It will always be a Vagina, not a Vulva.

The word "Vulva" has kind of crept into vernacular.... not sure when this occured; ; but growing up and through my adulthood till recently, I never heard of or used "Vulva". Nope - I'm an old geezer for whom it will always be a "Vagina!" Imagine calling it "The Vulva Monologues" 🙄

The word "Vulva" has kind of crept into vernacular.... not sure when this occured; ;

Vulva is the correct term for external female genitalia, and it always has been.

The vagina is internal, not what you see on the outside.

To call the vulva a vagina is actually incorrect. It is this incorrect use of the word vagina that has crept in, not the other way around.

Many thanks for this correctness, absolutly right !!!!

Vulva, vagina...call it what you will...it still remains the one part of the female anatomy that us guys are totally enamored of. Long live ladybits!!!

Vulva, vagina...call it what you will...

No. Calling it a vagina should stop, as it isn't an alternative word for the same thing. This is about as basic as it gets re anatomical terms.

To get across how wrong this is, the male analogy would be to start calling the penis the prostate.

The word vulva crept into my vernacular in 1953 when I was in the ninth grade in study hall. I was sitting at a desk that had the tracing of one inscribed on it with the name "vulva". I have no idea where that would have come from as we certainly had NO school classes in our (all boys) high school that would have provided information of that sort. Anything about a girls body was dirty and sinful back then and probably illegal to know. We were just hearing about Masters and Johnson and certainly didn't say their names out loud. I was never able to find out who/where that tracing originated so my dirty little mind went unfulfilled. If I could have found the source for that I would have been in masturbation heaven, wouldn't have had any time left to go school.

Yes, but some people still wanna drive a Vulva, maybe it's a Swedish thing?

Yes, but some people still wanna drive a Vulva, maybe it's a Swedish thing?

Maybe possible, but it is certainly incorrect !!!

I was never able to find out who/where that tracing originated so my dirty little mind went unfulfilled. If I could have found the source for that I would have been in masturbation heaven, wouldn't have had any time left to go school.

I hate to spoil your fantasy, but that carving almost certainly came from another boy at your school. A cute little thing in a poodle skirt didn't sneak in there and carve it. Why? Because girls don't carve school desks. The closest they may come is asking their boyfriends to carve the desk on their behalf, but they'll never do it themselves. This is doubly true for 1953, when every boy on the planet was carrying a pocket knife to school.

Maybe possible, but it is certainly incorrect !!!

The car name "Volvo" has always had a subliminal effect on me, making me think "vulva" :-)

Yes, but some people still wanna drive a Vulva, maybe it's a Swedish thing?

No disrespect to the Swedish; but “Volvo” is just a vowel movement away from being a “cunt” !

When in doubt and under the right circumstances "pussy" will do. 😏

When in doubt and under the right circumstances "pussy" will do. 😏

Dutifully noted! 😉

The car name "Volvo" has always had a subliminal effect on me, making me think "vulva" :-)

This reminds me of how the Volvo was previously discussed almost 7 years ago, and how I used to quite enjoy being in them. 😁

https://en.zity.biz/index.php?mx=forum;ox=display;msg=812619

My son had a Volvo for a few years that was quite nice to be in. Not as good as a vagina though & even that's nowhere near as good as a tight anus & a silky smooth rectum...!

It’s a mistaken nomenclature driven by the patriarchy. A woman’s Vulva is what you see when you look at it and contains 90% of the structures that provide a woman sexual pleasure. The vagina is simply the tube, but that’s what gives men pleasure so that’s all they give a hoot about.

It’s a mistaken nomenclature driven by the patriarchy. A woman’s Vulva is what you see when you look at it and contains 90% of the structures that provide a woman sexual pleasure. The vagina is simply the tube, but that’s what gives men pleasure so that’s all they give a hoot about.

I'm betting sex education or a lack of (decent) sex education is what drives a lot of the confusion.

I doubt if few parents are going to sit their kids down and make careful schematics or carefully describe the different semantic meanings of the two terms. Hell, I'm betting that many teachers are not really all that comfortable either, especially in some school districts with all the moralists breathing down their necks, just waiting for an excuse to get teachers fired who take sex education seriously and make a good job of it.

And those same people who disapprove of sex ed, do their best to make sexual education literature unavailable or even illegal in public libraries. So where are youngsters going to learn the correct terms? Not from their peers either you can bet.

The use of colloquial terms for the inner and outer genitals just causes further confusion. For instance that inane term 'vajayjay' that was instigated in a medical show of all places (Grey's Anatomy) at the instigation of (informal but nevertheless effective) TV censors. What does it exactly describe?

Beats me.

The use of colloquial terms for the inner and outer genitals just causes further confusion. For instance that inane term 'vajayjay' that was instigated in a medical show of all places (Grey's Anatomy) at the instigation of (informal but nevertheless effective) TV censors.

