The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina - Separating the Myth from the Medicine

by Jen Gunter

From Canadian OB/GYN, women's health advocate and New York Times columnist Dr. Jen Gunter: The Vagina Bible is a comprehensive, accessible antidote to the maelstrom of misinformation around female sexual health, and the ultimate guide to everything a person needs to know about the vagina and vulva.

We are well into the twenty-first century and have access to more information than ever before, yet many people don’t know that a vagina is self-cleaning, condoms should be used with a lubricant, eating sugar doesn’t cause a yeast infection, and sex shouldn’t be painful. As a physician with twenty-five years of clinical experience, Dr. Jen Gunter is all too familiar with the fears, fallacies and misinformation that abound about vaginal health. On Twitter, she hilariously exposes unscientific wellness advice and debunks potentially harmful and stunningly unnecessary products from “vagina profiteers.” Dr. Gunter knows the questions women (and men) have about female sexual health, and in The Vagina Bible, she answers them all.

For:

the sixteen-year-old trying to figure out tampons;

the twenty-six-year-old wondering how to avoid a UTI;

the thirty-six-year-old trans woman navigating her new anatomy;

the forty-six-year-old worried about the changing appearance of her vulva;

the fifty-six-year-old looking into the HPV vaccine for her daughter (and maybe herself);

the sixty-six-year-old experiencing painful sex;

The Vagina Bible offers a repository of accurate information based on science, and delivered with wit and wisdom. This is the fact-based, inclusive, and empowering guide you deserve to advocate for your own body.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Science, Health, Audiobook, Womens, Medical

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2019

Reviews

[MonumentToDecency · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is best to avoid blowing air into the vagina
I'm just going to leave that there, completely out of context, and let you deal with figuring it out all on your own.

It grinds my gears to no end hearing that rubbish that menstruation is something women should be proud of; a reminder of our femininity; a reminder of our beautiful womanhood; a reminder of our fragility, or of our ability to create life, yadda yadda. Shut the heck up.

For many women, periods are painful, and unnecessary 90% of the time (pretty much unless you’re then and there wanting to get babyfied). Why can we not just turn them on and off p.r.n. I get migraines from hell with mine. Three days of incapacitation plus an extra day of migraine hangover, every fucking month. Admittedly after 20 years of migraines I finally got a diagnosis - beyond the “oh, just take some paracetamol that should clear your headache right up” - so I now take medication. It still puts me out for 3-4 days but at least now my head doesn’t feel like it’s bleeding into my neck and out of my ears for a week. Coupled with useless evacuation of blood, debilitating cramps, nausea, diarrhoea, intense muscle and joint pain, vulva pain, back pain like the spine is slipping through the tailbone, it’s not really a reminder of anything except feeling like a Beast of Hell. Now that I’ve got that out of my system. Let’s go….

The Vagina Bible brilliantly analyses how all bearers of vaginas have been trashed by a medical system steeped in patriarchal bias. Throughout the book I kept thinking of all the times I’ve heard ‘womens worries’ dismissed as ‘just women stuff’ as though it doesn’t really count as a medical thing. “Oh, you’ve got debilitating pain every month and you can’t stop vomiting? It’s just a women's thing.” No, sorry, that’s a medical problem and it’s not normal. You could say I got really pissed off reading this but I was also really heartened that doctors, at least this one, are starting to take ‘women's worries’ seriously.

The vagina is a fibromuscular tube that connects the vulva with the cervix. I realize this is the least sexy way to describe something that brings so much pleasure. Personally, I’d love to use a different term, as vagina means “sheath” in Latin, and I hate having female anatomy defined in terms of how it fits with a penis. Medically, the vagina starts at the hymen, so just inside the vestibule.

