“I feel like men were revealing themselves to a woman, in a sympathetic space,” Dodsworth says. For many women, being photographed was the first time they had looked at this part of their body in close detail. This gap in knowledge may also be responsible for the growing numbers of people who undergo labiaplasty: according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, there was a 40% increase in procedures in the US between 20.ĭodsworth’s vulva shoots were a very different experience from Manhood. Meanwhile there is a pervasive squeamishness about vulvas, which may be one factor behind the fact that, in England, cervical smear test rates are at their lowest for two decades. It’s also a part of the body we know relatively little about – historically, there has been a lack of scientific understanding about the clitoris, about orgasms, sexual pleasure. If you’re a straight woman, you don’t see many.” And, as she writes in her book, they’re not easy to look at: “Let’s be honest, it’s tricky to witness our vulvas for ourselves, legs awkwardly astride pocket mirrors, bums shuffled up close to full-length mirrors, or taking a selfie with the unflattering lens of a smartphone.” Vulvas are rarely seen outside porn and childbirth, which Dodsworth puts down partly to their position on the body. But the more she thought about photographing women’s vulvas, the more necessary she felt it was. The photographer has described the series as an “unexpected triptych” she didn’t know the project would take this direction at the start (and, when it was first suggested to her, she didn’t want it to). It’s the third instalment in a series: in Bare Reality and Manhood, Dodsworth photographed and talked to people about their breasts and their penises, respectively (both stories featured in Weekend magazine). In a book and accompanying film for Channel 4, she tells the stories of 100 women and gender non-conforming people through portraits of their vulvas. It’s this shame that photographer Laura Dodsworth is aiming to overcome with her latest project, Womanhood. I felt a deep sense of shame about my body, which over time became crippling. At 25, I’d spent years considering labiaplasty and having sex with the lights off, because of things ignorant boys had said, as well as some of my friends. The team regularly post educational videos on TikTok that spread awareness of these conditions and also teach viewers about sex and personal hygiene.Towards the end of last year, I published an essay about my vulva – in a book, and then in the Guardian. "I thought we all had and felt the same one," a fourth wrote.Ī fifth quipped: "How do I find out what make and model I have?"Īlice Williams is the founder of the brand Ovira which specialises in pain management for women suffering from endometriosis and other reproductive illnesses. One user said: "I literally think I just developed more self-consciousness and kinda would like to cry."Īlice took to TikTok displaying an array of vagina models (Image: more lifestyle stories, you can sign up to the free Hot Topics newsletter hereĪnother added: "Why does this make me feel more self-conscious?" However, women who viewed the clip felt like it was a whole new insecurity to have as they claim to now be worried about their own shape. "Every single vagina is unique and no two vaginas will ever look or feel the same as its length, width and wetness will differ from person to person and will feel incredibly different for all penetrating sexual partners as penises, just like vaginas are all unique." In a follow-up clip, which had more than 52,000 likes, a member of Alice's team at Ovira added: "Reminder that vaginas are kind of like fingerprints. "Not only are they different shapes inside but they will also feel different in regards to wetness, temperature and tightness." Woman fumes after boss complains about her 'bum showing' in 'inappropriate' outfit.Size 18 woman bares curves in lingerie to show you can be 'chubbier and confident'.Alice Williams has explained how every vagina is unique and it's made some women insecure (Image: Read More Related Articles
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