You may know your IQ, but do you know your vaginal IQ? “Vaginal Intelligence Quotient” or VIQ is nothing but your knowledge of the female organs. The female nether parts are a mystery zone to a surprising number of women, who often have limited knowledge of the inner workings of their own genital anatomy. Many even falsely believe that the “pee hole” and “vagina hole” are one and the same!
The truth is that the terrain between a female’s thighs is more complicated than one would think…. three openings, two sets of lips, mounds, swellings, glands, erectile tissues, and very specialized muscles. While female anatomy may be mysterious to many women, many men are downright clueless and would be well served to learn some basic anatomy. Learn the lady parts…knowledge is power!
The vagina is a place of procreative darkness, a sinister place from which blood periodically seeps as if from a wound. … Even when made safe, men feared the vagina, already attributed mysterious sexual power – did it not conjure up a man’s organ, absorb it, milk it, spit it out limp?
– Tom Hickman from “God’s Doodle”
There are 8 genital structures than can be properly identified. The labia majora (outer lips), the vaginal vestibule, the labia minora (inner lips), the clitoris, the urethra (urinary channel), the vagina, the hymenal ring (a remnant of the membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening) and the anus (butthole). The names of several lady parts begin with the alphabet “V” – vulva, vagina, and vestibule. What could be a better choice since the area (the vulva) is V-shaped?
The Vulva
The vulva is the outer part of the female genitals. It consists of the mons pubis, labia majora, labia minora, vestibule, vaginal opening, urethral opening, and clitoris.
The mons is the triangular mound that covers the pubic bone, consisting of hair-bearing skin and underlying fatty tissue. It extends down on each side to form the labia majora, folds of hair-bearing skin, and underlying fatty tissue that surround the entrance to the vagina. Within the labia majora are two soft, hairless skin folds known as labia minora, which safeguard the entrance to the vagina. The upper part of each labia minora unites to form the clitoral hood (prepuce or foreskin) at the upper part of the clitoris and the frenulum (a small band of tissue that secures the clitoral head to the hood) at the underside of the clitoris.
The Vestibule
The vestibule is the “entryway,” an area located between the inner lips that contains the entrances to the vagina and the urethra. Urine exits from the urethral opening on the vestibule and not from the vaginal opening. There is a small amount of vestibule tissue that separates the urethral opening from the vaginal opening.
The Vagina
The word “vagina” intelligently derives from the Latin word for “sheath,” a cover for the blade of a knife or sword. Most women (and men) falsely think of the vagina as the external female genitals. The external lady parts are the vulva as opposed to the vagina, which is internal.
The Clitoris
The word clitoris derives from the Greek “kleitoris,” which means “little hill.” The clitoris is a uniquely erectile organ that has the express purpose of sexual functions, as opposed to the penis, which is a “multitasking” sexual, urinary, and reproductive organ.
The clitoris is the center of female sensual focus and is the most sensitive erogenous zone of the body, playing a vital role in sensation and orgasm. If an orgasm can be thought of as an “earthquake,” the clitoris can be thought of as the “epicenter.” The head of the clitoris, typically only the size of a pea, is a dense bundle of sensory nerve fibers thought to have greater nerve density than any other body part.
Parts Of The Clitoris
Like the penis, the clitoris is composed of an external, visible part and an internal, deeper, invisible part. The inner part is known as the crura (legs), which are shaped like a wishbone with each side attached to the pubic arch as it descends and diverges. The visible part is located above the opening of the urethra, near the junction point of the inner lips. Similar to the penis, the clitoris has a glans (head), a shaft (body), and is covered by a hood of tissue that is the female equivalent of the prepuce (foreskin).
[pullquote]With sexual stimulation, the clitoral bulbs become full, plumping and tightening the vaginal opening.[/pullquote]
The glans is extremely sensitive to direct stimulation. The shaft and crura contain erectile tissue, consisting of spongy sinuses that become engorged with blood at the time of sexual stimulation; this results in clitoral engorgement and erection. The clitoral bulbs are additional erectile tissues that are sac-shaped and situated between the crura. The crura and bulbs can be thought of as the roots of a tree, hidden from view and extending deeply below the surface. But they are fundamental to the support and function of the clitoral shaft and clitoral glans above, which can be thought of as the tree trunk.
When the clitoris is stimulated, the shaft expands accompanied by the swelling of the glans. Increasing stimulation results in clitoral retraction, wherein the clitoral shaft and glans withdraw from their overhanging position, pulling inward against the pubic bone.
How The Clitoris Functions When Sexually Stimulated
The clitoris is a subtle and mysterious organ, a curiosity to many women and men alike. It is similar to the penis in that it becomes engorged when stimulated. And because of its concentration of nerve fibers, it is the site where most orgasms are triggered. Clitorises, like penises, come in all different sizes and shapes. In fact, a large clitoris does not appear much different from a small penis. The average length of the clitoral shaft including the glans is 0.8 inches (range of 0.2–1.4 inches). The average width of the clitoral glans is 0.2 inches (range of 0.1–0.4 inches).
[pullquote]Each contraction of the BC and IC muscles results in a surge of blood flow to the clitoris, perpetuating clitoral engorgement and erection.[/pullquote]
The clitoris becomes engorged and erect during sexual stimulation. Two of the pelvic floor muscles – the bulbocavernosus (BC) and ischiocavernosus (IC) – engage and contract and compress the deep internal portions of the clitoris, maintaining blood pressures within the clitoral erection chambers at levels that are significantly higher than systemic blood pressures. The bulbocavernosus reflex is a contraction of the BC and IC muscles (and other pelvic floor muscles including the anal sphincter) that occurs when the clitoris is stimulated. This reflex is important for clitoral rigidity.
Most people can correctly guess only around 3–4 of the lady parts. While that’s the average, scoring fewer than that means you’re quite deficient in your knowledge about the female organs! Hopefully, this article has helped shine some light on the nether regions and enlightened you with better knowledge.
