Folks, did you know that there are technically 2 holes in the vagina? Crazy, right?! I was unaware, myself.
This is why we should look more closely at one of the most talked about part of the body: the vagina.
[Imagine I've got a laser pointer and I'm wearing a lab coat. It's cooler that way].
I'll be going through each part of this and giving a brief explanation of what it does.
Clitoris: The love nubbin! I just made that up...
This little mound of flesh is generally a highly sensitive area for most women. It's the only part of the vagina that is only for sexual stimulation. When aroused, the clitoris fills with blood and swells. After orgasm, the clitoris is surrounded by the tissues of the clitoral hood and eventually reduces in size. Most prefer having this area licked rather than rubbed or touched. No, vibrators won't desensitize your clitoris but they will make it more difficult for you to reach climax naturally.
Urethral opening: This is what tripped me up about the vagina. See, I didn't get a lot of sex ed in school, so I didn't know that this was a separate thing. Connected directly to the bladder, the urethral opening is where urine comes out of when you pee. Simple as that. As far as I know, there isn't a lot of sexual interest with this area unless you're into golden showers.
Outer and inner lips (the labia): These are the folds of skin protect the clitoris, urethra, and vaginal opening as well as provide some sexual arousal during sex. The part of skin right above the clitoris is called the clitoral hood, and the webbed skin under the vaginal entrance is called the fourchette.
Vaginal opening, uterus, and fallopian tubes: As most already know, the vaginal opening is the area where one may put themselves/objects in during sex. It's also where babies come out of during childbirth, so it's able to stretch to amazing sizes. The uterus is the muscular organ where the embryo and fetus are taken care of and where they grow, it's also where IUDs are placed to block off spermies from gettin to the fallopian tubes. Lots of folks think that babies are really from someone's tummy, but it's actually much farther down, and the belly button has nothing to do with it.
The fallopian tubes connect the uterus to the ovaries, the egg cells responsible for making babies. These tubes and the egg are the primary destination for spermies to get to, and where the eggs move down during menstruation/periods.
Hymen: Even though it isn't shown in either of these images, the hymen is another part that is temporary. It's also what a majority of people consider to be the difference between a virgin and someone who has had sex, and has many places as far as cultural significance. Prior to having penetrative sex, the hymen is usually a half moon-shaped thin membrane that allows menstruation flow. During sex, the hymen breaks due to the penetration. Sometimes with enough lubrication and relaxation, people can have sex without the hymen breaking. But it's not only sex that breaks a hymen. One can break their hymen from using a tampon, riding a bike, and experimenting with sex toys.
There are also multiple kinds of hymens such as imperforate hymens, one that covers the entire vaginal opening with the exception of one small hole that allows some menstrual blood to flow through. For more, follow the Young Women's Health link below!
Vulva: The vulva is usually what people mean when they think of vaginas, in my opinion. It's the external genitalia where the pubic hair is and where one can see the labia majora/outer lips. When turned on, this area swells and may become wet, depending on the person.
And please check out this wonderful video from Mental Floss on misconceptions about sex. It's fun and educational, like this blog! Right?...right?
Here's me in a lab coat! Thanks for reading, peoples!
*edited 8/30/14* Here's a SciShow video that talks about the clitoris!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B5jz1PMoNo
