Female genital anatomy is not some mystical unlockable box holding an ancient curse or anything complicated like that.
Still, men often seem to struggle to understand it.
Reddit's here to help.
Reddit user Slow-Bluejay9648 asked:
"Girls, what should men know about the vagina?"
So listen, let's have a quick anatomy lesson, shall we?
All humans start out as "female" - fetuses don't develop "male" anatomy til later in the game and obviously not all of them do. It can be easier to understand anatomy if you understand that men and women are built from the same stuff.
Men are just women, the re-mix.
Lower
Ro Oops GIF by Rosanna Pansino
Giphy
"For the first timers, the hole where you put the peni in is a little lower than you think."
- DayaBen
"That was definitely a surprise the first time lol"
"I think we just assume you guys have your stuff where we have ours and vice versa. That's why so many girls ask questions like 'what happens when you ride a bike.' "
- ShellSide
"Fun fact, the 'seam' in a guy's scrotum is the result of their vagina closing up when they develop male body characteristics in utero."
- dewey-defeats-truman
"That really puts it into perspective."
"As a kid you’d think the opening and the penis were in the same location. But since your penis is analogous to their clitoris, which is above the opening, you have to go much lower."
- that1prince
Pee Pointers
"We don’t pee out of it."
- starro11
"This is too hard to comprehend."
- [Reddit]
"Women have two holes other than the anus."
"One that is their vagina and then they have another hole higher up that is the urethra. But the urethra is really tiny so it's not really visible at quick glance."
- Nefarious_No2
"Female anatomy is glossed over so quickly in early schooling, so lots of people - women included - didn't realize there are three holes for women, not two."
"I’m a full grown woman and I didn’t really understand that the uterus wasn’t just a big vacant sac in my body until I was like almost 30. It’s shameful! Sex education really needs to be revamped."
- lilmorphinannie
Moans = Same
"When we moan out in pleasure it does not mean speed up or do it 'harder.' It means keep doing exactly what you're doing."
-mamaemcee
"I literally have to remind my husband of this ALL THE TIME. Stop speeding up when you’re literally doing PERFECTLY."
-Hey-Kristine-Kay
"There's no harm in a little correction if they change what's working in the moment... 'no, don't stop, just like that...perfect.' "
"A moan is just a moan. Use your words to get what you want/need."
-Haunting-Ad-8619
Acid Spit
James Cameron Aliens GIF by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
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"Vaginas are quite acidic, to the point were discharge can bleach under garments."
- KennyJacobs1
"I buy my vajayjay cute panties and the b*tch thanks me by ruining them. 😠"
- awkwardaznbabe
"When I was young I was confused because I thought the discoloring on panties was a sign of being dirty."
"Turned out I just have a very high ph."
- Balding_Unit
"A lot of men (and women) think the discolored underwear is a sign of the woman's vagina being 'dirty' when it's not at all."
- sinistergzus
Q&A
"Just because your ex liked certain things doesn‘t mean your current partner does. Communication is key and porn not a good teacher."
-rhysentlymcnificent
"It always baffles me that people don't seem to talk that much before/during/after."
"Sex in a relationship gets even better if you know what your partner likes, so be attentive and talk about it. Obviously don't overdo with the questioning, but a bit goes a long way."
"Don't be shy about 'Does this work for you? Can we try x? Do you mind if i wear my fluffy earmuffs while we do it?' "
-SometimesGameDev
"It doesn't help that many people just expect you to know what they do/don't like."
"They assume since you've had previous partners you should know how to 'please any man/woman.' Had a couple experiences where the lady would get a bit pissy because I ask a few questions to find out what she's feeling while I'm doing something."
-kjlwillycoyote
"I would honestly be super disappointed in my partner if they didn't ask questions. I don't care if you've had 0 or 300 partners, don't assume."
"Hell, ask me as much as you want, it shows you care enough to want to really, truly please me"
-rowdymonster
The Mother Of All Myths
"The hymen has nothing to do with your virginity."
- zelihaalyshia
"People really do describe it like a freshness seal."
"Pop it open and you have 3 days to consume the vagina before it spoils, 4 if you refrigerate it."
- uuuuuuuhburger
"Also it’s not common the hymen completely covers the vagina."
"Most of us still have our damn hymen and it just stretches open- it’s very obvious when you know what it looks like!"
- throwmedownthequarry
"And also that there are so many different types of hymens that we don't get taught about."
"I thought I was a freak of nature because of my weird hymen."
"Turns out it's called a septate hymen."
- -Saraphina-
Terminology Troubles
"That the vagina is the inside of the female genitalia."
"If you’re referring to the outer genitalia like clit or labia, that’s the vulva."
- Myble
"Over 90% of the clitoris is internal. What most people call the clit is the clitoral glans."
