Believe it or not, even now, many women aren't very familiar with their lady bits. How come? Well, first, because discovering yourself, scanning your body and exploring it doesn't come as naturally as you'd think. And secondly, because a lot of women need to be guided in this process.
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Sexual intimacy is intimate, as its name suggests, but now more than ever, it's important to let go of certain persistent taboos to move forward. There's a wealth of resources -- speeches, organizations, practices -- out there to help us see ourselves more clearly and finally discover ourselves! Self Help is one of them.
What is "Self Help"?
Born in the 1970s, in the United States, "Self Help" is a feminist movement dedicated to women and their bodies.
The goal is to be able to finally get to know your body, take ownership of it and accept it. To achieve this, women are encouraged to explore their anatomy as a means of stimulating their sexual development. But how exactly do you do that?
"Self Help" practices
Exploring your lady bits might sound simple, but for some women, it's hard to know where to start. At the end of the day, there's still so much we don't know about female anatomy, and a number of studies prove it:
- One out of every three women say they have never looked at their vagina, according to RTL
- 35%* of women have never seen their clitoris
- 20%* don't know where it is
*Based on a panel of 580 volunteers, according to a joint study conducted by Terpan and So What? (2017)
These statistics make sense when you consider the fact that, a lot of times, we're scared to look, don't know how to go about it, or simply don't see the point of doing it, and so on... However, "Self Help" can really help you.
The movement has set up workshops for self-exploration of the female anatomy.
Are you down to try it out? Just follow the instructions below, which you can adapt to your needs and to what's available to you. Don't hesitate to consult a professional for more information on this practice.
- Grab a small mirror and a speculum (you know, that medical instrument your gynaecologist or midwife uses to perform a Pap smear)
- Lie or sit down, spread your legs, put the mirror in front of your vagina (far away enough for you to see it), then use the speculum and let the exploration can begin. Feel free to just look around or take things further and use your fingers.
This exercise will help you discover everything you need to know about your anatomy and your body!
More details in the video at the top of the article.