Two interesting things in that quote. Firstly, it points out how women's bodies are traditionally defined by and reduced to their opposition to the male body. The vagina is nothing but a holder for a piece of a man; a piece popularly used to define virility and manhood, a measure of a man's worth but not of ours. Our worth is only subject to his, and ours apparently cannot be measured without his. Secondly, hymen is named for Hymenaeus, the Greek god of marriage. So, our virtue, our marriageability, our bodies, and our worth are inextricably linked to some allegedly intrinsic value applied by men (and for their benefit).

To break that down, our body parts are so named that we are a mans sheath but not worthy of being his sheath unless we are marriageable. Our marriageability is first found between our legs. You can see why reading this gave me the shits. I’m not a lesbian for a reason. But if I was, this would probably be my reason.

Righto. Next.

It is not surprising to me when I hear of women who fake orgasms with male partners. After all, they have been led to believe that a female orgasm should be reached with a penis by way of an imaginary spot.

There’s an actual sub-chapter about the G-Spot, named for its ‘discoverer’ Ernst Gräfenberg, yeah a dude. Do people still believe in this? The vagina is a magical place. It does amazing things. It doesn’t need fancyfying. It literally could not get any fancier if it tried. Why some man had to dress it up to make it more appealing makes me think the fault lies with him rather than the millions of women who still look for this non-existent thing and feel faulty when they can’t find the damned thing. The whole vagina is your g-spot. I think Gräfenberg was just looking for some way to excuse the fact he couldn’t satisfy his partner. Really, if you’re getting a kick out of that spot, there’s nothing there but the urethra and maybe part of the back of the clitoris. While we’re in this region, The Vagina Bible cleared up what I long suspected about female ejaculation: it’s just piddle.

Ok, let’s get on with the fun stuff. The Vagina Bible is full of wonderful nuggets of reputable information. Everything is laid out clearly. The whole thing is constructed so that you can read it in one fell swoop or use it as a reference book. And you could use it as a reference book. It goes through pretty much anything that can upset a vagina from cervical cancer to menopause to weird itches to blood coming from heck knows where.

This actually useful Bible covers everything. There’s STI’s and how to catch them, how to shave and/or trim properly (yep, we've all been doing it wrong), how to wipe your butt properly (we're doing that wrong too), is that a yeast infection? is that a UTI? (probably no to both questions), wipes for your bits, douching, moisturising, ‘freshening’ products, odor eliminating products, soaps, placing garlic inside your vagina (omfg, what?!?), rocks for your vagina (WHAT!), and everything else. Oh, and yoghurt. Stop putting yoghurt in your vagina. It’s not the right kind of bacteria.

Each chapter ends with the BOTTOM LINE. A short bullet point summary of the chapters salient points and, god, it’s so valuable. It’s like a revision sheet and an index (but there’s a proper ‘contents’ in the front.)

To be honest, the only thing The Vagina Bible left out was why my grandmother, a nursing sister for 26 years, insists on putting talcum powder in her underwear. The vagina is supposed to be moist, it’s supposed to be humid, and it’s supposed to leak a bit. I can’t imagine how horrible and unhygienic it would be to have all that scungy talc floating against my vulva all day. Yeeeuck.

NO!

Things I learnt that really surprised me, some of which seem really obvious now that I know:
•The World Health Organization (WHO) has guidelines for water-based lubricants.
•There is such a thing as icing that comes in a can
•There is no medical reason to wear or not wear underwear
•People put cranberry juice in their vagina (Ok, so on review it doesn't actually say this. It says people drink it to have some kind of effect on their bladder. I was tired - leave me alone. So, I'm swapping this one out with...)
•People use hairdryers on their vagina. What? Just dry it with a towel. It's a vagina not a sponge.
•People put rocks in their vagina. ROCKS!

Some of the sorts of things you can expect to read about in The Vagina Bible (I’m doing my best here to reel you in because this book is fantastic)(my additions in italics):
•Vaginal steaming. This is supposed to clean out your 'disgusting uterus', as if steam could even make it that far. Just no. Leave it alone. If you do this, your vagina is literally smarter than you. Listen to it, it doesn't want that shit done to it.

