No more shame: This is how we talk correctly about the female body

Table of contents

• “Never seen an adequate depiction of the vulva and clitoris”
• That's why the prevailing medical opinion is dominated by men
• These terms are simply wrong
• These terms would be correct

Do you still remember the sex education lessons at school? When I was in elementary school, we students were presented with a sheet that depicted the male and female sexual organs.

There was a simple, very rudimentary drawing and we children obediently (and shamefully) wrote the appropriate terms in the margin. vagina andand labia and all these beautiful names.

But a correctly drawn oneI can't remember. Instead, there was a small dot with a box next to it, in which we dutifully wrote “clitoris.” What exactly that is supposed to do was not explained.

Even later, at high school, I was hardly able to read anything about the clitoris in biology books and nothing about pleasureof women. Except for this one general sentence: “Then you touch yourself and it suddenly feels really nice. And then you feel ashamed.” It’s a wonder we even had sex at all, with so much strange or missing information.

Also read about this:

“Never seen an adequate depiction of the vulva and clitoris”

The fact is: For a long time, the clitoris was not depicted correctly in school textbooks. It was drawn at most as a small pea.Prof. Dr. Mandy Missing, head physician for gynecology at two Vivantes clinics in Berlin, said: “I have never seen an adequate depiction of the vulva and clitoris in children's books. And the clitoris is missing even from most medical anatomy books.”

Things remained that way with school books until this grievance became public here in Germany at the beginning of 2022 after petitions in France and there was a drumbeat that the female body with its erogenous zones was finally correctly recorded and represented in school books. Eureka!

Mind you: it's about school books, i.e. the instrument with which children are supposed to learn something about their bodies and their own sexuality. The foundation for a healthy relationship with your own body.

It is thanks, among other things, to Sina Krüger, a 27-year-old teacher from Berlin, that girls today realize what a magnificent miracle the clitoris is. Not a small bud or pea, but a very impressive, large super tool.

The teacher had written a master's thesis on how the clitoris, vulval lips and hymen are represented in school textbooks and sent her results to the textbook publishers in 2020. Successfully. The textbook publishers Klett, Cornelsen and Westermann have now corrected their depiction of the clitoris.

That's why the prevailing medical opinion is dominated by men

There is currently a new book, “The big gyn book“I would like to celebrate a little because it is so incredibly valuable for girls and women and of course everyone else. Prof. Dr. Mandy Mangler wrote this wonderful book in which she provides comprehensive knowledge about the female body and female sexuality and calls on us to finally see the female body correctly - and name it.

She writes: “The clear view of this is often obscured by old role models, projections and myths - especially in medicine, where men are still assumed to be the norm. These ideas even shape our own view of our bodies and thus influence our entire lives.”

This male view of the female body is hardly surprising when you consider that in gynecology today, around 77 percent are female gynecologists and 23 percent are gynecologists. However, 81 to 87 percent of the top positions in specialist departments, chairs and clinics are held by men.

“And there has never been a woman at the head of the professional association for gynecology. This means that even in gynecology, the training, the guidelines for treatment and the prevailing medical opinion of men have been shaped for years, if not decades,” writes Prof. Dr. Mandy Mangler on this.

These terms are simply wrong

This male perspective has implications that we may not always be aware of. The term “vagina” is still often used to summarize the vulva and vagina, and people still talk about a “hymen,” which also does not correctly reflect the facts of the female body.

Just as women have had to feel “included” in the German language for ages, the German language also shows that there is still a lot of room for improvement when it comes to the female body and female sexuality.

The correct representation and naming of the clitoris in school textbooks was a good start, but we should also reconsider other incorrect things - and change our understanding and language.

These terms would be correct

Here are a few linguistic improvements that Prof. Dr. Mandy Mangler suggests, which will hopefully put an end to all the shame, pubic bones, pubic hair and labia.

“pubic hair”->better: intimate hair
The word “shame” implies that women should be ashamed of their genitals.

„Pubic bone” -> better: symphysis
We are talking about the bone at the bottom of the abdomen, which for a long time was called the pubic bone. The anatomically correct name is “symphysis”. Definitely sounds less shameful.

“Clitoris” -> better: clitoris
The word clitoris conveys a strange view of female pleasure. The clitoris is often referred to as a “button”. Even in specialist literature. The clitoris is on average eleven centimeters large. Fun fact: the Greek term clitoris (Latin clitoris, ancient Greek kleitorís) means “small hill”.

Known: We usually see penis and vagina as a couple. Simply because sexuality is often equated with penetration. Which is not right. It is also anatomically incorrect. Prof. Dr. Mandy Mangler explains: “It is not penis and vagina that form a couple, but penis and clitoris. Both organs, including the atrium and the erectile tissue, emerged embryologically from the same tissue. The clitoris is a woman’s pleasure organ, not the vagina.”

Also read:

“vagina” -> better: vagina
When you hear the old term, you think of a sword and a scabbard. The female sexual organ is thus portrayed as very passive. Which brings us to the next point:

“Penile penetration” -> better: vaginal circulation
“The vagina actively surrounds the penis. Anyone who speaks of penetration, on the other hand, gives the man's penis an active role. The woman’s vagina becomes a passive receiving vessel,” explains Mandy Mangler.

„“Hymen” -> better: vaginal wreath
This is a fold of mucous membrane with a ring-shaped structure that has long been called the “hymen” and was often used by patriarchal systems to exercise power. The presence of this fold of skin is said to indicate 'virginity'. Which is wrong because even women who have given birth to a number of children sometimes still have this fold of the mucous membrane. Their absence or existence says nothing about whether or not a woman has ever had penetrative sex. In addition, this fold of skin is not a closure, but rather a ring-shaped structure, similar to a wreath.

„Outer and inner labia” -> better: outer and inner vulval lips

“External genitalia” (large and small labia including clitoris) -> better: vulva
The term vulva is wonderful and describes the external and internal vulval lips, the vulvar mound and the clitoris. Instead of teaching children terms like “mumu” or “pussy,” we should use the great term vulva. Correct and good.

Anyone who is now upset about these linguistic subtleties and thinks: “Yes, don’t women really have anything better to do today?” Let me tell you: We can fly to the moon, have AI work for us and much more. How can it be that we still see the female body from a millennia-old perspective of predominantly male scientists and use incorrect terminology? The fact that women finally want to clean things up and consciously change the language makes sense and is important.

Book tip:
„The big gyn book“ by Prof. Dr. Mandy Mangler. It covers all areas of women's health, is easy to understand, clear and up to date with the latest science. The range of topics ranges from the first menstruation through sexuality and pregnancy to menopause and beyond. ->View now here on Amazon!*