Image: Hey Paul Studios If you were to ask me to point out my spleen, or gesture to where I reckoned my kidneys were I might be able to give you the notion that I had an E in Biology AS level. I can also, after a night celebrating the 20th anniversary of Withnail & I, gesture to where my liver is. None of this is particularly impressive, though if it looks like I'm showing off it's because I am. These aren't body parts you can see, or necessarily feel so it's understandable that people who aren't medical professionals might be a little iffy on where certain internal vital bits are. Not to worry, just don't perform surgery any time soon, yeah? However when it comes to the vagina, the idea that women fail to identify it is not being modest, it's alarming...
It's Gynaecological cancer awareness month (and my birthday month, woo) and we are welcoming it with the fun fact that out of 1000 women surveyed aged between 26 and 35 only half could correctly label the vagina. The women aged between 66 and 75, however, did better with the majority able to label the ovaries and womb.
Why is this? On the tube yesterday I peaked at the copy of Metro the person next to me was reading and saw the word 'foof'. Perhaps it was this news story in print, but foof (which if I didn't know better would think was a euphemism for fart), va-jay-jay and lady parts seem to be the only terminology we can handle currently. And when we use them we could be referring pubic hair, the vulva or a yeast infection. The study found that of the younger women in the survey 65% had a problem with the words 'vagina' and 'vulva'. 40% of 16 to 25 year olds said they used names such as ‘lady parts’ or ‘women’s bits’ instead. So it's perhaps little wonder that a large group of women are hard pushed to annotate a diagram of their wah-wah.
Why is this? On the tube yesterday I peaked at the copy of Metro the person next to me was reading and saw the word 'foof'. Perhaps it was this news story in print, but foof (which if I didn't know better would think was a euphemism for fart), va-jay-jay and lady parts seem to be the only terminology we can handle currently. And when we use them we could be referring pubic hair, the vulva or a yeast infection. The study found that of the younger women in the survey 65% had a problem with the words 'vagina' and 'vulva'. 40% of 16 to 25 year olds said they used names such as ‘lady parts’ or ‘women’s bits’ instead. So it's perhaps little wonder that a large group of women are hard pushed to annotate a diagram of their wah-wah.
| Does it matter? Well yes, this isn't some people getting a little too 'our bodies, ourselves' on yo' ass (bet you can label that). The clue is in the title, Gynaecological cancer awareness month is highlighting the importance of familiarity with your lady-lou. | If you can't say vagina you probably can't sit in your GP's office and say 'foof' either. |
If these women who don't like the word vagina notice a change or pain...down there there's a problem. If you can't say vagina you probably can't sit in your GP's office and say 'foof' either.
Helena Morrissey, chairman of The Eve Appeal said: "At The Eve Appeal we know how important it is to promote straight talking about the signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancers to women of all ages, and this survey has highlighted just how far we still have to go to make this happen.
"These cancers have some of the worst outcomes for women, with a 40 per cent mortality rate. Understanding the symptoms will save lives, which is why we are urging women this Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month to talk more openly about these life-saving issues."
You can take a little vaginal labelling quiz here...
Squeamish Kate
Helena Morrissey, chairman of The Eve Appeal said: "At The Eve Appeal we know how important it is to promote straight talking about the signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancers to women of all ages, and this survey has highlighted just how far we still have to go to make this happen.
"These cancers have some of the worst outcomes for women, with a 40 per cent mortality rate. Understanding the symptoms will save lives, which is why we are urging women this Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month to talk more openly about these life-saving issues."
You can take a little vaginal labelling quiz here...
Squeamish Kate
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