- tallbutshy
"Ive been scrolling forever looking for someone commenting on this, thank you for pointing it out because I think more people should know this!"
"My genitalia is more than just the hole where things go in."
"But I agree with comments saying that there are no good words in English if you dont want to use 'p*ssy'."
"Imagine if we started to refer to the male genitalia as 'the shaft' or something like that. There are other fun things to also play with down there ;) "
- marresaurus
" 'Vulva' is just the exterior stuff, 'genitals' takes you all the way to the ovaries. Is there no in between word?"
- HRHHayley
Shrinkage
"The vagina reverts to its original snugness."
"It shrinks after babies. Your penis is meaningless to it."
- garmonbozia66
"This! Women push babies out and go back to normal afterwards, sometimes the vagina even gets tighter after birth."
- Particular-Coffee-52
Your Potential Pool
"Dudes, if you openly use terms like 'meat curtains' or make fun of different types of labia, I can guarantee you that you have minimized your potential hookup pool."
"A) it can make a woman (who may have otherwise been interested) insecure."
"B) Women can’t help what their labia looks like."
"C) it’s a turn off to hear people talking bad about others’ bodies- just like it’s sh*tty for women to make fun of penis size."
"Making fun of body parts isn’t cool or sexy."
- 15nyb179
Rug Burn
"Ramming a penis that's dry on the sides into the vagina because its "kinda" wet does not feel good."
"If they're moving uncomfortably while you're trying to stick it in thats probably why. Either spread the wet to cover entire vag area outside or make the sides of your dick wet."
"Edit: for clarity. Friction doesn't equal pleasure. No one wants to feel rug burn on their delicates."
- Any-Cup-91
Proof This Thread Works
"Okay so man here."
"I came across this thread yesterday and didn’t think much of it except it made sense. But not in an eye-opening way."
"A couple of ‘sessions’ ago, my wife asked me to slow down and I realized how much longer I could last just by that little bit of criticism. But there was still that instinctual rush to finish."
"Anyway, so last night, things got hot and heavy and I remembered this thread and made an effort to actually slow down and just keep doing what I was doing when she reacted well."
"Wow. Oh my god."
"I’m not going to go into details, but um…this was a big improvement."
"So from a man who has only ever been with his wife, thank you for this."
- LilBueno
Before You Get Into It
"1) Don't learn sex from porn."
"We can tell what men have learned sex from porn. Vs. Having a long term girlfriend where men get comfortable asking questions and taking feedback."
"Most things in porn are done to look good, not because they feel good."
"2) Sex is extremely intimate, be comfortable with the person you're banging before banging them."
"Talk, ask them about their relationship with sex, approach to sex, what they are into etc...before you get into them."
- Lauraleone
Plum
"I haven’t seen this one here yet: when a woman is aroused the vulva swells up like a plum because blood is flowing thru."
"It may also slightly change color depending on her skin tone."
- SituationSpecial6247
Boom
"Honestly…you don’t have to know anything."
"Just be open to communicating & hearing what your partner has to say about what pleases her."
"That’s it. Boom."
- alexan3
Hold It???
"You can't hold the blood in when your period hits."
"I seriously hate it when guys say: 'oh just hold it.' "
"I WISH I COULD DO THAT WITH MINE!! IF ONLY!!"
"The school system will say that guys shouldn't know that since its not their business. 😬 It should be!"
"Cause then if they know about it he'd be a 10x better boyfriend, father, friend, and human for that."
"It seems to be very underrated of guys knowing female bodies and how they work and what is and isn't healthy."
- Rosy_cookie143
Salty Skin
"As a kid, I always thought vaginas must be really tasty, like sweet n all because I'd seen men just feast on it in porn."
"Boy was I disappointed when I learnt it's just... skin. Same old salty skin."
- dumbsheet_
Control
"Discharge is normal and unlike body hair (which we can control, but sometimes choose not to, which is totally okay) we literally can’t control when it comes or doesn’t."
"So don’t call it gross because that’s equivalent to shaming somebody for living."
- Ssplitheartt
G Spot
"Not everyone who has a vagina necessarily has a G-spot."
"Try not to get so offended when someone can't finish from fingering/penetration alone. Some people find that hard because their bodies simply aren't built that way."
- baybaluzza
Tact
"Be tactful with your comments on appearance."
"I dated a blithering idiot who went down on me and literally said 'wow that's the biggest one I've even seen!' not in a sexy way like a woman would say about a man's dick."
"It instantly annoyed me. I still don't know if he was talking about my clit or my labia which are - at most - both slightly bigger than average."
"It was 5 years ago and I still think about that moment when I realised in a millisecond that I didn't want to be involved with that man."
"Have a filter don't just blurt out dumb shit that comes to your mind. It just makes you look and sound very inexperienced and unsexy."
