{"id":6674,"date":"2010-12-27T00:14:48","date_gmt":"2010-12-27T08:14:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.godammit.com\/?p=6674"},"modified":"2010-12-27T00:14:48","modified_gmt":"2010-12-27T08:14:48","slug":"vulva-diversity-uh-oh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/godammit.com\/vulva-diversity-uh-oh\/","title":{"rendered":"Vulva Diversity: Uh-Oh."},"content":{"rendered":"

God, I’m such a know-nothing. First I find out about “slut shaming<\/em>” long after all the other sluts, and now I see there’s a movement for Vulva Diversity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

An organization called New View<\/strong><\/a>, whose worthy mission is to “challenge the medicalization of sex,” also launched a campaign in 2009 to celebrate genital diversity, including an arts and crafts exhibit and conference.<\/p>\n

Here’s the deal:<\/p>\n

“Popular knowledge about women\u2019s vulvas comes disproportionately from commercial sources such as magazines, pornography, and on-line surgery sites that are likely to digitally alter or airbrush genital images or include only selected models. There are very very few books that feature a range of real genital photographs. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The result of this distortion and silence is widespread ignorance and genital shame which harms women and girls and results in vulnerability to ads and tv shows promoting cosmetic genital surgery.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Shit.<\/p>\n

Obviously, I am against cosmetic genital surgery, since I’m not insane. What a \u00a0 terrible and tragic pursuit! The whole idea that there is some norm of beauty in genitalia that would induce women to willingly mutilate themselves is beyond repugnant.<\/p>\n

However. I now realize the vast range of Vulva Diversity and I am genuinely shaken. I had no idea! Did I NEED to have an idea, though? I’m not a lesbian, so I wasn’t likely to be confronted with this much Vulva Diversity. I clicked on a “Labiaplasty” site recommended by New View and nearly fainted.<\/p>\n

What a big baby I am! I told my husband about this before-and-after gallery and he asked me to refrain from speaking about it. He may be a big baby, too.<\/p>\n

I’m going to give you a chance to look or not look. Want to look? Okay, click here<\/a>, if you’re sure you want to.<\/p>\n

I hope it’s safe to note that I personally am in the After category, but I see how you could feel concerned if you were in the Before category. You would wonder why your own Look was not represented in art or photos. \u00a0 You might feel insecure, like the first time I saw a belly button with a big knot-thingie and wondered why mine looked so empty.<\/p>\n

Jesus. \u00a0 Does any9one have any thoughts on Vulva Diversity that are less infantile and more useful than my own?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"