•Homeopathy. No study has proven homeopathy works, and the very idea is not compatible with the laws of physics. If a product is as effective as a company claims—and in medicine, an 80 percent success rate is truly amazing—then why don’t you prove it?

•77 percent of women aged 18–25 said they washed inside their vagina because that was what their partner wanted. No! That's your vagina. If they don't like it they're free to find another receptacle for their foul ideas.

•Should I Use Boric Acid Weekly to Help My Vaginal pH? No!

•It is not possible for the vulva to be sterile, and the vagina is full of bacteria. The only way you could make things worse bacteria-wise is if you rinsed your underwear in raw sewage. You could wear the same underwear every day for a week, and while they might smell a little ripe from body odor and be a little crusty with discharge, they won’t cause an infection.

•The vulva and vagina don’t have lungs. The vagina doesn’t like oxygen, or even air. They don't need to breathe. But also:There is no medical reason to wear or not wear underwear.

•Under the microscope, moisturizers do not dramatically improve the appearance of tissues. I.e., don’t waste your money. Your vulva can look after itself. Don't put that shit inside you unless you want to know what a screaming vagina sounds like.

Alrighty. You want some stories? I know you do.

Getting the Chop:
I knew (not in the biblical sense) a woman who had labiaplasty. She was very proud of her now perfect vagina. She invited me to coffee once, not so much for coffee. I skipped out because I really didn't want to see this magical perfect vagina. It was all a bit weird, "hey, come see my fabulous perfect vagina". Erm, no thanks, I can look at my own. Anyway, she regaled me with tales of her moisturising regimen. Said she was keeping the skin as youthful, fresh, tight, and compact as it was when she was a teenager. So, it's interesting to read that moisturiser will really only keep you moist. But that’s pointless for many of us because moistness is what vaginas do best. Ok, second best.

I have read about plastic surgeons who do labiaplasty so women can look “sleeker in so-called athleisure wear.” I know some people call this look “camel toe,” but I prefer “labial cleavage,” and the answer is not surgery—it is better-fitting athletic wear. I’ve stared at more male butt cracks (gluteal clefts) than I care to remember, whether it was just some guy bending over or gravity-defying pants that appear to hover like magic just above the anus without a belt. What I never hear is that men should seek out plastic surgeons to get their gluteal clefts sewn shut. I also can’t imagine a similar industry for men that profits from surgically trimming penises so they look better in tight jeans.

Pane Di Casa:
The Vagina Bible talks about all those yeast infection (self-)diagnoses. And how most of those diagnoses were wrong. “Many women are plagued for years with a seemingly untreatable yeast infection, when they really are suffering from something else.” Every woman I've ever been with has been convinced she has a yeast infection. They’ve all spent a small fortune on creams and treatments only to be disappointed that their yeast infection hasn't cleared up or surprised when it miraculously cleared up about an hour after treatment. That's because it ain't yeast, hon'. I was young then and didn’t know how to reassure them. But I’m old now and know this: Having a humid vulva is normal. Having an itch every now and then is normal. And, for fucks sake, some discharge is normal.
Also:
“A woman claimed to have made bread with a sourdough starter she nourished with her vaginal yeast.” Sorry, what? Wait. Let me fetch my glasses. *fetches glasses* OK, nope. It does say that.

While the penis is, more often than not, a symbol of power and control or some such rubbish, vaginas and, consequently their owners, are subjected to a whole lot of marketing gimmicks, pseudoscience, and shitty medicine dedicated to making us feel dirty, embarrassed, and ashamed of what’s between our legs. From being told we should use ‘feminine hygiene wipes’ (where are the ‘masculine hygiene wipes’ for dirty penii?), to the refusal to show anything but blue liquid in advertising for menstrual products, to the common near inability to say the word vagina or vulva, to lysol and all the 'modern' products flogging the same ancient ‘vaginas are yucky’ bullshit, to vaginal rejuvenation and labiaplasty (which the author likens to being told to have a penis reduction to make your dipstick more pretty), the anti-vagina shaming is endless.

