Take the female genital knowledge quiz and find out!
When you look at biology textbook pictures of the female sexual anatomy, you can actually see very little. But we will sort that out in a bit. Do you know the name for this overall area, the external female genitalia?
Correct! All female external genitalia are included in the vulva: clitoris, vaginal opening and the labia minor and major
Incorrect! All female external genitalia are included in the vulva: clitoris, vaginal opening and the labia minor and major
Next, we arrive at the part of the female sexual anatomy that many people call the lips. The two sets of ‘lips’ protect the vaginal opening. Which one should be bigger?
Correct! Half of women surveyed have inner vaginal lips or labia minor that are bigger that the outer ones (the labia major) – and half have bigger labia major than labia minor. No two women’s labia look quite the same, in shape, size or colour. Even in an individual woman, your labia is not exactly perfectly matched in size or shape (same way every woman’s two breasts are slightly mismatched). Don’t believe us? Use a hand-mirror.
Incorrect! Half of women surveyed have inner vaginal lips or labia minor that are bigger that the outer ones (the labia major) – and half have bigger labia major than labia minor. No two women’s labia look quite the same, in shape, size or colour. Even in an individual woman, your labia is not exactly perfectly matched in size or shape (same way every woman’s two breasts are slightly mismatched). Don’t believe us? Use a hand-mirror.
When sexually aroused, which of the two sets of labia change in size?
Correct! The Correct Answer is 3When sexually aroused, the genital tissues swell because of blood rushing to the pelvis. At this point you will notice both sets of labia, as well as the clitoris swelling up and becoming bigger.
Incorrect! The Correct Answer is 3When sexually aroused, the genital tissues swell because of blood rushing to the pelvis. At this point you will notice both sets of labia, as well as the clitoris swelling up and becoming bigger.
What’s the most sensitive organ of the female sexual anatomy?
Correct! The clitoris has the highest concentration of nerve endings – about 8,000, which is double the number in the penis!
Incorrect! The clitoris has the highest concentration of nerve endings – about 8,000, which is double the number in the penis!
Let’s talk more about the clitoris then, especially because there are so many myths about it. How big is the clitoris?
Correct! But there is a catch. The tiny pea-shaped part is only the bit we see. The whole clitoris with all its muscular tissue (on the inside of the body) is the size of a medium karela, and the shape of a boomerang
Incorrect! But there is a catch. The tiny pea-shaped part is only the bit we see. The whole clitoris with all its muscular tissue (on the inside of the body) is the size of a medium karela, and the shape of a boomerang
What is the job of the clitoris?
Correct! The clitoris is the only human organ whose function is to give its owner sexual pleasure.
Incorrect! The clitoris is the only human organ whose function is to give its owner sexual pleasure.
What is the fold of skin that surrounds and protects the glans or tip of the clitoris?
Correct! The hood is made of the same tissue that makes up the foreskin of penises.For those who want to know more about crura.
Incorrect! The hood is made of the same tissue that makes up the foreskin of penises.For those who want to know more about crura.
How should you go about pleasuring the clitoris?
Correct! Many women like to be touched just on the hood, and often having lubrication helps. When pleasuring the clitoris, it’s best to start slow and adjust movement, rhythm and location on the basis of each individual woman’s response since different women respond differently.
Incorrect! Many women like to be touched just on the hood, and often having lubrication helps. When pleasuring the clitoris, it’s best to start slow and adjust movement, rhythm and location on the basis of each individual woman’s response since different women respond differently.
If you are trying cunnilingus (performing oral sex on a woman), what are the things to avoid?
Correct! Flattening your tongue and using broad strokes is often more effective than using a ‘sword’ tongue. But here is an excerpt from a story which shows that softly pointy tongues can be good too:“At this moment it occurred to me that it’s not a big penis a man needs, but a generous-sized mouth, spread as his was across me, like a starfish, both soft and roundly pointy, with a little burrowing leg-tongue and small suction feet gliding across the ocean floor in quick, creeping movements.”From ‘Tourists’ by Paromita Vohra, in Electric Feather: The Tranquebar Book of Indian Erotica
Incorrect! Flattening your tongue and using broad strokes is often more effective than using a ‘sword’ tongue. But here is an excerpt from a story which shows that softly pointy tongues can be good too:“At this moment it occurred to me that it’s not a big penis a man needs, but a generous-sized mouth, spread as his was across me, like a starfish, both soft and roundly pointy, with a little burrowing leg-tongue and small suction feet gliding across the ocean floor in quick, creeping movements.”From ‘Tourists’ by Paromita Vohra, in Electric Feather: The Tranquebar Book of Indian Erotica
A woman always bleeds the first time she has sex.
Correct! Some women may bleed because their hymen, a stretchy tissue covering the opening to the vagina, breaks. But some women aren’t born with hymens. For others the hymen might break during sports, using tampons, or other reasons, so they don’t bleed. So it is not proof of virginity.
