Then around the 9th week after conception, this embryonic tissue begins to develop into either the head of a penis or a clitoris and labia majora. However, an unpleasant smell can indicate an infection such as bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis.

I started to re-evaluate what womanhood could look like for me, outside of my biological capabilities. Uterus: The uterus is located in the lower belly area between the hips (pelvis), through the vagina just past the cervix. Now I just trim or I’ll shave the top part maybe and not the bottom part, so right now it’s at least half-and-half, it’s a little lighter on the top, which is whatever.You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Across the course of a year, Laura took photos of the 100 vulvas for her book Womanhood: The Bare Reality, and spoke to each person about what their vulva means to them.

According to a 2014 study, the reason some people with vaginas have trouble orgasming during penetrative sex could be because of a relatively small clitoris that’s located a bit too far from the vaginal opening.

In some cases, someone may experience labial hypertrophy, wherein the labia minora are disproportionately larger, and this may cause issues with quality of life. Our ability to understand size as it relates to sexual function is poorly understood,” says Christopher Tarnay, MD, director of the division of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at the UCLA Medical Center. I’m a hairy person, but I’ve gone most of my life shaving most of my body hair just because there was this idea that I need to that I dealt with for a long time. This suggests that it is just as common to have visible labia, or an outie vagina, as it is to have hidden labia, or an innie vagina.

I’ve always made a conscious attempt to photograph body parts in a way which is simple, comparative and non-sexualised. Shortly after, I came across a PDF health leaflet that disrespectfully referred to the vagina as ‘a front hole’.It was through my involvement with the women’s movement in the 1970s that l found my voice and the strength to confront patriarchy. To be honest, I even found myself hiding my notes for this piece when colleagues casually approached my desk to ask if I’d like a cup of tea.