Vagina

In mammals and other animals, the vagina (pl.: vaginas or vaginae) is the elastic, muscular reproductive organ of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vulvar vestibule to the cervix (the neck of the uterus). The vaginal introitus is usually partially covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue known as the hymen. The vagina facilitates copulation and childbirth. It also channels menstrual flow, which occurs in humans and closely related primates as part of the menstrual cycle.

To facilitate smoother penetration of the vagina during sexual intercourse or other sexual activities, vaginal moisture increases during sexual arousal in human females and other female mammals. This rise in moisture provides vaginal lubrication, which minimizes friction. The texture of the vaginal walls generates friction for the penis during sexual intercourse and stimulates it toward ejaculation, enabling fertilization. In addition to pleasure and bonding, women's sexual behavior with others can lead to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the risk of which can be lowered by practicing safe sex. Other health issues may also impact the human vagina.

The vagina has elicited strong reactions in societies throughout history, including negative perceptions and language, cultural taboos, and its use as a symbol of female sexuality, spirituality, or the regeneration of life. In everyday conversation, the term "vagina" is often misused to refer to the vulva or the female genitals as a whole.

Etymology and definition

The term "vagina" comes from the Latin vāgīna, which means "sheath" or "scabbard." The vagina is also commonly referred to as the birth canal in the context of pregnancy and childbirth. Although the dictionary and anatomical definitions specify that the vagina refers exclusively to a particular internal structure, it is often used colloquially to denote either the vulva or both the vagina and vulva together.

Using the term "vagina" to mean "vulva" can create medical or legal confusion; for instance, one person's interpretation of its location may not align with another’s. Medically, the vagina is described as the canal between the hymen (or its remnants) and the cervix, while legally, it is defined as beginning at the vulva (between the labia). The incorrect use of the term "vagina" might arise from less attention being paid to the anatomy of female genitals compared to male genitals, leading to a lack of proper vocabulary for external female genitalia among both the public and healthcare professionals. A better understanding of female genitalia can help mitigate sexual and psychological harm related to female development, prompting researchers to advocate for accurate terminology for the vulva.

Society and culture

See also Vulva and/or Eurotophobia Throughout history, there have been various perceptions of the vagina, including the belief that it is the center of sexual desire, a metaphor for life via birth, inferior to the penis, unappealing in appearance or odor, or vulgar. These views can largely be attributed to differences in sex and their interpretations. David Buss, an evolutionary psychologist, noted that because a penis is significantly larger than a clitoris and is easily seen while the vagina is not, and because males urinate through the penis, boys are taught from a young age to touch their penises, while girls are often taught not to touch their own genitalia, which suggests that doing so is harmful. Buss argued that this contributes to many women being less familiar with their own genitalia, and researchers believe these sex differences account for why boys learn to masturbate before girls and do so more frequently.

The word "vagina" is often avoided in conversation, and many people are confused about its anatomy and may not realize it is not used for urination. This confusion is worsened by phrases like "boys have a penis, girls have a vagina," leading children to believe that girls have only one opening in the pelvic area. Author Hilda Hutcherson noted, "Many women have been conditioned since childhood through verbal and nonverbal cues to see their genitals as ugly, smelly, and unclean; thus, they are unable to fully enjoy intimate encounters" due to fear that their partner will dislike the sight, smell, or taste of their genitals. She argued that women, unlike men, did not have locker room experiences in school where they compared each other's genitals, contributing to many women's uncertainty about the normality of their anatomy. Scholar Catherine Blackledge stated that having a vagina often resulted in being treated less favorably than those without one and subject to inequalities—such as job discrimination—which she described as being treated like a second-class citizen.

Negative views of the vagina are contrasted with perspectives that regard it as a powerful symbol of female sexuality, spirituality, and life. Author Denise Linn stated that the vagina "is a powerful symbol of womanliness, openness, acceptance, and receptivity. It is the inner valley spirit." Sigmund Freud placed significant importance on the vagina, postulating that vaginal orgasm is distinct from clitoral orgasm and that, upon reaching puberty, the proper response for mature women is to transition to vaginal orgasms (meaning orgasms without any clitoral stimulation). This theory left many women feeling inadequate, as a majority are unable to achieve orgasm through vaginal intercourse alone. In terms of religion, the womb serves as a powerful symbol as the yoni in Hinduism, representing "the feminine potency." This may reflect the value that Hindu society places on female sexuality and the vagina's ability to give life; however, the yoni's primary meaning is not simply a representation of "womb."

