Female Genitalia - The Basics

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Author: Cory Silverberg

Take a Tour:

The best way to learn about your body is to have a look, on your own, at a time and place where you have plenty of privacy. Hold a mirror between your legs, spread your labia apart with your other hand, and have a look. For people who aren't comfortable doing this, or find it difficult, many doctors who do pelvic exams will have a mirror, and you can ask questions during a pelvic exam.

Mons Veneris, Labia (minora & majora)

Pubic hair often covers a triangular area. The top part is called the mons veneris, the lower parts are thick folds of skin called the labia majora (this just means "big lips" in Latin). The inside of the labia majora are usually pink and can be smooth or a bit ridged.

In between the labia majora are another set of skin folds called the labia minora ("little lips"). These are much thinner and more flexible than the labia majora and they have more blood vessels and nerve endings, making them very sensitive.

Clitoris & Internal Clitoral Body

The labia come together at the top into a little hood that covers the clitoris. The part of the clitoris that can be identified (and until recently was thought to be the whole thing) sits under the top of the labia minora. This is the tip of the clitoris. It is often less than an inch long, but can be longer. It is made mainly of erectile tissue, spongy bodies that can fill up with blood, making it firmer and larger.

What you won't be able to directly feel or see is that the clitoris extends into the body and down in two roots to either side of the vagina. This is referred to as the internal clitoral body and all of this can swell when sexually stimulated.

Urethral Opening & Urethral Sponge/G-Spot

You can see this opening if you pull back the folds of the labia. This is the opening that peed comes out of. Some women find stimulation of this area to be very pleasurable, some don't notice, and others find stimulation irritating. Erectile tissue also surrounds this opening.

A number of glands surround the urethra between the bladder and the urethral opening. Fluid is produced in these glands and may be released into the urethra during orgasm. Some women make enough fluid that they notice it, even to the extent that it is similar to ejaculation. Many find that they have a sensitive spot on the vaginal wall (at the top if you are on your back) inside the vaginal opening that can be felt and stimulated and which then swells and gives a different sensation during orgasm. This area is often called the G-spot after Ernst Graffenberg who described it in 1950. "Finding" your G-spot isn't always easy or even possible, and the sexual impact of the G-spot is still something professionals debate. Keep in mind, the G-spot is not some magical ticket to mind-blowing orgasms. It's just another part of your body that may or may not feel good when stimulated.

Vaginal Opening & Vagina

To the sides of the vaginal opening are the greater vestibular glands(Bartholin's glands), that make a small amount of lubricating fluid. You will not be able to see these glands and usually they can't be felt.

The vagina is a tube that is lined with membranes similar to those in the mouth; unlike the mouth, it tends to be ridged or bumpy. Most of the nerve endings in the vagina are in the outer third. The vagina is self-lubricating, and usually a little wet. While the walls of the vagina usually rest against each other, when aroused the vagina can swell, and lubrication will increase. At the top of the vagina is the cervix, which is also the bottom part of the uterus. The cervix has many nerve cells, and it will also swell during sexual excitement. Some women find stimulation of the cervix (from a penis or a toy) pleasurable. Other women find it irritating.

PC Muscle

The PC muscle, which stands for pubococcygeus muscles, is actually a sling of muscles that support the pelvic floor and surround the internal genitalia. These muscles are involved in urination (when you stop yourself from peeing in mid-stream, you're using your PC muscles). The PC muscles are also involved in orgasm, and many women find that doing regular exercises to strengthen the muscles changes the way their sexual response feels. Exercises that strengthen the PC muscles are usually referred to as Kegel exercises.

Perineum

This area is between the vaginal opening and the anus. During sexual arousal and excitement the area may become more sensitive, and some women may find massaging the area to be pleasurable.

Anus

The great sex educator and activist Carol Queen says that the thing she loves about assholes is that everyone has one (she calls them the great equalizer!) The anal opening or anus leads to the rectum. The very strong muscle of the anal sphincter surrounds the rectum. The anus has many nerve endings and external stimulation, even very light stimulation, can be immensely pleasurable. Unlike the vagina, which is essentially closed on one end, the anus and rectum are open ended. You must be very careful never to insert anything in the anus that doesn't have a flared base to prevent it from slipping up into the rectum and beyond.