Let’s get down to brass tacks and tackled those twiddly bits to understand our bodies. Health literacy is the extent to which people are able to understand and act on health information and there is a significant gap in information especially about sexual organs and characteristics. Together let’s explore your body’s sexual anatomy! Starting with female genitalia and primary sex characteristics.

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Female Sexual Anatomy

Starting at the top with the external anatomy we have the mons pubis which is a fleshy mound above the vulva that can develop the secondary sex characteristic of pubic hair while cushioning the pubic bone. Your pubic hair does a couple different things like protect the vagina from bacteria and infections, protects your skin from irritation and can help regulate your body temperature.  Below the mons pubis and surround the vagina is the labia which are folds of skin around the vaginal opening that's made up of the labia majora, “outer lips'', or labia minora, “inner lips'' that are also covered with pubic hair. The labia majora starts at the clitoris and ends at the opening to the vagina. Inside the vulva is the clitoris and clitoral hood. The clitoral hood covers the tip of the clitoris because the clitoris extends inside the body and down on both sides of the vagina. The parts of the clitoris are the shaft and the crura or “roots and legs' ' which are about 5 inches long.

The clitoris itself is made of spongy tissue that has thousands of nerve endings that can become swollen when aroused. Underneath the clitoris is the urethra which is the hole you urinate with. Next is the vaginal opening which is below the urethra where menstrual blood leaves the body and babies can be born. Then there’s the anus, below the vaginal opening which opens to the rectum and contains sensitive nerve endings that some people find pleasurable.

Moving inside the body we have the vagina which is a tube that connects the vulva with the cervix and the uterus. Menstrual blood and babies leave through the vagina as the vagina is stretchy. The vagina can expand when aroused and can’t “loose” its elasticity. The vagina is a muscle it can contract and relax; one example is during penetrative sex when it relaxes to enable penetrative sex but it will return to its usual strength and tension. Foreplay and masturbation are useful ways to work with this muscle to increase pleasure.

The vulva is an external part of female genitalia that includes the labia, clitoris, vaginal opening and the urethra. Up next is the cervix, which separates the vagina and the uterus located directly between the two. It stretches open or dilates during childbirth. Across the opening of the vagina is the hymen, which is a thin fleshy tissue that stretches across part of the opening to the vagina. Hymens vary in size depending on how much of your vaginal opening they cover and can, but not always, tear causing bleeding if you insert something into your vagina.

Then there’s the uterus which is a muscular organ that’s about the size of a small fist. It’s also known as the womb because it’s where a fetus will grow during pregnancy. When aroused the lower part of the uterus will lift forward towards your belly button and can make the vagina become longer when you're turned on known as “tenting”.

Attached to the uterus are the fallopian tubes which are 2 narrow tubes that carry eggs from your ovaries to your uterus. Sperm will travel through the fallopian tubes to try and fertilize your eggs. At the ends of your fallopian tubes are the fimbriae which looks like tiny fingers. When your ovaries release an egg the fimbriae sweep the egg into the fallopian tube. The ovaries store your eggs and produce hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. These hormones control periods and pregnancies. Your ovaries begin to release eggs at the start of puberty and continue until you experience menopause.

Then there's Bartholin's glands. These tiny glands can be found near the vaginal opening and release a fluid that lubricates your vagina making it “wet” when you’re turned on. The Skene’s glands are on either side of the urethral opening that releases fluid during female ejaculation and they’re also known as the paraurethral or female prostate glands.  Last but not least is the g-spot or the Grafenberg spot which is a few inches inside your vagina positioned towards the front. The g-spot can swell when you're turned on and can be a source of pleasure when touched.

Male Sexual Anatomy

Starting with the entire organ we have the penis which is 3 layers of spongy tissue that fills with blood when turned on making the penis harder or erect. When it is not erect the penis is flaccid. The average size of an adult erect penis is 5 to 7 inches. At the top of the penis are the glans otherwise known at the head or tip of the penis. The opening to the urethra is located in the glans and it’s where pre-ejaculate and semen come out of. For some people it’s a source of pleasure because it's the most sensitive part of the penis.

Moving down is the frenulum which is where the foreskin meets the underside of the penis. It looks like a small “v” below the glans. If it’s circumcised part of it might still remain and for many people it's very sensitive. The shaft is the area between the tip glans and lower body that looks like a tube. The urethra is located inside the shaft. Below the penis is the scrotum or balls.

The scrotum is a sac of skin that hangs below the penis holding the testicles to keep them at the right temperature. If it’s too cold the scrotum will pull the testicles closer to the body and if it's warmer they will hang lower. The scrotum is covered with wrinkly skin, and pubic hair, varying in size with typically one side being larger than the other. The testicles are 2 ball-like glands inside the scrotum that make sperm and hormones like testosterone. The epididymis is a tube where sperm will mature and connect each testicle to each vas deferens to hold the sperm before ejaculating.

The vas deferens is a long narrow tube that carries the sperm from the epididymis to the seminal vesicles when you ejaculate. There are two of them with one connected to each epididymis.  Moving on to the seminal vesicles, which are 2 small organs that produce semen, the fluid that sperm moves around in and is located directly below the bladder. The urethra is a tube inside the shaft that carries urine, pre-ejaculate and semen to the urethral opening out of the body. The prostate gland is about the size of a golf ball and helps make a fluid to allow the sperm to move. It’s very sensitive to pressure and can be a source of pleasure when touched.

Cowper’s glands are small glands under the prostate and attached to the urethra which produce a fluid that helps the sperm to move by reducing friction by creating pre-ejaculate. The cremaster is a muscle that will move the scrotum and testicles closer to your body when cold, aroused or if someone touches your inner thigh. Lastly is the anus which is an opening to the rectum containing a lot of sensitive nerve endings that can be a source of pleasure when touched.

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At the end of the day, your body is your’s and your’s alone. Taking the time to understand it what sensations feel pleasurable or give you an “ick”, try masturbating, looking at your body naked, or even talking to your doctor with any questions you might have are important steps for you to work with you body to understand it better.  Also getting to know your body and sexual anatomy can help with taking preventative measures for sexually transmitted infections or STIs. Take the time to build trust with your body, nurture your body and work with it. After you’ve become more familiar with your genitalia try exploring your “erogenous areas” such as your breast, nipples, lips, hands, feet or inner thighs. Use your knowledge of your sexual anatomy to explore pleasure, cultivate a safe space to care for your body and well-being.