The Vagina Dialogue

We’ve had Pussyhats and Instagram accounts dedicated to “Snatch” lookalikes, but 22 years after The Vagina Monologues, it’s time we started talking openly about the V-word, say medics and bloggers Nina Brochmann and Ellen Støkken Dahl

In Norway, where we’re from, the female genitals are often referred to as the “mouse”. It’s generally considered a rude term, but for some reason, we’ve developed an affection for it. Among friends, it sometimes gets called “disco mouse”, to describe what happens down there when you’ve been out dancing all night (more on that later). The word conjures up a happy little creature. And, much like a real mouse, it’s both cute and terrifying – and sometimes it needs to be petted.

“Mouse” may sound absurd, but in truth, every language has its euphemisms for the female genitalia, such as “pussy”, “cookie jar”, “flower”, “vag” and “snatch”. The last is the subject of popular Instagram feed @thatlookslikeasnatch, which compares everyday phenomena (from weather fronts to butternut pumpkins) to vulvas. But euphemisms may be getting in the way of the real deal and contributing to the many myths that surround the female reproductive organs. When Eve Ensler premiered the seminal play The Vagina Monologues in 1996, CNN did a 10-minute report on it and the presenters couldn’t bring themselves to say the V-word once. Twenty-two years later and something is still amiss. A recent survey by Thinx, a revolutionary company that makes period-proof underwear, found that one in three women feel uncomfortable even using the term “vagina”. But not only are women wary of talking about their bits, they’re not even sure of the proper name. “Vulva” may not be the world’s most commonly used word but, if you’re a woman, that’s the anatomical name for the bit between your legs (the vagina refers exclusively to the passageway used for giving birth or having vaginal sex, which excludes the centre of female pleasure and sexuality, the clitoris. And we wouldn’t want to do that).