Let’s be honest. When’s the last time you took a real good look at your downstairs? Especially if you have a vulva?“Oh, I look at my vagina every day in the shower,” you say. Well, first of all, that’s not your vagina. We’re going on an adventure through time and space, into the world of your mighty bush. Strap in cause it's time to get to know your ladybits. 

Get To Know Your Vulva

The Vulva

The triangle of hair (well, maybe) and flesh that you look at in the shower is called the vulva. It’s the outer, fleshy portion tasked with keeping bad stuff, like germs and bacteria, out of your vagina, much in the same way that your nose and ear hair keeps stuff out of those sensitive membranes. While they aren’t as sensitive as the clitoris, rubbing them can still get your engine ready and going.

Labia Majora

It’s the same for your outer labia, or the labia majora, which are the outside lips of your vagina. If you’ve watched a lot of porn, you might think, “Hey, my labia are really weird looking and no one wants to touch them because they’re too [big, dark, long, etc].” Porn has made certain types of labias seem like they’re the norm, but everyone’s labia is different. Many adult film actresses have gone under the knife to get that perfect pussy, which, hey, it’s a job and they do have some pretty stellar vulvas. But don’t feel like you have to go to the same extremes.

Again, the outside of your vagina doesn't have as many nerves as the inside-- which is good because part of the job of the labia majora is to protect your sensitive parts.

Labia Minora

If you part your outer labia, you’ll find your inner labia, also called the labia minora. You can tell it’s your inner labia because it feels a lot like your outer one, but it’s hairless and very sensitive. Again, everyone’s is a little bit different. Some girls have larger ones, some have smaller ones. Some ladies have inner labias that peek out from their outer labia. Some have almost no inner labia at all. Stroking the inner labia is another great way to get yourself wet and ready because it, along with some microscopic glands (called Bartholin’s glands), are responsible for getting you nice and lubed up for sex. Those are also the glands which the fluid from squirting comes from.

Clitoris

“Hey,” my boyfriend said to me once, “did you know you have a freaky octopus creature inside of your vagina?” Well, it’s true and it turns out, we women don’t have some weird, cephalopodic parasite. It’s just the clitoris, and it’s a lot bigger than that little hood of skin you might be used to. Parts actually extend into your thighs and around the vagina, wrapping it up like a burrito of sexy goodness.

Up until 2009, we knew virtually nothing about the clitoris. Can you believe it? It's not hard to see why the notion of people with vulva being able to enjoy sex is a new one. I even have a male friend who doesn’t believe in the clitoris! He’s nuts, and probably thinking of the G-spot, which scientists still deny to this day.

But basically, the one thing you should know about the clitoris is that it contains nearly 8,000 nerve endings and serves no reproductive function. What does that mean? Its entire purpose is to make sex enjoyable for folks born with one.

Not all women can have clitoral orgasms, but if you’re having trouble coming from vaginal intercourse, the clitoris may be your best attempt. You can stimulate it with your hands or a vibrator. Oral sex can also lead to some spectacular clitoral orgasms, and so can girl-on-top positions.

Vagina

The vagina itself is the canal that the penis goes into. It doesn’t have near as many nerve endings as the clitoris, which is why some women find it difficult to have orgasms from vaginal sex. The vaginal canal leads to the cervix and then the uterus, and it’s a bit smaller than you might think-- it's only between four and six inches deep.

It’s an outdated school of thought that says that vaginal orgasms are the only worthwhile orgasms, so if you can’t have one, don’t feel bad. Do clitoral orgasms feel great? For many, the answer is, uh hell yes. Well, the clitoris actually wraps around the vagina, internally, so try putting them together. Next time you’re having vaginal sex, have your partner stimulate your clitoris at the same time. It may help you have a vaginal orgasm, and if it doesn’t, it’ll make your clitoral orgasm that much more amazing.

The G-Spot

Inside of the vagina is the G-Spot. Talk about something people don’t believe in: many sex researchers don’t even think it's real! If you reach into your vagina when you’re already aroused (that’s important), you’ll find a nubby patch about the size of a nickel on the front wall of the vagina.

The G-Spot needs a little more pressure to make your head spin. It’s the reason why doggy-style sex feels so intense and deep-- the penis hits it when you’re being penetrated from behind.

Your partner (or you) can also make you go wild by using a come-hither motion with their fingers to hit your G-Spot. Pairing that with a little oral or manual stimulation to your clitoris could make a believer out of anyone.