- [Reddit]
What major vaginal misunderstandings have you witnessed in your life?
Sound off in the comments!
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The old wives' tales.
They are the stories of legend.
I think we all need a big DEEP Google dive though.
Where did they originate?
WHO ARE THE OLD WIVES!
You don't hear about them as much anymore.
It's like science and logic are suddenly a thing.
But they sure are a good way to keep your kids and their behavior in line.
Redditor the_spring_goddess wanted to discuss the tall tales we've all been fed through life, so they asked:
"What is an old wives tale that people still believe?"
"Wait an hour to swim after eating."
What a crock!
So many summer hours wasted.
I want revenge for that one.
Say Nothing
Giphy
"An undercover cop has to tell you he's a cop if you ask him."
LonelyMail5115
"Pretty much most advice when it comes to cops are old wives tales. I’m not even a cop but most of the advice you hear is pretty off."
I_AM_AN_A**HOLE_AMA
Say Something
"That you have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing."
Severe_Airport1426
"I really think this one is important and should be the top regardless. As it’s a piece of advice that needs to be relearned and the only way to do that is through awareness."
crappycurtains
"This used to be true. I think they changed it after some guy named Brandon went missing back in the '80s or '70s. You used to have to wait 24 hours if the missing person was an adult because they had 'a right to be missing' and then everyone realized that was stupid and stopped doing it."
AlbinoShavedGorilla
Body Temps
"That drinking ice cold water after eating oily foods will solidify the oil and permanently remain in your body. I informed my coworker that if your body temperature ever reached that point, you’d have bigger problems than weight gain."
chriseo22
"Oh, I have a cousin who 100% believed this. One of those guys who believed every early 2000s internet rumor and old wives tale. One night I chugged a big glass of ice water after dinner and he started freaking out and saying my guts were gonna harden."
"I sarcastically told him to drive me to the hospital if that happened. Obviously, nothing happened and the next morning I said something like 'Thanks for being on standby in case my guts filled with hardened oil.' He just walked off muttering under his breath."
apocalypticradish
Arms Down
"When I was pregnant, I was told by young and old alike that I should NOT raise my arms above my head or exert myself in such a manner because it could cause cord strangulation to my unborn sons and daughters."
Fatmouse84
10 Years Actually
Unimpressed Uh Huh GIF by Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Giphy
"Chewing gum stays in your stomach for 7 years."
"I remember accidentally swallowing a piece of gum when I was a kid in like 1995 and just accepting my fate like welp, gonna have this in my stomach til high school I guess."
Gecko-911
I was so afraid to sallow my gum when I was young.
This tale is haunting.
High/Low
Hungry Debra Messing GIF by Will & Grace
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"You can tell the sex of the baby by how you carry."
LeastFormal9366
"Pregnancy certainly wins awards for the most old wives tales. So much absolute BS was repeated to us by everyone we talked to."
IllIIIlIllIlIIlIllI
The Cursed
"If you’re a woman and you wear opal jewelry but opal is not your birthstone (October), you’ll never be able to have children, or will be widowed, or just generally have bad luck or something. You can counteract this by having a diamond in the same piece of jewelry as the opal, though."
"I have a nice opal ring that my parents gave me years ago, and I’ve had other women give me this 'advice' unprompted more than once when I’ve worn it. I have absolutely no idea where it started, but I’m pretty sure this little chunk of silicate rock has no concept of what month I was born in, let alone of how my reproductive organs work."
SmoreOfBabylon
Stay In
"Going outside with wet hair will make you get pneumonia. Or an earache. Or maybe arthritis. Depends on which old wife you listen to."
"Jokes on them - I haven't blow-dried my hair in decades and usually leave the house with wet hair in the morning. On winter mornings, the tips of my hair get frozen. No ear infections or pneumonia or arthritis yet."
worldbound0514
Dreams and Facts
"You never make anyone up in your dreams you've seen everyone in your dreams somewhere else before and never make anyone up entirely."
"How would you possibly prove that to be true? My partner adamantly believes this and tells me this 'fact' whenever I have a dream about someone I've never met before."
mattshonestreddit
"My late wife used to tell me that before she met me she would have dreams of standing at an alter on her wedding day but could never see the guy's face, no matter how hard she tried. After meeting me the face was filled in with mine. Don't know if it's true but one of those things I like thinking of every now and then when I miss her."
Darthdemented
Cracked
Getting Ready Episode 2 GIF by The Office
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"Some people still believe cracking knuckles causes arthritis."
Choice-Grapefruit-44
"There's a doctor (Donald Unger) that cracked his knuckles a couple of times a day for 60 years, but only on one hand, just to prove it. Both hands remained exactly the same."
MacyTmcterry
I love my knuckles.
Do you have any tall tales to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
