We need to be talking more about this miraculous wonder of a woman’s anatomy, a.k.a. THE VAGINA.

Unfortunately, India has never had that ‘sex-talk’ it desperately needs. We learnt a lot of subjects in schools, but sex education was not one. ‘We’ll take credits for Kama Sutra, but we won’t talk about it’ is the irony we live in. There’s a hell lot of *hush-hush* and stigma around women’s reproductive health. People just won’t talk about it.

And in such a setting, misconceptions are born. Many men are clueless about women’s bodies. Even several women are unaware about their own body anatomy or have distorted knowledge about the same. It’s time we change that.

Let’s begin with debunking these myths about vagina. It’s high time now.

1. Your vagina gets super loose if you have lot of sex.

This myth is so popular and ridiculous. Our vagina is elastic. It’s highly accommodating and hospitable. It stretches naturally during sex or childbirth. But it won’t stay the same forever. It will return to its original stature, so don’t fret. However, it can lax a bit with aging and childbirth. But that’s not at all related to the number of times we have sex.

2. You pee out of your vagina. No, there’s urethra for that.

There are three holes ‘down there,’ i.e., urethra, vagina, and anus. The urethral opening is below your clitoris and right above your vaginal opening. The urethra connects with the urinary bladder, and yes, you pee from there. NOT FROM VAGINA.

3. Your vagina is your vulva. No, it’s just one part of it.

The vulva is the external part of a female reproductive system comprising of the clitoris, urethra, vaginal opening, outer lips (labia majora), and inner lips (labia minora). Consider vulva as an umbrella term to refer to the female external genitalia. Vulva is not just about your vagina.

Check Out – Surveyed women across India about their vagina

4. Tampons get lost in your vagina.

It’s common for tampons to get stuck when their string breaks, or you put in a new tampon without removing the old one, or even when you have sex without removing the tampon (NOT HEALTHY). Know that it can become a little difficult to remove the tampon, but it surely cannot get ‘lost’ inside your body. It can go further within your vagina, but the vagina is as far as it remains. It can be pulled out. 

Wash your hands, squat down, put your finger inside, and pull it out. Visit a doctor if you’re not able to do so. It’s very normal and nothing to be embarrassed about.

5. You don’t need external products to clean your vagina, it’s self-cleaning. 

The vagina cleanses itself through discharges. Yes, you don’t need to buy those expensive products, highly commercialized vaginal deodorants, or opt for douching. In reality, they can mess up the pH level of your vagina. However, you should wash your vulva with plain warm water delicately. 

6. Something is wrong with your body if you don’t reach an orgasm during a vaginal intercourse.

Many women do not climax solely through vaginal intercourse. So, there’s nothing wrong with you. It’s usually clitoral stimulation that does the magic for most of us. 

7. Your vagina is smell-free. That’s not true at all. 

Your vagina won’t scent like your favorite flower. Healthy vaginas have a smell. This is also often triggered through sweat, menstruation, or abnormal pH levels. This is very common and not a hygienic concern. But if you’re sensing some real pungent odor coming from down there, you should consult a gynecologist. 

8. You’re not a virgin if your hymen is already broken.

There are two very problematic things to address here. First, virginity is a social construct. It’s unrelated to the state of your hymen. Second, the hymen is a delicate membrane covering your vaginal opening. It can easily break through gynecology tests, inserting tampons, jumping, cycling or legit any other rigorous physical activity. You don’t need to have a penetrative sex for that.

PS – Some women have no hymen at all!

9. Vaginal bleeding after the first penetrative sex is a must.

Some women bleed. Some do not. It’s different for everybody. Also, breaking of hymen is not the only reason why a woman may bleed after sex.

10. You should remove pubic hair for a healthy vagina.

Keeping the bush or not is your choice. Vagina will clean itself regardless of how you choose to keep your pubic hair. You can remove them, trim them, or just let them be. It’s solely your decision to make. Don’t let anybody make you think otherwise.

PS – Normalize talking about vagina.