Insecure About Your Vagina? Sharing a Photo on the Internet Won't Fix That.

[snopes]

Feeling anxious about your labia? Just stick a cellphone camera between your legs, post the photo to the Internet, and invite strangers to discuss what you’re working with. That’s the theory behind the Large Labia Project, a submission-based Tumblr that encourages women to air their insecurities (and their vaginal selfies) in the spirit of “labia pride.”

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor...mote_real.html

[geminilee]

Is it just me, or does the bit about "women who have looked closely at their genitals were more likely to jave removed all the hair" seem a little backward? There is probably a correlation, but I think it is that women who remove the hair are more likely to look closely. You kind of have to, to avoid injury while removing the hair. If you aren't examining for hairs you have missed (or watching the razor or wax, or whatever) do you really need to look closely at it on a regular basis? I know if I am going natural that area doesn't get much more than a glance. Are we supposed to look just to admire it in all its hairless (or hairy) glory? I think I missed a memo...

[Troberg]

Well, I can actually see the benefit of anonymously compare yourself to others and see that you are not wierd, deformed or strange.

On the other hand, it will probably take about 10 seconds before those photos are all over the net, so people better make sure they are anonymized...

[GenYus234]

Or make flowers from your "flower".

Caveat: I don't know if the site is real or not, I just thought I'd share it.

[mags]

Insecure about fill in the blank? Sharing a photo on the internet won't help that.

Women can get hung up about our labia/vulvas, because they vary widely and it is a part we can't see very well, nor do we usually see others' to offer non-porn comparisons. All of which can easily lead to insecurity. I know I have a few issues about uniquenesses in mine, and opening discussion to a bunch of anonymous trolls could obviously never help that. It's like suggesting Hot or Not could help someone concerned her nose is shaped funny. Even if it isn't, she will get enough rude comments to want to crawl into a hole. And faces are something we share with others and get some sort of feedback about on a daily basis.

[erwins]

It sounds like the comments are moderated, so it won't be opening oneself up to discussion by anonymous trolls. It sounds like the insecurity comes from self-comparisons, and the presence or lack thereof of positive comments.

[Cervus]

I think they're going about it the wrong way by emphasizing insecurities. It would be far better to use the site to promote healthy ideas of the variety of labia that exist in the world, with no judgement or comments. I know there are already sites out there with pictures of the range of female breasts, that have an educational emphasis rather than sex or insecurity.

[nonnieyrissa]

I agree. I didn't go through puberty until pretty late in my teens, it may have had to do with the fact that I spent hours daily in gymnastics and dance, or it could have been just the way I am, either way it made me feel like a freak. I still sometimes feel like I didn't quite make it there in some areas, so the idea of a project that emphasized that all types of labia are normal seems like a better idea to me. Not that I would participate with strangers. I have done so with a group of friends once(breasts, not vagina) and it was empowering in odd way.

[fitz1980]

Originally Posted by erwins

It sounds like the comments are moderated, so it won't be opening oneself up to discussion by anonymous trolls. It sounds like the insecurity comes from self-comparisons, and the presence or lack thereof of positive comments.

Part of the problem that many have is the lack of a baseline for comparison. Being a nudist I can't tell you how many many people I've known who thought that their bodies were awful and wrong until they saw a bunch of other naked people (who hadn't posed for Playboy) and realized that they were just as normal as anybody else. Women often think that their boobs are too saggy, areolas are too big, labia are too big, stretch marks, ect because they are only comparing themselves to Victoria's secret models and Playboy bunnies; many of whom have had plastic surgery. Guys do the same thing.

[TMI]
I'm on larger side as far as penises go and until I started going to nudist resorts I thought that I was average-small because I didn't have one like those dudes in porn videos that I had watched as a teen."
[/TMI]

[Arriah]

Originally Posted by fitz1980

Women often think that their boobs are too saggy,

DD2 (5yo) came in my room while I was dressing the other day and told me that my boobs were wrong because they "aren't supposed to point down like that." I told her that they pointed out till I spent a year feeding her with them. I still have no idea where she got the original idea from.

[Ryda Wong, EBfCo.]

Originally Posted by fitz1980

[TMI]
I'm on larger side as far as penises go and until I started going to nudist resorts I thought that I was average-small because I didn't have one like those dudes in porn videos that I had watched as a teen."
[/TMI]

Hey, there, Fritz *eyebrow waggle*

Honestly, so many of the men in porn have dicks that are WAY too big to be any good for most women. Seriously. I look at them and think, there is no way that would be coming anywhere any of my holes, period.

I've met many guys, however, who thought as you did as well as a few who were hung like porn stars and had no idea that wasn't a good thing and that pounding with that thing was just NOT the way to go.

[fitz1980]

Originally Posted by Arriah

DD2 (5yo) came in my room while I was dressing the other day and told me that my boobs were wrong because they "aren't supposed to point down like that." I told her that they pointed out till I spent a year feeding her with them. I still have no idea where she got the original idea from.

Probably because most of her exposure (no pun intended) to boobs is celebs on magazine covers & women wearing bras/swimsuits that hold them in ways which aren't natural for most women.

Originally Posted by Ryda Wong, EBfCo.

Hey, there, Fritz *eyebrow waggle*

That's Fitz, not Fritz. I'm an Irish-American, not a cartoon cat.

[Richard W]

Jawohl mein Herr!

[llewtrah]

Originally Posted by fitz1980

That's Fitz, not Fritz. I'm an Irish-American, not a cartoon cat.

Insert obligatory pussy joke here

[llewtrah]

Luckily I never had any insecurities about the configuration of my lady-bits. However, it was so nice when a former partner referred to my lady-bits as being very pretty. Maybe more partners should say nice things like that.

[Mimi]

I thought I wanted my nipples to be a bit higher until I saw that website about breasts and realized that most normal women don't have nipples that point upwards. Fake breasts on some celebrities give them nipples so high that they are almost guaranteed a 'wardrobe malfunction' while wearing a low cut top.

It's bad enough the media puts out these images of seemingly-flawless actresses, models, etc, but then they even airbrush their images all to hell so women are left being held up to a standard of beauty that doesn't even exist.

[Sylvanz]

All I could think when reading the title of this thread was: "Well duh!" I can't even imagine wanting to post such a picture on the internet. I am as insecure (maybe more so than many) about my appearance as anyone. However, that particular aspect of my appearance has never ever caused me any hand wringing or a moment's distress. I just don't understand why anyone would worry about such a thing. I'm not saying no one should, but I really don't get it. And then to top it off taking a picture of said part and posting it on the internet...seriously?