In ancient times, the vagina was often considered equivalent (homologous) to the penis, with anatomists Galen (129 AD – 200 AD) and Vesalius (1514–1564) viewing the organs as structurally the same except for the vagina being inverted. However, anatomical studies in later centuries revealed the clitoris to be the penile equivalent. Another view of the vagina was that the release of vaginal fluids could cure or remedy various ailments; over the centuries, various methods were employed to release "female seed" (through vaginal lubrication or female ejaculation) as a treatment for suffocatio ex semine retento (suffocation of the womb, lit. 'suffocation from retained seed'), green sickness, and potentially for female hysteria. Reported treatment methods included a midwife rubbing the walls of the vagina or inserting the penis or penis-shaped objects into the vagina. Symptoms of the female hysteria diagnosis – a concept that is no longer recognized as a medical disorder – included faintness, nervousness, insomnia, fluid retention, heaviness in the abdomen, muscle spasms, shortness of breath, irritability, loss of appetite for food or sex, and a tendency to cause trouble. It may be that women deemed to be suffering from female hysteria would sometimes undergo "pelvic massage" – stimulation of the genitals by the doctor until the woman experienced "hysterical paroxysm" (i.e., orgasm). In this context, paroxysm was viewed as a medical treatment rather than a sexual release.

The vagina has been given many vulgar names, three of which are pussy, twat, and cunt. Cunt is also used as a derogatory epithet referring to people of either sex. This usage is relatively recent, originating from the late nineteenth century. Reflecting various national usages, "cunt" is described as "an unpleasant or stupid person" in the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, while Merriam-Webster defines it as "usually disparaging and obscene: woman," noting that in the United States, it is used as "an offensive way to refer to a woman." Random House characterizes it as "a despicable, contemptible, or foolish man." Some feminists in the 1970s aimed to eliminate derogatory terms like "cunt." "Twat" is commonly used as a derogatory term, particularly in British English, to describe someone deemed obnoxious or stupid. "Pussy" can denote "cowardice or weakness" and refer to "the human vulva or vagina," or by extension, it can mean "sexual intercourse with a woman." In English, using the word "pussy" to refer to women is viewed as derogatory or demeaning, objectifying individuals as sexual objects.

In literature and art

Wikipedia article: Vagina and vulva in art

The vagina loquens, or "talking vagina," is a significant tradition in literature and art, originating from the ancient folklore motifs of the "talking cunt." These tales often feature vaginas speaking through magic or charms and commonly confessing to a lack of chastity. Other folk tales describe the vagina as having teeth – vagina dentata (Latin for "toothed vagina"). These stories imply that sexual intercourse could lead to injury, emasculation, or castration for the man involved. They were frequently told as cautionary tales to warn about the dangers of unknown women and to discourage rape.

In 1966, the French artist Niki de Saint Phalle collaborated with Dadaist artist Jean Tinguely and Per Olof Ultvedt on a large sculpture installation titled "hon-en katedral" (also spelled "Hon-en-Katedrall," meaning "she-a cathedral") for Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden. The outer form is a giant, reclining sculpture of a woman that visitors can enter through a door-sized vaginal opening between her spread legs.

The Vagina Monologues, a 1996 episodic play by Eve Ensler, has played a significant role in bringing female sexuality into the public conversation. It consists of various monologues presented by multiple women. Initially, Ensler performed each monologue herself; later performances featured three actresses, while more recent versions showcase a different actress for each role. Each monologue explores an aspect of the female experience, addressing topics such as sexual activity, love, rape, menstruation, female genital mutilation, masturbation, childbirth, orgasm, the various common names for the vagina, and its significance as a physical aspect of the body. A recurring theme throughout these pieces is the vagina as a symbol of female empowerment and the ultimate expression of individuality.

Influence on modification

Wikipedia article: Genital modification and mutilation

Societal views shaped by tradition, limited anatomical knowledge, or sexism can significantly affect a person's choice to change their own or another person's genitalia. Some women may wish to modify their genitalia (vagina or vulva) because they perceive its appearance—such as the length of the labia minora covering the vaginal opening—as abnormal, or they may desire a smaller vaginal opening or a tighter vagina. Additionally, women may want to maintain a youthful appearance and sexual function. These perceptions are often shaped by media influences, including pornography, which can lead to diminished self-esteem. As a result, some women may feel embarrassed to be naked in front of a sexual partner and might prefer to have sex with the lights off. When modification surgeries are conducted solely for cosmetic reasons, they are frequently viewed negatively, with some doctors likening these procedures to female genital mutilation (FGM).

