Do You Know Your Body?
February 2025
Hi Caddyshackers,
As health promotion officers, we often hear anatomically incorrect labelling of genitals during community discussions and education sessions, from young people right through to adults. Using the correct language for genitals is important for a number of reasons, including empowerment, connection to self and others, sex positivity and bodily safety, to name a few.
If you think your knowledge is pretty good, why not play an interactive label the reproductive body parts game? Hop over here, then come back to this blog dedicated to body literacy.
Who knows, you might learn something new.
The power of using correct names
Understanding our genitals is one part of our holistic health and well-being. Our genitals exist with purpose but unfortunately from a young age can often be a source of shame or embarrassment. Being exposed to negative messages and stigma about our bodies and our genitals can impact how we see ourselves and even our place in society.
It seems to be one of society’s deepest-set norms that we don’t mention the anatomically correct names of our genitals. When we create pet names or use slang terms for genitalia, (such as privates, willy, sausage or fanny to name a few) we send a message that it is rude, naughty or shameful to talk about genitals. Unless you're using Cockney rhyming slang, we don't call our ears or arms by any other name.
Accurate naming of genitals can increase a child’s body image, confidence and openness. Encouraging the use of plain and accurate language when referring to genitals normalises the language and allows children to better protect themselves from abuse or unwanted touch (or to talk about it, should it happen). The folks over at Enough Abuse have a handy list of children's book recommendations specifically for this.
What are the accurate terms?
Correct anatomical terms include penis, scrotum, testicles, vagina, vulva, breasts and bottom (to name a few).
Vulva and vagina are two terms which are often used incorrectly – Vulva is external, Vagina is internal. V is for Vulva remains one of our most popular blogs, and if you are still confused between the two V’s we encourage you to give it a read.
Back in 2023 we presented some of our work at the Australasian Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference in Manly, New South Wales, Australia. A presentation we saw from Sexual Health Quarters (SHQ) was a highlight as they shared their Friendly Drawings Essentials project. SHQ is an independent, non-profit organisation providing specialised services in sexual health and relationship wellbeing for all based in Perth, Western Australia.
The Friendly Drawings Essentials were designed by the SHQ Community Education team in collaboration with SHQ graphic designers, sexual health clinicians, clinical education team and many young women from the community. The drawings are anatomically complete, culturally diverse, non-medical, non-shaming and suitable for use in community education.
The Essentials Kit contains images of internal and external reproductive anatomy, primary and secondary sex characteristics, including:
Vulvas
Clitoris
Uterus and Ovaries
Corona (hymen)
Breasts
Penis, Testicles, Scrotum
Seminal vesicles, Prostate, Cowpers Gland, Vas Deferens, Epididymis
Bladder
The drawings aim to reduce stigma, shame, and discomfort and contribute towards people gaining knowledge, skills, confidence and empowerment in their understanding of their body. We LOVE this resource and concept!
You can see a sample of the illustrations in this blog on the International Student Health Hub.
Body Literacy
Knowing our bodies and understanding how they work can be incredibly empowering. A new area of body communication and understanding is “Body Literacy”. In its simplest form, body literacy is about being able to learn, observe and understand one’s body. Because being body literate can increase your overall health literacy. Having more confidence and understanding your body can improve your health access including misdiagnosis, preemptive care and other positive health outcomes.
Body literacy also refers to understanding our bodies cycles. For women and persons with a uterus mapping menstrual cycles (periods) can have positive impacts on overall health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally. Everyone can be aware of cycle mapping, so check out some cycle mapping apps like Stardust.
There’s no such thing as normal
A rise in porn culture, has seen a rise in body dysmorphic disorders associated with one’s genitals. A fixation may occur on the appearance or size of one’s penis, vulva, labia or anus. Individuals are increasingly seeking out services from plastic surgeons to make their genitals look “normal”. But when it comes to genitals everyone is different and that’s what makes us unique.
There is no such thing as normal!
Even anatomical medical images or diagrams can give off a sense of “normal” and not everyone relates to what they see. Take a look at Labia Library, an initiative of Women’s Health Victoria promoting positive body images and accurate evidence-based health information. Women’s Health Victoria conducted a survey in April 2024 that found one in 10 respondents had considered labiaplasty (cosmetic surgery on the vulva, specifically the labia minora) and noted that labia shame and stigma is the primary driver of labiaplasty being one of the fastest growing cosmetic surgeries in Australia and worldwide. Read more of this report here.
