Dear Reader,

Teachers and textbooks tell us a lot about Columbus, Magellan, Vespucci, and other explorers who discovered, or rediscovered, foreign lands, yet when it comes to charting a voyage around the vulva, many women and men have missed the boat. Knowing what makes up the vulva, and how it works, are important parts of cultivating its pleasure and helping women feel knowledgeable and "normal" — with and without a partner.

The vulva consists of all of the external (or visible) female genitalia from the mons pubis (a.k.a. the pubic mound) to, but not including, the anus. The urethra, despite the fact that it is located mid-vulva (with the clitoris to the north and the vaginal opening to the south), is not included as part of the vulva, since it is part of the excretory system, not the genitals. The vulva, from north (belly side) to south (back side), includes:

the mons pubis (a.k.a. mons veneris or "mountains of venus") the rounded, soft, fatty pad of tissue covering the pubic mound on which pubic hair starts to grow during puberty

the labia (lips)
folds of skin that serve as the eastern and western boundaries of the vulva, framing the vaginal opening. The outer set of lips (labia majora) is often covered with pubic hair, while the inner set of lips (labia minora) is hairless, sometimes, but not always, concealed beneath their outer sisters.

the clitoris
the nerve and pleasure center (or "joy button") of a woman located at the upper joining of the labia, this mighty lil' pearl is made of erectile tissue similar in composition to the penis. The clitoris is where the intensity of sensations is usually felt, building toward orgasm.

the vaginal opening (or orifice) and the area surrounding the vaginal opening (called the vestibule) are also considered parts of the vulva, although the vaginal canal itself, which leads from the vaginal opening back to the cervix, is not.

Hope this clears things up.

Alice

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