That is just a stupid word, and it is just to make people giggle. It just seems so immature really.

That is just a stupid word, and it is just to make people giggle. It just seems so immature really.

Absolutely agree on its utter inanity and silliness.

But I meant to say the widespread use of such words just complicates actual understanding of the true physical differences between the various parts of female genitalia.

I doubt if it is just the Patriarchy that objects to the use of proper words. Many ladies would rather die than use correct terminology as well.

The first time I heard "vajayjay" used was a black woman talking about her body parts in book/show called, The Vagina Monologues.

No. Calling it a vagina should stop, as it isn't an alternative word for the same thing. This is about as basic as it gets re anatomical terms.

As per LLama 70B -- "Vulva" has not replaced "vagina" in medical or scientific contexts. Both terms refer to different parts of the female reproductive system, and they are often used interchangeably. However, some people prefer to use "vulva" to refer to the external female genital area, while "vagina" specifically refers to the internal canal that connects the vulva to the cervix.

It's important to note that the usage of "vulva" vs. "vagina" can vary depending on cultural and personal preferences, and both terms are widely used and accepted in medical and scientific contexts. It's essential to be respectful and understanding of individuals' preferences when discussing their bodies and using appropriate terminology.

In summary, "vulva" has not replaced "vagina," and both terms are still used and accepted in medical and scientific contexts. It's crucial to be mindful of individuals' preferences and use respectful language when discussing their bodies..

In high school a friend had a PV 544 Volvo and it was like a vulva, difficult to get into and took a while to get up to speed.

As per LLama 70B -- "Vulva" has not replaced "vagina" in medical or scientific contexts. Both terms refer to different parts of the female reproductive system, and they are often used interchangeably. ...

In summary, "vulva" has not replaced "vagina," and both terms are still used and accepted in medical and scientific contexts. It's crucial to be mindful of individuals' preferences and use respectful language when discussing their bodies..

If I were to treat the computer program as having emotions (which I of course don't), I'd have said that in giving these comments it was trying too hard not to offend by contradicting any existing ideas humans might wrongly have on the subject.

The question is not about preferences, but correct definition. One use of the word vagina is correct and the other is not. Vulva is the correct term for female external genitalia, and vagina is not.

I'm betting sex education or a lack of (decent) sex education is what drives a lot of the confusion.

The actual vagina isn't visible unless you pull the vulva open in 90%+ of women. When you see her genitalia, you're looking at her vulva. The word 'vulva' comes from the Latin word for 'wrapper' and specifically describes the folds while 'vagina' from the Latin for sheath - ie the receptacle for a sword.

Look at early 20th Century attitudes to women's sexuality - Dr Freud, I'm looking at you. The whole bullshit of Clitoral vs Vaginal orgasms with 'vaginal' orgasms being the more mature and to be desired. Surprise, there's no difference and there're damned few nerve endings in the vagina.

There's little doubt that the word 'vagina' was used as the 'medical' way to refer to that area when I was growing up - I'm celebrating the 2nd anniversary of my 58th birthday this year for reference's sake - even though anyone who was medically trained knew that was incorrect. Why? (and I can only speak for the US here) Because the vast majority of people who made decisions on sexual education etc were men, and to them the important structure was the vagina - that sheath that accepted the penis and provided a pathway for birth.

Why do you think that damned few people even knew what a clitoris was? I certainly didn't, and I've got one!

It harkens back to the days when female sexual pleasure was dirty. I recall a book from the early 1900s that was supposed to be a version of 'you're growing up' now for women that warned against women having sex with their husbands too often as it would destroy their marriage and that women who succumbed to actually enjoying sex would meet a bad end. Unfortunately I lost the book in the divorce - not through any official settlement but along with a ton of other things I abandoned to get the fuck out of there.

By referring to a woman's vulva as a vagina you're invalidating her sexuality as nothing more than a receptacle for your penis or a machine for making babies.

@Moppys_jalopy In high school a friend had a PV 544 Volvo and it was like a vulva, difficult to get into and took a while to get up to speed.

Thanks for making me laugh.

There's little doubt that the word 'vagina' was used as the 'medical' way to refer to that area when I was growing up ... even though anyone who was medically trained knew that was incorrect. Why? (and I can only speak for the US here) Because the vast majority of people who made decisions on sexual education etc were men, and to them the important structure was the vagina - that sheath that accepted the penis and provided a pathway for birth.

@Nurse_Phillips - I think you have just identified the true origin of this misuse of the word vagina. And it does seem that where the UK is concerned, this is yet another US import.

And you're right about that idiot Freud. The enormous damage he did to women's sexuality with his ridiculous ideas still hasn't been fully undone even now.

