For much of human history, the vagina has been to some extent a taboo subject — if not entirely unspeakable, then certainly not something to discuss openly. He also believed that it was drawn to fragrant smells, such that a physician could lure it back into place by presenting the vagina with pleasant scents. And so it has gone for the vagina — its history is rife with myth, misunderstanding, and mistreatment. And if modern-day women are often unclear about their own anatomy, you can imagine what ancient men made of it. Galen, who was considered the premiere medical researcher of the Roman Empire, rejected the wandering uterus but saw the vagina as literally an inside-out penis. In the second century A. If this should happen, the scrotum would necessarily take the place of the uteri, with the testes lying outside, next to it on either side. As historian Thomas Laqueur has written, it was common belief at the time that men and women literally shared the same sexual organs. He had a point to make: That a woman was merely an imperfect form of a man. It might sound silly today, but the assumption of a male as the standard for the human body was persistent.
Support links
Utility menu
The world's first bricks-and-mortar museum devoted to female genitalia is set to open in London in October. She told As it Happens host Carol Off that it's her hope the museum's exhibits will create discussion and help to curb inhibitions around gynecology that many people — including women — develop. I think if it was ready, it would be too late to make one. I think kind of the whole reason that we're making it is because it's needed, you know? So we still get a lot of giggles and a lot of people saying, "Oh my God, I can't believe you're doing that!
'This is a part of the body that we think should be celebrated,' says founder Florence Schechter
First- and second-degree perineal tears are most common type and are unlikely to cause long-term problems. For third- and fourth-degree tears, there is often no clear reason why this happens, and it is not possible to predict. However, it is more likely if:. This page provides information on perineal massage while pregnant, and perineal protection at the time of birth. From 35 weeks onwards, you or your partner can use daily perineal massage until your baby is born which may reduce your risk of tearing. This is particularly beneficial for first-time mothers.
More surprising to visitors might be the statistics and facts displayed in the museum. For curator Creed, who has 10 years of experience in museums in the U. It has a rich events program planned, ranging from plays about enjoying sex while living with the medical condition of vaginismus, to a dinner in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance, an internationally-observed day each year in memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. Creed says there has already been interest from several schools about visits. Given that the number of people attending cervical cancer screenings has hit a year-low in the U. Yet in the s and s before the widespread availability of contraception, particularly in the U. That awareness of and commitment to promoting social justice issues is a conversation several historic museums are grappling with, evident during a controversial international debate around the definition of museums in September. The Vagina Museum, along with several other museums in the U. Contact us at letters time.