As the author says, “there’s a lot of money in vaginal shame” and when you start thinking something is off about your muff remember “It’s a vagina, not a piña colada.” You don’t need to be cleaning it out, freshening it up, washing it down, getting the movers in because “Your vagina is a self-cleaning oven.” Rinse it off, it can handle the rest. And for anything it can’t handle there’s vaginal mastercard diazepam. Maybe.

Your vagina is fine. It smells great. It looks great. It's as tight, loose, floppy, taut, flabby, snug, fluffy, smooth, bumpy, moist, humid, damp or wet as it wants to be. And unless something physically changes, there's no need for you to change it.

And, finally, I leave you with these words of wisdom: Please don’t put parsley in your vagina.


My Rating: 8 out of 10 women out of 5

[emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

gotta read the owner's manual.

in all seriousness, it is probably important to, like, "know about your own body," or whatever, and this is a pretty accessible / entertaining / informative way to do that.

all good things from me.

bottom line: learning is fun!

[Nataliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It’s a vagina, not a piña colada.”

It says a lot about our culture and ingrained views that the title “The Vagina Bible” is likely to elicit more mirth and giggles than, for instance, the hypothetical “Pancreas Prayerbook”.

“There’s a lot of money in vaginal shame.”

Vagina is a body part that not only has about a billion euphemisms but also in the minds of many occupies a much larger portion than it actually does (poor vulva just doesn’t get that much recognition as a separate entity). And it is the target of countless misconceptions, misinformation and in unequal parts both shame and glorification. And so many unnecessary things (the ones that usually bring quite a bit of cash to those peddling them) are aimed at fixing what often isn’t broken — too loose, too right, too hairy, too wet, too dry, too smelly, too-whatever, or alternatively not-enough-whatever.

“The patriarchy and snake oil have had a good run, but I'm done with how they negatively affect and weaponize women's health. So I am not going to stop swinging my bat until everyone has the tools to be an empowered patient and those who seek to subjugate women by keeping them from facts about their bodies have shut up and taken a seat in the back of class.
That's my vagenda.”

Women are bombarded with messages to steam it, shove overpriced jade eggs into it (or sometimes garlic - I’m not even joking, GARLIC, really), deodorize it, make it smell like a flower garden, rejuvenate, purify, balance pH nonsense, etc. It’s considered “dirty” and in perpetual need of purification — and, by extension, so must be those whose body part it is (just think of all the cultures considering women impure during cycles or after childbirth).

To judge by the abundance of messages and products and clickbait articles and “helpful” advice it’s amazing to even imagine how these seemingly fragile body parts (that yet are strong enough for vaginal births) have managed to not just fall off.

“Fortunately I have the antidote. Facts.”

Jen Gunter, a gynecologist with decades of experience and a presence on social media, has a “vagenda” to destroy the false myths about vulva and vagina and to provide accurate science-based information to help women make actual empowered choices about their bodies that are based on facts and not nonsense, even if that nonsense benefits from the illusory truth effect (when misinformation is repeated over and over again until it starts seeming like the truth). She is frank and blunt and very much no-nonsense in her approach. She rallies against pseudoscience, unverified claims, patriarchy, misinformation, and people peddling “natural” cures that seem designed to enrich those peddlers. Oh, and the idea that “pure” and “natural” must be good. (Seriously, garlic in the vagina. Some think it’s good. Or parsley, which at least doesn’t sound painful - a very low standard here.)

“I call these types of interventions, like wearing cotton underwear or emptying your bladder after sex, the burden of “well, it can’t hurt”. But they truly are a burden. Every time we make a woman jump through a useless hoop to get better, we add a burden, be it financial, or emotional, or the exasperation of doing so many things and yet realizing that you are running very hard but not getting anywhere.”

It’s quite accessible, written in the conversational style with plenty of funny commentary, while still staying accurately scientific. I’d advise it to those who have a vagina and those who know someone with one. In short, everyone.

5 stars.

