Have you seen our latest guest update on JoyBear? Titled LOVE YOUR CUNT it is a beautiful short film by altSHIFT starring Kali Sudhra and Ivy de Luna. 

I literally could not agree more with the ethos of this film :

'Every cunt is different and we’re sick of vagina owners only seeing one portrayal in mainstream media so we’re here to say ‘Love your cunt! Love it if it’s hairy; love it if it’s shaved. Love it if your lips swing low or if they’re all shy and tucked away.’Not one cunt is the same. Don’t let anyone tell you how your cunt should look. Don’t let anyone tell you how your cunt should feel. Your cunt isn’t on trial, your cunt is the fucking judge!'

Watching this gorgeous erotica made me think, there are so many things that women are told about their vaginas, as well as how they should look. How they should smell, what period products to use, what to do about pubes, what will happen after childbirth and so many other things. So I decided to get into some research about cunts and thought I would share with you this week and next. Knowledge is power and there are far too many women out there who think they are abnormal.

1. Labia come in all shapes and sizes... I mean really , this is obvious, everybody looks different don't they? Why would we all have identical vulvas? However many women worry that they won't look 'normal', mostly because of 'normal' having been defined by porn that hasn't accurately reflected the full spectrum of women's bodies. Luckily this is changing, more and more porn is available that shows realistic bodies of different types. This is something that is very important to JoyBear as part of our commitment to producing ethical porn. 

2. Vulvas come in all different colours, and may not be the same colour as the rest of your skin. During arousal the colour can change because of all of the blood rushing to the area.

3. The vagina is not the same thing as the vulva. It's really important that we use the right words, or at least are aware. "Vagina" refers to the muscular, elastic canal that extends from your cervix to your hymen, many use the term “vagina” colloquially to encompass all parts of the female genitalia, but technically, if you're referring to any of stuff you can see—including the clitoris, urethra, the labia majora and minora (outer and inner vaginal lips, respectively), and the pubis—the correct term is "vulva."

4. Your vagina is self cleaning. I was lucky enough to have a mother who very strongly explained this to me, but I have friends who have had all sorts of issues such as bacterial vaginosis or yeast infections, some of which have been set off by using strong products or douching. This also relates to the fact that many women are worried that the smell of their vagina is not normal and buy into all sorts of perfumed products that are available.

5. Your vagina is perfectly pH balanced. Hence the fact that is you use soap you can set off a yeast infection by upsetting the body's pH balance. You should never use soap anywhere beyond your outermost labia. 

6. Every vagina smells different. A change in smell can happen throughout the month or after a workout, but should go back to normal after you have washed. It's important to know what is normal for you personally so that you will notice any changes that could be a sign of infection. If you notice any smell that is fishy it is worth talking to your doctor.

7. Discharge is normal... But not always. Again it's important to know what is your normal! The amount and type of cervical fluid will change throughout your cycle due to the hormonal transitions going on. It’s totally normally to see discharge - which may be thin or thick, clear or whiteish - in your underwear at the end of the day. This is the result of your vagina’s cleaning efforts.

8. Your clitoris is much bigger than you might think - it is not just the small bean-shaped spot that you hopefully know and love. The majority of the clitoris is submerged in the body around the vagina. The actual dimensions of the clitoris went largely unacknowledged by the public until 2009, when a group of French researchers created a life sized 3-D printed model of the pleasure centre.

9. The clitoris has twice as many nerve endings as the penis. A penis has around 4000 whereas a clitoris has around 8000. Plenty of pleasure for all...

10. As well as the nerve endings, the clitoris has a lot in common with the penis. It has the prepuce, the glans, and the frenulum, just like the penis. Not to mention all of those verve endings!

As always I would love to hear your feedback, either as a comment on here or on Twitter or Instagram. 

Stay safe. Have fun. Issy x