Now, we all know I have no social boundaries when it comes to discussing sex, love and anything to do with sex…and…love. Maybe it is due to being a Sex and Dating Blogger for 5 years, or maybe I just jumped the queue at birth when God handed out ’embarrassment’ as an attribute. I just do not get embarrassed talking about intimate things.
My friend had to tell me to ‘shhhh’ as I walked along Oxford Street the other day, declaring I am going to have a Vagina Facial. I just don’t care, nor do I see anything wrong with being vocal about your body parts. I also actively encourage EVERYONE, both genders, to go for regular STD check ups too – I’d rather know my guy is looking after both our sexual health than find out his last check up was in 2009 before he want to Malia on a stag do. Ermmm…no mate.
So, it comes as quite a shock to me to learn that many many women are severely embarrassed about their intimate health. It also shocks Vagisil – the leading brand for feminine hygiene. To find out exactly what is going on here, Vagisil interviewed 2000 British ladies about their attitudes towards this topic in their Blush report. The results below blow me away:
1. 47% felt embarrassed when the word vagina came up in daily conversations.
2. 39% feel embarrassed when others say the word vagina to them.
3. 53% replace the word vagina with another word
4. 42% word rather speak about anything else
5. 31% have never spoke to their GP about intimate health problems
6. 15% admitted they’ve suffered an issue which was made worse by not going to their GP
This is madness in my eyes. I mean, let’s put the shoe on the other foot here…how many times do you hear guys talk about their knob? The penis is something to show off, discuss, laugh about and often, in a drunken stupour, whip out in public for a photobomb. So, what’s so damn different about our vaginas? Why do so many feel that embarrassed when it comes to the vagina? I mean, not going to the doctors and making an issue worse is just not cool. You should be able to be comfortable in your own skin; this includes your precious lady V. After all, you didn’t really have a choice, kinda born with it. He got the penis, you got the vagina. Such is life. Be thankful – least we don’t have all that male bravado to deal with about having the world’s largest cock. Idiots. Anyway, back to the case in point:
Dr Rebecca Spelman, Registered Psychologist, Private Therapy Clinic, comments ‘The fact is that we live in a culture that has long affiliated sex and, by association, our reproductive organs, with shamefulness and ‘sin’. As a result, we often find it hard to think about these parts of our body without the oppressive burden of centuries of thinking about these negative attributes. Women in particular tend not to want to speak about their intimate health, even with their healthcare provider or pharmacist. As a result, painful or uncomfortable health conditions – which are usually relatively minor and can clear up quickly with the right treatment – are often left for way too long.’
She goes on to state: “British women have to deal with the additional burden of coming from a society in which anything designated as ‘not nice’ tends to be swept under the proverbial carpet and only mentioned in moments of dire necessity.” I wholeheartedly agree with her. And it’s time to change. If you have a bottle of Vagisil by your shower, why should you suddenly feel the need to hide it when a dude comes over to stay? Nah. It smells delicious for starters and it’s just body wash for crying out loud. Men seem to think it cries “I have an issue with my down below area so have to wash it with special fairy dust to make it nice again”. Come on guys and girls…let’s not be silly.
Not that I encourage this often because I appreciate I am somewhat “special”, but maybe try take a leaf out of my book and bit more open about intimate health? Give it a go, what do you have to lose? See going for check ups at STD clinics and GPs as something pro-active for your whole health. You’d easily run to get antibiotics if you had a severe chest infection…same goes for the vagina. Also, try see using feminine hygiene products as a normal day to day activity. You’d not go about your day without a wash in the morning right? Soap? Shower gel? Whatever you use to smell nice, feminine products do the exact same!
As the expert partner in intimate health, Vagisil’s range of intimate treatment and daily care products are specifically designed to look after the health of your intimate area. We all take care of our face and body using special lotions, washes and creams; just like the rest of our body, our intimate skin benefits from special attention too. Oh, and don’t tell Vagisil I do this but the Ph Balance Wash smells SO NICE I sometimes use it as shower gel all over my body. Try it and you’ll know exactly what I mean…it just smells AMAZINGGGGG.