——————

Also posted on my blog.

[NAT.orious reads ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ★★★★★ for Jen's vagenda

The patriarchy and snake oil have had a good run, but I'm done with how they negatively affect and weaponize women's health. So I am not going to stop swinging my bat until everyone has the tools to be an empowered patient and those who seek to subjugate women by keeping them from facts about their bodies have shut up and taken a seat in the back of class.
That's my vagenda.

This book is for you if…you carry a vagina and vulva or don't carry one but want to educate yourself on them. Period.

⇝Preface.
What. a. book. I love it so much. My goodness, I really do!! I am 100% honest when I say that I will get this book for all my vagina carrying friends AND myself. This is definitely one of my most significant reads. Jen's book is:

⇝eye-opening
⇝empowering
⇝sobering
⇝based on facts and decent studies
⇝feminist
⇝fantastic
⇝and so many more adjectives. Just buy it!!

It goes without saying that giving a summary of such a fantastic scientific book is impossible. Jen's writing style is clear and straight forward. She has a very honest and down to earth way of communicating facts and her experience as a gyn. She makes away with many ridiculous claims and practices that both society and science perpetuated but are actually crap. She also very clearly explains how patriarchy is still ruling a place where men have nothing to say (the vulva and vagina). Not only is this a very feminist read it is also addressing inequalities in access to health due to racist systems and frequently underlines the fact that being a woman is not only about having a vagina

Here's what to expect: I've marked what I found particularly useful with a moon:
GETTING STARTED
1 The Vulva 🌑
2 The Vagina 🌑
3 Vaginas and Vulvas in Transition 🌑
4 Female Pleasure and Sex Ed 🌑
5 Pregnancy and Childbirth

EVERYDAY PRACTICALITIES AND V MAINTENANCE
6 Medical Maintenance 🌑
7 Food and Vaginal Health 🌑
8 The Bottom Line on Underwear
9 The Lowdown on Lube
10 Kegel Exercises 🌑

SKIN CARE AND CLEANSING
11 Vulvar Cleansing: Soaps, Cleansers, and Wipes 🌑
12 Vaginal Cleansing: Douches, Steams, Sprays, and Potpourri 🌑
13 Hair Removal and Grooming 🌑
14 Moisturizers, Barriers, and Bath Products 🌑

MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS AND MYTHOLOGY
15 The Truth About Toxic Shock Syndrome 🌑
16 Are There Toxins in Tampons and Pads?
17 Menstrual Hygiene 🌑

MENOPAUSE
18 Menopause
19 Treating GSM

MEDICATIONS AND INTERVENTIONS
20 Cannabis
21 Contraception 🌑
22 Antibiotics and Probiotics
23 Cosmetic Procedures, Injections and "Rejuvenation" 🌑

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS
24 General STI Information 🌑
25 STI Prevention 🌑
26 The Human Papilloma Virus
27 Herpes
28 Gonorrhea and Chlamydia
29 Trichomoniasis
30 Pubic Lice 🌑

CONDITIONS
31 Yeast
32 Bacterial Vaginosis
33 Vulvodynia
34 Pelvic Floor Muscle Spasm and Vaginismus
35 Skin Conditions
36 UTIs and Bladder Pain Syndrome 🌑
37 Pelvic Organ Prolapse

SYMPTOMS
38 Communicating with Your Provider 🌑🌑🌑🌑🌑
39 I Have Pain with Sex
40 I Have Vaginitis
41 I Hav a Vulvar Itch
42 I Have Vulvar Pain
43 I Have an Odor
44 I Have Bleeding After Sex

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
45 Medicine Cabinet Rehab 🌑
46 Internet Hygiene and Apps
47 Journal of Old Wives' Tales 🌑

REFERENCES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


Some aspects I highlighted throughout the book, with Jen's facts + opinions in cursive, many of them with a feminist vagenda:
The unclean vagina: Obsession with reproductive tract purity and cleansing date back to a time when a woman's worth was measured by her virginity and how many children she might bear. A vagina and uterus were currency. Playing on these fears awakens something visceral. AND It is important to remember that the concept of female cleanliness has largely been driven by a male-dominated society that for centuries, if not longer, has decided normal female genitals and secretions are "dirty".

