Minge, muff, flower, cooter, cookie, punani, kitty-kitty meow-meow, pussy and the list goes on. Shakespeare even referred to it as a pie-corner. Apparently both pie and corner were slang terms for vagina and whore (though we don’t slut-shame in these parts.)
We seem to have a better grasp on raunchy and corny nicknames for the vagina and its surrounding anatomy than we do its parts, what they do, and how they play into sex, masturbation, and just general knowledge. Whether you own a vagina or are interested in how they work (or both!), this guide will give you the down low on your “down below.”
The headings below list the different anatomical parts of female genitalia. While this isn’t a science lesson and there will not be a pop quiz later, you’ll need at least a basic understanding of these parts to make sex and masturbation enjoyable.
Before we get started, let’s clear up a couple things: what most people commonly refer to as the vagina is actually a group of body parts consisting of: the labia, the clitoris, vaginal opening, and urethral opening. The vagina itself is merely the opening where babies and menstrual blood come out and the opening where tampons, penises, and sex toys go in.
Looking back, maybe the name of this guide should be “The Vulva and Surrounding Areas- A Road Map,” but I digress. Anyway, let’s get to it.
Clitoral Hood
If you’ve ever seen a clitoral piercing, this is where that goes. The clitoral hood is a piece of tissue that’s main job is to protect the clitoris itself. Imagine your clitoris with no cover, just out in the open, and rubbing against your clothes all day long- OUCH! There are some glands in there that produce a lubricant that help the hood retract when you become aroused. How much they retract and how quickly that happens is based on your body and your body alone. The clitoral hood can be manually stimulated (though you’d technically be stimulating the clitoris inside it) to speed up arousal and the retraction of the hood. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors; no two look alike. So if you’re thinking, “Does mine look like everybody else’s?” the answer is no and that’s exactly the way it’s supposed to be.
Clitoris
Does 15,000 nerve endings sound like a lot to anyone else? In comparison, the head of the penis contains a mere 4,000. It really is an anatomical marvel as its sole purpose is arousal and orgasm. It looks like a little pink button (technically called the clitoral glans) at the opening on the bottom of the clitoral hood. When you’re not aroused, it can be visible, barely visible, or not visible at all. Looks can be deceiving, though, as the entire clitoris extends up towards the pubic bone and has two “arms,” called crura, that do down towards the pelvic bone. Picture a wishbone. While the entire clitoris is a mass of nerve endings, the glans itself contains the most. The clitoris is a spongy, erectile tissue meaning that it swells (much like the penis, though not quite as much) during arousal. Arousal increases blood flow, increasing sensitivity. We do have a more in-depth guide focusing solely on clitoral stimulation (here) though I suggest reading this guide first.
Outer & Inner Lips
The outer and inner lips of the vulva are called labia. They are fleshy folds of skin that serve to help contain and keep safe the more sensitive parts between them. They also contain tons of nerve endings and will swell with arousal so they definitely can play an important part in foreplay and sex. They grow pubic hair. Much like the clitoral hood, the labia vary from person to person. Long, short, wrinkly, smooth. It’s even common for one side to be different from the other. Remember: they’re sisters, not twins. The amount of sex you have (or don’t have) has no bearing on “stretching” or “looseness” of the labia. It was all pre-determined by your DNA before you even hit puberty. Don’t buy into the hoopla.
Urethra
The urethra is where urine exits your body. As a general rule of thumb, it’s an exit-only opening. It’s tucked at the top of your vaginal opening and doesn’t really have much to do with pleasure.
Hymen
There’s a lot to be said about the hymen. It’s safe to say that you were born with one. It’s a small collar of tissue that covers a small part of the vaginal opening. It’s not a “seal” that covers the entire opening. As a vagina owner myself, I roll my eyes when anyone mentions a hymen. Virginity and purity as it pertains to your hymen, blah blah. I won’t dwell on it too long but I will say this: you could have broken your hymen long before you hit puberty (bike riding, horseback riding). You could break your hymen using tampons. You could break your hymen the first time you masturbate or have sex. In any scenario in which your hymen breaks, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll even feel it or that there will be bleeding- although it is common. Personally, the obsession with the hymen as it correlates to virginity is just weird. If virginity and wanting to wait for marriage or “the one” is important to you, please do not let your hymen determine how you see yourself and your self worth. For more on my thoughts, check out our article: Five Myths and Facts About Virginity
Vagina
The vagina is an amazing body part. It’s essentially a tube that connects to your cervix and then to your uterus. Its anatomical purpose is allowing sperm to reach your reproductive organs, give birth to babies, and allow menstrual blood to leave your body. But evolution has found a way to make sex enjoyable, even if your end goal is to avoid making your own tiny human. During arousal, it also swells to increase sensitivity and expands to make the insertion of fingers, sex toys, and penises easier. In most cases, it even self-lubricates during arousal. There are medical situations where vaginal lubrication can be an issue. If penetration is painful or even uncomfortable, there might be a problem. If you feel this applies to you, seek the opinion of your healthcare provider and consider using a personal lubricant. Even if your vagina self-lubricates as designed, adding a personal lubricant can enhance the experience.
G-Spot
Before 1957, there was no term for the mass of nerves located behind the pubic bone in your vagina though it’s always been there. Like everything here, the size varies from person to person. It can be more elusive than the clitoris, and that’s saying something. Some women find G-spot stimulation can lead to a completely different type of orgasm. But some don’t. In either case, it’s important to (safely) explore and see what you like best. Even if you can’t reach orgasm with G-spot stimulation alone, it can absolutely enhance clitoral and vaginal orgasms. More on G-spot stimulation can be found (here).
Perineum
The perineum is the small bit of skin between the bottom of your vaginal opening and the anus (your butthole). You might not be inclined to think so, but this small area is also rich with nerve endings. Stimulation of the perineum along with penetration can absolutely enhance pleasure and orgasm. There is literature out there that some women can reach orgasm solely through perineum stimulation. This is another one of those things that’s worth (safely) exploring either alone or with your partner.
Anus
I felt it was only appropriate to save this for last, the caboose of this guide, if you will. Some people think including this area of anatomy as arousing is a bit awkward. I can tell you that your anus does contain a ton of nerve endings and that there are a lot of people who enjoy including anal play in sex. Of course, due to the function of this area of your body, cleanliness and care are key. If it’s not for you, that’s completely ok and you shouldn’t feel bad about it. You like what you like and that’s that. If you’re interested in trying or just curious for more information, we have a more in-depth guide for beginners and anal play: Anal Sex Toys 101.
