My relationship with my vulva has been difficult. I was uncomfortable with the changes that puberty brought. I come from a conservative Western country where bodies are generally viewed as shameful and where bodies should be covered – and conversations around the fact that all sorts of vulvas are ‘normal’ don’t happen often. If my relationship with my vulva wasn’t difficult enough, my first boyfriend made horrible comments about my body throughout our relationship, including my vulva (even to our friends). He made me so self-conscious that I hated cunnilingus and I believed that nobody else would find my vulva attractive.
The expectations of men have driven me to hate my body (and I’m an average white woman who meets Western beauty standards!). The same light-skinned, hairless, symmetrical vulvas are everywhere, and I had always wanted one of those ‘perfect pussies’. But your project is making a difference and I love it. I think it’s so important to not let anyone grow up hating their vulva or any other part of their body. It has taken years and yet I’m still learning how to love my body and forget what other people might think of it.
Now that I’ve come this far I can say: no, my pussy does not look like anything my ex-boyfriend called it. It looks like a cute puppy. Or a friendly bear. And I love it!
L – 28 years old