the mighty penis: A penis is not the most reliable way to achieve female orgasm. AND The idea that a penis is mighty enough to bring on labor is, to be honest, a bit eye-rolling. AND Everyone (okay, the patriarchy) seems very impressed with the ability of a penis to grow, but the few centimetres of change that a penis can muster up pales in comparison with the vagina's ability to stretch.

the unimportant clitoris: Males of the time were unsure of the role of the clitoris and likely thought it unimportant. This stands in sharp contrast to the anatomic glory of the penis. [...] Society, including, medicine, is obsessed with erections, while the clitoris barely registers as a footnote.

"accidental" anal sex: Some women report coercion regarding anal sex, as well as so-called "accidental" but actually planned anal penetration by their male partners. [As someone who has had anal sex I cannot for the life of me understand how men can be asshole-y enough to do shit like this. Every single person who does this should be tied up and then be penetrated anally without lube. See how accidental it feels.]

A tip from Jen about all this "cleansing, cleaning, etc." products: The way some of these products are promoted makes it sound as if it is a miracle the vulva has made it this far.

The culture of chastising women for sex - which has been around ever since: The increased friction from dry tissues and/or the obvious discomfort of their partner was apparently a turn- on for men. I have often wondered if normalizing a practice that made sex painful for women was an invisible chastity belt. AND I hear from women that some male partners "don't like" lubricant or say it affects their erection. It's only a few millilitres of lube (far less than an ounce), so it's not exactly as if his penis is encased in pudding. [...] If he uses this "too wet" excuse, then either he doesn't know what an excited vagina feels like or he could be projecting his medical condition, typically erectile dysfunction, onto you.
_____________________
This eArc was provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you very much!

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't planned to read this book until I read my GR friend MonumentToDecency's review of it.  As I cannot possibly write a better and more entertaining endorsement for this book, I urge you to hop over to her review and read it for yourself.  Prepare to laugh and learn!

Click here to be taken to this most informative and hilarious review.

You too will want to read the book!  And if you have a vagina, you should!

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have a vagina, you should read this book; if you don’t but love one (or more), you should read parts of it, as well.

If you do have knowledge about it – and you definitely should – this will not be a groundbreaking reading, but you’ll still learn some interesting facts from it.

Not to mention the writing style, which is compelling as hell; if all non-fiction books & science (generally speaking) would be written like this, I don’t think I’ll stop reading them. And if she really is in real life as she is in her book, it would be wonderful all doctors to have the same ”vagenda” as hers; most of them don’t tell anything unless you ask, and then they seem annoyed to explain such a 'trivial' question you dared asking…

The book is extensively researched and covers all topics regarding female genitals that you can think of; I’m still trying to find something not covered, at least briefly, by it. There were parts which did not interest me much, such as pregnancy or trans-men, however they were interesting to read as well.

I must say I’m amazed by what some women do to their vagina, in terms of hygiene: drying their vulvas with hair-dryers or wiping the interior with cleaning wipes or other chemicals (why on earth would you do that?!). And here is one answer: “77 percent of women aged 18–25 said they washed inside their vagina because that was what their partner wanted.” (?!) Guys, stop asking that and do your homework!

She debunks some myths related to what one sees in porn and thinks as accurate, as it is not. I liked her comparison on this: “Sex in porn is about as realistic as driving is in car chase scenes in action movies.”

This too, on cleaning: “Just keep in mind you’re not removing baked-on food and you don’t have to nuke the influenza virus, so nothing harsh or bactericidal is needed.”

and

“Wipes, sprays, and odor-control suppositories could very easily kill good bacteria and irritate the mucus and the lining of the vagina in the same way as douches. Every one of them also has damaging messages on the packaging, such as “effectively masks natural odors” and “wonderful tropical scent.” It’s a vagina, not a piña colada.”

