Vulva 101: Photography and Body Image

Few parts of the body attract as many euphemisms as the vulva, the external female genitalia. A coffee-table photography book built around 101 volunteers tried to counter that reticence by showing a broad range of real examples alongside the participants' own comments. It offers a handy lens on three wider questions: how people form ideas of what is normal, why anatomical vocabulary can feel awkward, and what images contribute to learning.

The details come from the book's introduction and an interview with its photographer, and they describe one creator's approach.

The motivation behind the project

The introduction explains that the photographer noticed many women thought their own vulvas were unattractive or abnormal and had no place to see others for comparison. The only visuals on hand, he wrote, were stereotyped pictures in men's magazines and low-quality pornography, which show a narrow slice of reality. He had also noticed that friends who spoke freely about the penis dropped their voices for the words vulva and clitoris, and when asked why, they paused and admitted they were not sure. The book was meant as a non-judgmental reference for women and men alike.

Who took part

Participants were adult volunteers, each of whom contributed written comments on how she felt about this part of her body. According to the photographer, outreach stressed that age and body type were irrelevant, and nobody who showed up was turned away, since choosing some people over others would have meant imposing a standard. He compared the group with a random cross-section of passers-by in a busy public place, while acknowledging that certain backgrounds were under-represented, partly for cultural reasons. Grooming varied too. Most participants removed pubic hair, citing comfort and hygiene, and none were asked to follow a particular style.

Art, education and eroticism

Asked how educational and erotic aims fit together, the photographer said he regarded the work as art, and that art generally provokes an intellectual, emotional or sexual reaction. A bonus, in his view, was teaching something about a subject usually kept out of sight. He hoped readers would include medical and sexology students as well as the general public. He also reported that many models were candid about personal topics, which he linked to the ease that settles in once clothing is off and nobody passes judgment.

What anatomy references say about variation

Medical and educational sources describe the vulva as including the outer and inner labia, the clitoral hood and the openings of the urethra and vagina. They also note that size, shape and colour vary widely among individuals, and that the vulva is commonly confused with the vagina, which is the internal canal. Researchers studying body image have connected limited exposure to varied examples with dissatisfaction, although how strong that link is remains under investigation. Opinions on the book's method and artistic value differ, as they do for most projects that blend documentary and erotic photography.