I recall a book from the early 1900s that was supposed to be a version of 'you're growing up' now for women that warned against women having sex with their husbands too often as it would destroy their marriage and that women who succumbed to actually enjoying sex would meet a bad end.

For what it's worth, I would say that virtually any book on any educational subject (except math or some basic science) was useless nonsense in that era. And especially anything concerning (sexual or other) morality and social customs. Even what were supposed to be respected works by eminent scholars like Kraft-Ebbing, Freud, Jung, many anthropological ethnic researchers, 'respected'/influential eugenicists like Galton and so many others are full of ideas and notions that are no longer accepted. This to say the very least.

There was so much nonsense bandied around at the time. Even most history books were awful at the time, full of ridiculous twisted, made-up notions to accord with the then prevailing ideas about nationalism and patriotism.

So don't expect books on sexual morals, physical sexuality or marriage from that time or whatever to have been one iota better. All were junk and laughable when looked back on from our present times.

@Nurse_Phillips Why do you think that damned few people even knew what a clitoris was?

All so well written and expressed! Yup, no idea here as well, and I remember reading something back in 1950's about women learning to like sex though it appeared sex was something do as part of their duty as a wife...

All so well written and expressed! Yup, no idea here as well, and I remember reading something back in 1950's about women learning to like sex though it appeared sex was something do as part of their duty as a wife...

A possible aside here, but if anyone has seen the movie 'the Last Duel' by Ridley Scott, you will have noticed that in the period the movie is set in (mid 14th century), it was believed by all, even church authorities, that for conception to be successful, a wife/women had to experience an orgasm during sexual relations as well as the male, otherwise there would be no fertilization.

Scientifically inaccurate of course, but my point is that women expected to experience pleasure in sex, is not a modern notion. The notion has, like many socially influenced ideas, come and gone throughout the centuries, going from one end of the spectrum to the other. We are just recovering from a period of previous prudishness of the Victorian Age and before.

I refer to the movie not as an authority, but simply as an easy reference.

To comment on @Nurse_Phillips tome.

The actual vagina isn't visible unless you pull the vulva open in 90%+ of women. When you see her genitalia, you're looking at her vulva. The word 'vulva' comes from the Latin word for 'wrapper' and specifically describes the folds while 'vagina' from the Latin for sheath - ie the receptacle for a sword.

It's nice to learn those origins. I've never thought of it as a wrapper maybe because I never thought of my penis as a sword, more like a thumb tack.

Look at early 20th Century attitudes to women's sexuality -

This makes me think of an old B&W movie I saw years ago. My first job after High School was working swing shift in a cotton mill and I wasn't ready to sleep when I got home at midnight so I watched TV. It may have been a W C Fields movie where he was getting ready to go out and the scene shifted to the kitchen where a young wife was helping an old(er) one wash dishes. She complained that her young husband expected sex and the old one told her it was her duty as a wife to do that. I was thinking if that's how women really feel I'd rather just use my hand and the hell with marriage.

Because the vast majority of people who made decisions on sexual education etc were men,

I've never felt it had to do with MEN per se, In my house it's my wife who is vehemently against sex ed in schools or any where else. I am just as much FOR it as she is against it which creates some interesting discussions in our house. I wish we had some of the ones I've see on Channel 4 from the UK and from Norway.

Why do you think that damned few people even knew what a clitoris was? I certainly didn't, and I've got one!

Don't get me going on that!! I certainly didn't either, exactly at the time I needed to most. I had heard that girls had a spot that would give them a pleasure sort of like what us guys got at the tip of our penis but nobody I asked could tell me how to find it or how to make it work. When I was 19 in the army my 16 year old gf certainly knew how to make mine work and when it quit she shoved my face between her legs but I had no idea how to find what I was supposed to be licking. I had no idea if I should be able to notice any response. I even asked the wife of one of my friends where and what and how I could tell if she was having any pleasure like mine (didn't know of the word orgasm). All she could tell me was she liked the feeling of him inside her but no wild and wonderful feelings, and they'd had two kids already.

It harkens back to the days when female sexual pleasure was dirty. I recall a book from the early 1900s that was supposed to be a version of 'you're growing up' now for women that warned against women having sex with their husbands too often as it would destroy their marriage and that women who succumbed to actually enjoying sex would meet a bad end. Unfortunately I lost the book in the divorce - not through any official settlement but along with a ton of other things I abandoned to get the fuck out of there.

I believe that. That's kind of like the crap I saw growing up, you know, the books I kept hidden inside my console radio cabinet.

By referring to a woman's vulva as a vagina you're invalidating her sexuality as nothing more than a receptacle for your penis or a machine for making babies.

I knew those guys, they were my classmates. Well, it wasn't a vagina, it was a cunt.