Anyway, I could put here entire pages with her quotes, but I’ll leave you to discover it by yourself. And trust me, there are things to learn even if you know a lot. And even if you don’t learn much, you’ll love the author and her common-sense, well-addressed advices.

Highly recommended.

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you wanted to know about the vagina but were afraid to ask, or didn’t know who to ask, or couldn’t find anyone to ask


Jennifer Gunter covers the vagina basics such as where everything is located and what everything is for, including what makes up the Vulva, and the parts and anatomy of the clitoris. She goes on to debunk and or prove myths such as is there really a G-spot or is it really just the parts of the clitoris near the bladder and vaginal wall on some women filled with blood and sensitive? Does eating pineapple really make a woman’s vagina smell and taste sweeter? Can women really ejaculate and if so, what is the fluid (FYI- it is not as sexy as men like to think).

There is information on the vagina for transgender women as well. And information on Pregnancy, menstruation, menopause. She talks about food and the vagina, clothes/fabrics and the vagina, cleansing products and moisturizers. There are a lot of facts and statistics so people can know what is average. There is a lot of misinformation out there, not only about the vagina but about females and sex. So she is putting everything out there and I like that.

It is definitely written like non-fiction (since it is). And tends to get a bit boring and clinical at times, but the book has a ton of great information. I could go on and on about the subjects in this book. Of course all the STI’s and infections are in here, including all the scary statistics like how many people out there have Herpes and don’t know it.

I love how each chapter ends with a section called the Bottom Line and has a list of bullet points highlighting some of the main things she discussed in the chapter. Like the main points to take away. It ends nicely with a bunch more popular myths debunked. Did you know that we don’t actually need 8 glasses of water each day?

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok. Those who need to, just scoot on to the next review. I know there is a low tolerance for TMI. See you later.

I love Mary Roach as an author, and this author, Jen Gunter, reminds me quite a bit of Ms. Roach. There is not as much humor as Gulp, or Stiff or Bonk, but there is the same steady, down to earth doctor talk that is believable and myth-busting.

Jen Gunter is no-nonsense and as a doctor is just like you want her to be. Besides all the plain facts, she takes into account life as it is lived now (not 50 years ago), and also shares her experience and preferences, the whys and wherefors after claiming them as such. I appreciated her clear delineation between what is, what is preferred by some and what she personally prefers - all are presented with the equal weight - she doesn't espouse one right way. On the other hand, when it comes to body health, best practices and medical remedies she is unequivocal.

She also has strong opinions about social shaping of feminine ideals by male priorities over the whole of human development. This is a unique time in which we live - one where women have been accorded more vocal power, more access to information and social flexibility to if not make change then at least have more intentional freedom in their choices about their bodies.

The Vagina Bible covers everything from soup to nuts - all of it. I do recommend the audio version, narrated by the author. I enjoyed hearing her own particular emphasis. I usually listen "out loud" as I'm most often alone in my listening. But this, you'd probably want to listen with "ears" to preserve any blush factors and the ability to fast forward if she's talking about something you don't want to know more about.

Every woman should have a chance to consider on their own, this frank information. There are answers to questions you never dared ask, or think about; you'll be disabused of some of the stuff you've made up on your own or with the help of others who were also making stuff up. You find out normal isn't necessary normal, and weird might just be very normal. I wish I could have given this book to my girls when they fledged, but it wasn't around. They are fully fledged now, and I'm still giving them the nudge to be brave and check this out.

If you are brave, and have one, this is the owner's manual for which we've all been looking.

5 perfectly PHd stars. My thanks to the author for putting it out there (ha! pun intended).

