Name for girly bits!!

[Honey2]

So here’s a bit of a random question…… (hope this is ok to post!)
After previously having 3 boys I’m now preg with a girl (due any day!) and we have been thinking about the more casual name you use for a girls bits! I know the ‘official’ line is to call it the proper name (vagina) but of course for the boys we normally refer to their ‘Willy’ as it’s pretty much universal…. For girls however seems to be more regionally decided. We no longer live where I grew up so I’m not sure the word I used as I child is appropriate (and I hate it). What does everyone call it with their little girls?!!!

thanks

I find it bizarre that you use front bum but think vagina is absurd

What I don't like about the euphemisms is that by and large the words we use for girl parts are demeaning - fairy, flower, tuppence, mini - implying things that are small and delicate and demure. Not very body positive or girl power, are they?

That's brilliant, and really sorry she was abused.

Still though, why make getting that conviction more difficult?

Just use the proper names, for that very reason.

I'm going to begin using vulva, we always used vagina. I knew it was not correct, but I want to be accurate. Just make things all that easier if the worst ever did happen.

Why is small, delicate, demure demeaning to you?

I always said widgey.

Vagina here. In fact ds (3) merrily told the mum of a little girl he was playing with at the weekend that he is a boy because he doesn't have a vagina!

I've worked with health practitioners who have no issue saying willy/penis put loud but whisper vagina in a social context. We need to normalise universally recognisable anatomy terms.

I mean would you prefer

"Epic birthing flume"
"Her majesty the giver of pleasure"
"The amazing population machine"

😳 Not quite sure how you can make it an "empowering" nickname.

I mean men/boys have

Dick
Cock
Knob
Willy
Skin flute

Hardly empowering 😳

@SkankingWombat

Bum - homeless person or just an insult
Boob - again a lighthearted insult not related to breasts
Willy - a man or Killer Whales name

I have had my fair share of gynecologist and doctor's appts over the years and not one has ever used correct names for body parts.

I think everyone would know what a child meant if they said something about their front bottom / privates / fanny....Id say it's only the more unusual ones that could be problematic.

People always have been very private about these things and not felt comfortable talking about them. Its hardly surprising, I don't think it's fair to blame people for it.

My mam used "twinkle" which fucked up Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for me

Tuppence when I was young. My granddaughter calls it a nunny.

Bum - homeless person or just an insult
Boob - again a lighthearted insult not related to breasts
Willy - a man or Killer Whales name

Most people seem to think the need to use correct terms is so that kids can correctly disclose abuse. If a child said "Uncle John touched my bum" would you think "oh he was touching your homeless person"?? Because i think that it would be pretty obvious what they meant.

@DockOTheBay

It would also be pretty obvious if a girl were to use a common term like fanny, bits or similar. Nonetheless most people will easily know what a child is talking about if they use some cutesy name in a context of “so and so touched my mini” or similar - they will be able to make sense of it because of the context - it’s simply mumsnetters who are obsessed with the correct usage of vulva who are turning that into a weird crusade who pretend otherwise and making out that adults will ignore all context and think the child actually owns a Mini Cooper.

Yes @Tamzo85I agree

@Tamzo85

Strangely aggressive posts from you 🤷🏻‍♀️

You're still wrong, sorry. And you are either misunderstanding my point or choosing not to understand.

The range of words you provided broadly are used and are known meanings, and would be used in medical texts, consultations, prescription leaflets and so on. They may be used variously to mean different body parts, I'm not arguing otherwise.

But the twee invented terminology that has been referred to in this thread is not known in this way, would not be used in a medical or other setting and may be known only to the individual. So it's not the same.

As I said, it's up to each person what they want to do. I merely said I didn't like it.

Yes I'm afraid I also say girly bits with my daughter. I know I shouldn't.

The patriarchy is alive and well in your house then!

Oh FFS 🙄

Another poster shared this, I liked the way she put it.

For your info, I'm a single parent to 3 DC. 1 girl, 2 boys. I can tell you most definitely 'the patriarchy' is nowhere to be seen - my boys do exactly what their sister does in terms of chores - cooking, cleaning, washing & are pretty well schooled in matters of feminism & equality.

Unlike you, I haven't entirely lost my sense of humour tho.

I have a 2 year old daughter and if I need to refer to her nappy area, ie when speaking to a doctor about nappy rash, I literally refer to them as her girlie bits, just as you did in your title. It's gentle, inoffensive and not overly personal. The word 'vagina' only refers to one part of the girlie bits anyway.

What I dislike about 'girly bits' is that there's no male equivalent & I think it sounds demeaning to be honest.

Ah yes because a child yelling their flower’s itchy is so much more refined.

Privates, Willy generally by the children but they know the right words. Fanjo generally by me

What has gentleness got to do with anything?

Frankly the ship has sailed on being personal if you’re discussing nappy rash.

Boy bits and girl bits, of course there's an equivalent.

It's not only about 'people will know what it means' it needs to hold up in court. We had a victim of sexual abuse in the family when relative was almost 3. Her mother had referred to it as her flower and the defence argued that he had touched her cardigan and pointed to a flowers. Everyone 'knew' what it meant but unfortunately the technicalities in law made it a cause for doubt, perhaps the child was confused, she did have a flower cardigan after all, that sort of thing. I wouldn't want to put a child in that position where the evidence was considered 'blurred'

My children know the correct terms but they are also aware that some people call it a flower/mary/penny. So if you must use an alternative name then please also teach them the correct terminology so that should the worse happen they are clear on what parts of them have been assaulted.

My DD says vulva (although struggles a bit with the pronunciation so sometimes it’s more like “bulba” but she’s not quite 2 so I’m sure she’ll manage to say it properly eventually).

She knows she has a vulva and so does mummy but daddy doesn’t. We’re due a DS in July so I expect shortly after she’ll be saying penis as she’ll see his nappy changes. She has been told that daddy has a penis but she doesn’t see it often so I don’t think that’s stuck yet.

I think privates is perfectly acceptable though. It’s obvious what they mean, won’t be confused with anything else and it’s gender neutral.