Reader’s Request Fridays: Basic Female Anatomy
Welcome to Reader’s Request Fridays. As a reminder, I’ll be addressing one reader email per week, so if you have a specific question you’d like answered or a topic you’d like covered, please email me. If you’re interested in counseling, call (415) 658-5738 or visit my Appointments page to schedule a consultation.
I wanted to wrap up the question about vaginal health from a few weeks ago with a brief description of female sexual anatomy.
Women are socialized to believe that our genitals are “ugly”, “smelly”, “gross”, “weird”, and “bad tasting”. It’s no wonder that most women would rather avoid looking at their genitals.
A startlingly large percentage of women have never looked at their genitals.
If you are a female, I highly recommend sitting in front of a mirror and taking a look at your genitals.
I know it may feel awkward at first, but becoming more comfortable with your body is a vitally important first step towards improving your sex life.
Try to find each of these areas on your own body:
Vulva
The entire outer area of the genitals. Most of the areas described below fall under the umbrella of the vulva.
Mons Pubis
The tissue covering the pubic bone. It is covered in pubic hair.
Labia Majora and Labia Minora
The two outer lips of the vulva. They are covered in public hair. The majora are paired with two labia minora, which are the inner lips. The minora are usually smaller and don’t have any hair.
Clitoris
A tiny bulb of concentrated nerve endings that is located where the labia minora converge. The clitoris is covered by a thin membrane of skin called the clitoral hood. If you pull the hood back, you should be able to see the clitoris.
Urethra
The hole that urine comes out of, and it is located between the clitoris and the vaginal opening. It is quite small, and may be difficult to find.
Vagina
The internal tract that connects to your reproductive organs. The vagina is the site of penetration. You won’t be able to see or touch your reproductive organs, but they include your uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries.
Cervix
The cervix is located deep within the vagina, and serves as the barrier to the uterus. In the right position, you may be able to touch your cervix. It feels similar to the tip of your nose.
Grafenberg spot
The G-spot is located on the front wall of the vagina. It’s about the size of a quarter and feels like a spongy bean.
Perineum
The area of smooth skin between a woman’s vaginal opening and anus.
Anus
Like the clitoris, the anus (particularly the opening) is packed with nerve endings.