Sometimes it can help to see real life bodies being comfortable in their skin. Ellie is a photographer with a collection of online galleries of vulvas, breasts, nipples and penises with the aim to normalise bodies. Ellie founded Comfortable In My Skin, a movement to empower and educate people about body diversity. Ellie says, ‘Each body is unique, and every detail tells a story that’s beautifully ours.’ And we couldn’t agree more!
Where to go for support
In our consumerist society, constantly selling us products to improve our body, to love our body is not only incredibly hard but is also a rebellious act.
Negative body images can have big impacts on our own mental health as well as our sexual health and partner relationships.
It is important to seek support when needed. This can include finding a psychologist, and sexologist or even a sexological bodyworker.
If you haven’t heard of sexological bodywork, no worries, let us explain!
Sexological body work is a somatic therapy which helps individuals, couples and groups embody pleasure and reclaim their sexual empowerment.
Last year, in 2024, we had the great pleasure of chatting with Stella Topaz from Abundant Body. Stella is passionate about celebrating the diversity of bodies and relationships and self-expression.
Again, it comes back to being in tune with one's body, understanding yourself on a deeper level, being able to communicate wants and desires for self-fulfillment or fulfillment by others and to be unapologetically you.
Check out the work of Stella Topaz from Abundant Body, watch our On The Couch episode on YouTube or listen to the podcast.
Key Resources
As you might know, we love to read and have a collection of wonderful sex positive fiction and non-fiction books. Right now (well always really) we are loving The Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes “Welcome to” series of books.
“Welcome to your Period” is packed with honest advice on all the things you need to know: from what cramps feel like to whether you can feel it coming out, to what you should do if your pad leaks onto your clothes. Welcome To Your Period includes case studies, first-person accounts and questions from real teens (and answers from real experts) so you can manage your period like a boss. It is a real game changer for everyone entering into this part of life and for parents and carers too.
“Welcome to Consent” is an inclusive, frank and funny guide to navigating consent for tweens and teens of all genders, from the award-winning authors of Welcome To Your Period. Adolescent health experts Dr Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes have written the only guide you need to figuring out the rules of consent. Whether you’re a curious 11 to 14-year-old, or the parent of someone with a bunch of questions, this book is reassuring, interesting, and full of the info you need!
“Welcome to your Boobs” is packed with honest advice on all the things you need to know: from the easiest way to put on a bra, to the nitty gritty of the titty, to why boobs get so much attention. Welcome To Your Boobs includes case studies, first-person accounts, and questions from real teens, answered by real experts – us! Don’t worry – you’ve got this!
“Welcome to Sex” is packed with honest advice on everything you need to know about sex: how to know when you're ready and reasons not to have sex, exploring pleasure on your own to becoming sexually intimate with others, contraception and staying safe, how to communicate about sex, wobbly starts and awkward moments (including talking to your parents about sex).
A resource we often refer to for assisting parents and carers to navigate this language and other areas of sexual and reproductive health development in young people is “Talk soon. Talk Often”. This resource offers tips for starting a conversation with a young person about sexual wellbeing and covers from birth right through to early adulthood.
Other books we think you may like include:
Beyond Beautiful - A Practical Guide to Being Happy, Confident, and You in a Looks-Obsessed World by Anuschka Rees.
More than a Body - An action plan to overcome looks-based self-objectification, from sisters and body image experts Drs. Lindsay and Lexie Kite.
So embrace that body of yours!
It can be scary and hard to love the skin you’re in. It’s okay if you don’t love your body, acknowledging it and thanking it for getting you here might be enough. Being forced into the body positive movement can risk being toxic. Instead we can de-emphasis the focus on appearance and be body neural, which allows us to better appreciate all the things our bodies can do. Body neutrality is the idea that we can exist without having to think too much about our bodies one way or the other.
Our bodies go through so much every day, and we recognise that many bodies have experienced trauma. Whether physical, emotional, or mental, trauma affects our bodies in many different ways. Trauma inflicted on our bodies, whether desired or not can change the relationship we have with our bodies. It’s important to give space for healing and self-compassion. This can look like taking steps toward care, through rest, connection, therapy, or other support which can empower you to reclaim your body and its uniqueness.
The more we better understand our bodies, appreciate all the things they can do, and talk about them with the respect they deserve, the more we will learn to be comfortable in our skin. It’s a rebellious act, and requires continued self-reminders, but it’s one that will have such a positive impact.
Until next time,
Peace, Love & Protection