Incorrect! Some women may bleed because their hymen, a stretchy tissue covering the opening to the vagina, breaks. But some women aren’t born with hymens. For others the hymen might break during sports, using tampons, or other reasons, so they don’t bleed. So it is not proof of virginity.
Is the vagina tight when you are a virgin, and does it become too loose with too much sex?
Correct! The vaginal walls relax when a woman is aroused, making it appear ‘loose’, but after sexual intercourse it goes back to its original shape. How? Pull the corners of your mouth and stretch it. Doesn’t it snap back to its regular shape? After many childbirths though, sometimes the vaginal muscles stretch too much and don’t return to their original tightness.
Incorrect! The vaginal walls relax when a woman is aroused, making it appear ‘loose’, but after sexual intercourse it goes back to its original shape. How? Pull the corners of your mouth and stretch it. Doesn’t it snap back to its regular shape? After many childbirths though, sometimes the vaginal muscles stretch too much and don’t return to their original tightness.
There is an area somewhere inside the vagina, whose stimulation is meant to give mind-blowing multiple orgasms. What is it called?
Correct! Researchers have fought about it for decades, with some saying it doesn’t exist. As it stands now, many researchers say that some, but not all women, appear to have a very sensitive region, about five to eight centimetres up the vaginal wall, with many nerve endings.
Incorrect! Researchers have fought about it for decades, with some saying it doesn’t exist. As it stands now, many researchers say that some, but not all women, appear to have a very sensitive region, about five to eight centimetres up the vaginal wall, with many nerve endings.
All women experience wetness in their vagina when they are sexually aroused.
Correct! Some do, some don’t. Anything from not spending enough time on foreplay to breast-feeding and the side effects of contraception can impact wetness.
Incorrect! Some do, some don’t. Anything from not spending enough time on foreplay to breast-feeding and the side effects of contraception can impact wetness.
Young women don’t need lubrication when they have sex because they get wet enough.
Correct! Some women feel that they get adequately wet and do not need lubricant. Some women experience vaginal dryness frequently. Everyone experiences it sometimes. Lubricants can be a blessing in case of penetrative sex and also to maintain a good rhythm to reach orgasm.
Incorrect! Some women feel that they get adequately wet and do not need lubricant. Some women experience vaginal dryness frequently. Everyone experiences it sometimes. Lubricants can be a blessing in case of penetrative sex and also to maintain a good rhythm to reach orgasm.
Can women ejaculate during an orgasm?
Correct! A third of women interviewees said in a survey that they ‘squirt’ out liquid when they have an orgasm. It’s actually pretty common to shoot out liquid from the vagina during orgasm, and it could be a mixture of urine from the bladder (although it doesn’t smell or look like urine) and whitish fluid from the peri-urethral gland.
Incorrect! A third of women interviewees said in a survey that they ‘squirt’ out liquid when they have an orgasm. It’s actually pretty common to shoot out liquid from the vagina during orgasm, and it could be a mixture of urine from the bladder (although it doesn’t smell or look like urine) and whitish fluid from the peri-urethral gland.
Where does urine come out from in a woman’s body?
Correct! The urethra is a very small hole just above the vagina, below the clitoris. It connects to the urinary bladder, which stores urine until it is ready to be discharged.
Incorrect! The urethra is a very small hole just above the vagina, below the clitoris. It connects to the urinary bladder, which stores urine until it is ready to be discharged.
Can vagina clean itself?
Correct! Vaginal glands produce fluids or discharge that help to clean out dead cells and other bad things. You should not clean vaginas with soap or chemicals – just water is fine.
Incorrect! Vaginal glands produce fluids or discharge that help to clean out dead cells and other bad things. You should not clean vaginas with soap or chemicals – just water is fine.
Can you exercise the vagina?
Correct! You should start with 10 a day and then slowly increase the number. Both men and women can benefit from kegel exercises to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles that can weaken due to many factors such as childbirth, age and weight gain.
Incorrect! You should start with 10 a day and then slowly increase the number. Both men and women can benefit from kegel exercises to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles that can weaken due to many factors such as childbirth, age and weight gain.
What is the cervix?
Correct! The cervix is about 2-3 centimetres long. It connects the vagina and uterus, and sperm passes through it before fertilisation
Incorrect! The cervix is about 2-3 centimetres long. It connects the vagina and uterus, and sperm passes through it before fertilisation
What is an ovary?
Correct! The whitish-coloured ovary is most often found in pairs in women. Each one is found along the walls of the uterus, within the pelvic cavity. It also produces important hormones like oestrogen and progesterone which are linked to processes like menstruation.
Incorrect! The whitish-coloured ovary is most often found in pairs in women. Each one is found along the walls of the uterus, within the pelvic cavity. It also produces important hormones like oestrogen and progesterone which are linked to processes like menstruation.
