

You need to watch this on Instagram from a brilliant doctor responding to those social media posts.

I'm not the one suggesting it

I think a lot of people also use the word vagina to refer to all female genitalia though, so who knows what they're talking about

No of course you dont clean inside, just like the poster mentions not cleaning your throat or rectum.

Ridiculous

Vaginas are designed, by nature, to be self-cleaning- so unless there is a compelling reason (or to put it crudely, someone has stuck his penis in your vagina after first sticking it up your backside) then no - you don't need to clean it.

In fact to do so will upset the chemical balance of your vagina.

What?

It's like the leg washing debate all over again

Had this conversation with my sister, she was disgusted when I said I don’t wash the inside so no it’s not “just men”

Oh - good point.

OP if you are referring to your vulva (external genitals) then yes. Wash away.

Washing inside the vagina is madness. It's widely known that the vagina is self cleaning and that putting water and random products in there will mess up the natural PH balance. I would have thought that was widely known?

that is if this is a genuine post?

Sweet Jesus. For real?!?!

Nope never washed inside it!

Thank you- I’m so glad to hear I’m not doing it wrong (I do of course wash my vulva). People definitely meant washing inside because tampons wouldn’t hamper washing outside. I was shocked as it’s hundreds of women saying it’s disgusting not to! Maybe it’s common in other countries as twitter is worldwide (sorry refuse to call it x).

It's brilliant! 😂

@soupfiend medium.com/@nataliesohio/the-hygiene-olympics-has-black-people-in-a-chokehold-77c9deec140c

The idea is that hyper cleanliness is performative.

I wonder if this debate started on “black twitter”?

God no. I'm not shoving soap up my chuff. The outside yes, but not inside.

OK I've read it.
I think some of this is down to the age old problem of some women not knowing the difference between a vagina and vulva. The US has also had a long obsession with douching.

Tmi but I do wash my arsecrack once a week with soap but never my vagina, just give the vulval area a rinse with water and the odd bath.
I used to use soap but found it was causing vulval eczema..so now I have to be really careful when using products down below. Apparently there is such a thing as being too clean.

@WitsHaveEnded you made me laugh a lot. Thank you for that. It’s cheered me up on an otherwise menopausal crappy day.

Crikey moses. Leave the thing alone! A little gentle hair wash is all she needs.