Woman’s visible sexual organs
A woman’s visible (external) sexual organs are:
- outer labia;
- inner labia;
- opening of the vagina;
- clitoris.
The urinary meatus and anus are not part of the sexual organs.
A woman also has breasts. They are not sexual organs but are important for a woman’s sexual pleasure and for breast-feeding.
Labia and opening of the vagina
The labia are lip-like parts of skin that protect the vagina, clitoris and urinary meatus.
A woman has 2 pairs of labia:
- Outer labia: are usually covered with hair and are thicker than the inner labia.
- Inner labia: are not covered with hair and are thinner than the outer labia. They can be bigger or smaller than the outer labia.
Some women have inner labia that stick out beyond the outer labia. Other women have inner labia that are completely covered by the outer labia. What they look like is not important for the way they function.
The opening of the vagina lies between the inner labia.
Clitoris
The clitoris is a sensitive organ above the opening of the vagina, where the inner labia come together.
The visible part of the clitoris is the size of a pea. The largest part lies under the skin and is invisible. It has 2 long branches ending inside the outer labia.
Most women become aroused when the clitoris and the area around it is touched or caressed. They can then have an orgasm.
In some cultures the clitoris of girls and women is cut or the clitoris is removed completely. This is called female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation is forbidden by law in Europe.
Types of vulvas
The vulva of each woman looks different. The way the vulva looks is not important for the way it functions.