Female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision or female genital cutting, is genital modification with no health benefits. The most severe form is Type III FGM, which is infibulation and involves removing all or part of the labia and the vagina being closed up. A small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened up for sexual intercourse and childbirth.

Significant controversy surrounds female genital mutilation, with the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health organizations campaigning against the procedures on behalf of human rights, stating that it is "a violation of the human rights of girls and women" and "reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes." Female genital mutilation has existed at one point or another in almost all human civilizations, most commonly to exert control over the sexual behavior, including masturbation, of girls and women. It is carried out in several countries, especially in Africa, and to a lesser extent in other parts of the Middle East and Southeast Asia, on girls from a few days old to mid-adolescent, often to reduce sexual desire to preserve vaginal virginity. Comfort Momoh stated it may be that female genital mutilation was "practiced in ancient Egypt as a sign of distinction among the aristocracy"; there are reports that traces of infibulation are on Egyptian mummies.

Customs and traditions are the most commonly cited reasons for the practice of female genital mutilation. Some cultures believe that this practice is part of a girl's initiation into adulthood and that failing to perform it can disrupt social and political cohesion. In these societies, a girl is often not considered an adult unless she has undergone the procedure.

In other animals

The vagina is a structure in animals where internal fertilization occurs in females, unlike traumatic insemination used by some invertebrates. Although research on the vagina across different species is particularly limited, its location, structure, and size are documented to vary among species. In therian mammals (placentals and marsupials), the vagina connects the uterus to the exterior of the female body. Female placentals have two openings in the vulva: the urethral opening for the urinary tract and the vaginal opening for the genital tract. Depending on the species, these openings may be located within the internal urogenital sinus or on the external vestibule. Female marsupials possess two lateral vaginas, which lead to separate uteri, but both open externally through the same orifice; a third canal, known as the median vagina, can be either transitory or permanent and is used for birth. The female spotted hyena lacks an external vaginal opening; instead, the vagina exits through the clitoris, allowing females to urinate, copulate, and give birth through it. In female canids, the vagina contracts during copulation, forming a copulatory tie. Female cetaceans have vaginal folds that are not present in other mammals.

Monotremes, birds, reptiles, and amphibians possess a cloaca, which serves as the single external opening for the gastrointestinal, urinary, and reproductive tracts. Some of these vertebrates have a section of the oviduct leading to the cloaca. Chickens have a vaginal aperture that opens from the vertical apex of the cloaca, extending upward to form the egg gland. In some jawless fish, there is neither an oviduct nor a vagina; instead, the egg travels directly through the body cavity and is fertilized externally, as seen in most fish and amphibians. In insects and other invertebrates, the vagina may be part of the oviduct. Birds have a cloaca into which the urinary tract, reproductive tract (vagina), and gastrointestinal tract empty. Females of certain waterfowl species have developed vaginal structures known as dead-end sacs and clockwise coils to protect themselves from sexual coercion.

A lack of research on the vagina and other female genitalia, particularly in different animals, has hindered knowledge of female sexual anatomy. One reason why male genitalia is studied more is that penises are significantly easier to analyze than female genital cavities; male genitals usually protrude, making them simpler to assess and measure. In contrast, female genitals are often concealed and require more dissection, which demands more time. Another reason is that a primary function of the penis is to impregnate, whereas female genitals may change shape during interaction with male organs, which can either benefit or hinder reproductive success.

Non-human primates serve as optimal models for human biomedical research because they share physiological characteristics with humans due to evolution. While menstruation is commonly associated with human females, who exhibit the most pronounced menstrual cycles, it is also present in ape relatives and monkeys. Female macaques have a menstrual cycle length over a lifetime that is similar to that of female humans. The levels of estrogens and progestogens in the menstrual cycles, as well as during premenarche and postmenopause, are also comparable in female humans and macaques; however, only in macaques does keratinization of the epithelium occur during the follicular phase. Additionally, the vaginal pH of macaques varies, showing near-neutral to slightly alkaline median values, which may be attributable to the absence of lactobacilli in their vaginal flora. This variability is one reason why, despite macaques being utilized for studying HIV transmission and testing microbicides, animal models are not frequently employed in the study of sexually transmitted infections like trichomoniasis. Another reason is that the causes of such conditions are intrinsically tied to human genetic makeup, which complicates the application of results from other species to humans.

See also [ Sex organ ]

More information is available at [ Wikipedia:Vagina ]

Jump to: Main Page • Micropedia • Macropedia • Icons • Sexology • Time Line • History • Life Lessons • Links • Help
Chat rooms • What links here • Copyright info • Contact information • Category:Root