Growing up, I was a very precocious child. I relished reading puberty books in secret, learning how my body was changing, and what to expect. Then one day I worked up the courage to use a mirror and see what I looked like down there, for I realized I had no idea. As silly as it may sound, this incidence made me believe I was secretly deformed. One labia was longer than the other, and purple, too. Which convinced me that my flesh was rotting and that I could be seriously ill. I became insecure and unhappy with how my love parts looked. I thought boys would be ashamed, too if they knew what it looked like. That it wasn't symmetrical and skinny or tight.

My relationship with myself became even more complicated as I grew up and into my sexuality. I felt inadequate, impotent. That I didn't really know myself or how to be pleased or what I enjoyed. In my family it is forbidden to even use tampons. I felt immature in comparison to my classmates and friends who knew what sex was like and even just how to insert tampons.

Since then, I've developed a better relationship with myself. Now I realize no one should pressure me to look a certain way, because who I am is enough. I'm still learning about body diversity and trying to heal from an abusive relationship, but thanks to communities like The Vulva Gallery, I've come to better appreciate the human body in all its wonderful colors, shapes, and sizes. Thank you all for giving me an outlet to share my story.

M – 18 years old