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

super informative, well-researched, and well-presented. 

there are a few things that gave me pause, such as "heterosexual sex" being used as the sole term for penetrative PIV sex. feels very reductive, and strange considering that very early on in the book gunter discusses trans experiences. but big props to her for talking about vagina realities of both trans men and trans women right off the bat!

i loved her discussions of all the sociocultural factors at play when it comes to medical myths about the vulva and vagina. she talks about the illusory truth effect that occurs when misinformation is repeated again and again, and she is unapologetic about ousting douches and "anti-feminine-odor products" as tools of the patriarchy.

some very surprising tidbits of information: sitting in a wet bathing suit causing yeast infections is a myth! your diet impacting your vulva's taste and smell is a myth! cranberry juice doesn't help stave off UTIs! and most shocking of all, peeing after sex preventing UTIs is a myth!! truly wild.

[Stella Popa · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Biblia vaginului”
dr. Jen Gunter
Încep cu cel mai urât spoiler posibil, această carte nu este doar pentru femei, pentru că un bărbat are multe de învățat multe despre anatomia unei femei (lecțiile de anatomie le chiuliți, iar mamele nu au să vă povestească nici moarte), pentru a înlătura cât mai multe mituri posibile. Ai sau n-ai o femeie alături pentru ca să pui în practică cunoștințele acumulate, cartea o să prindă bine, iar pentru pentru femeile sfioase, lenoase sau, pur și simplu, jenate de întrebările care se plimbă prin cap, there you go, mica enciclopedie vă stă la dispoziție.

Nu degeaba am ales această carte. Am făcut-o pentru un simplu motiv, am auzit atâtea, dar atâtea legende despre vagin & Co, încât a fost la un click distanță dintre dorință și instinct, eu am nevoie de cartea asta, titlul său sugestiv a pus punctul pe I, miturile.

De la cea mai sfântă parte a corpului feminin, la dătătoare de orgasme și copii, vaginul femeii nu prea ne-a aparținut de-a lungul câtorva milenii patriarhale. El a fost ctitorit drept posesiunea soțului, iar obediența a fost răsplătită cu o necunoștință generală despre structură, incomoditate, plăcere, igienă (aici nu vorbesc despre femei în exclusivitate), fără multă dorință de a pune întrebări.

Acești ani au păstrat în comportamentul sau firea femeii, cât și a bărbatului, lipsa de interes sau bariera de a vorbi despre acest organ important. Bine că a fost inventată fotografia, pelicula, cinematografia, și cu ea industria porno, care a descătușat puțin societatea pudică. Da, da, bordelurile au existat, și da, acolo femeile știau multe detalii, însă cercul lor restrâns a păstrat informația in-house. În tandem femeile au prins voce, medicina a avansat, și curiozitatea erotică a explodat în ultimii ani, de parcă toată dinamita a fost concentrată într-un singur secol, 21.

Dragi femei, scumpi bărbați, cartea cuprinde o informație amplă, de la structura vaginului, lipsa de sens a himenului, boli sau mirosuri, la schimbare de sex sau orgasm, toate miturile legate de aceste teme, le veți găsi nemijlocit aici, concentrate într-o singură lucrare. Am apreciat stilul vioi și amuzant al scriitoarei, cercetarea amplă din istorie, comparațiile dintre sexe și gândire, capitolele bine aranjate și tangențiale. Câteodată uitam că citesc o carte de medicină și anatomie, mi se crease în cap o atmosferă de dialog cu o bună prietenă care s-a dovedit a fi un bun ginecolog.

Da, am uita să vă spun despre autoarea acestei cărți. Dr. Jen Gunter este doctor de 33 de ani și ginecolog de 24, scrie articole, despre naștere, copiii născuți prematur, ginecologie, afecțiuni sau pur și simplu despre sănătatea femeii, pentru The New York Times.

Cartea a fost dedicată tuturor femeilor cărora li s-a spus cândva - în cele mai multe cazuri, de către un tip/ă (depinde de orientare) - că sunt prea ude, prea uscate, prea respingătoare, prea largi, prea pufoase, prea strâmte, prea însângerate sau prea mirositoare. Această carte este pentru noi toate, complimente aud toți.
#bibliavaginului #foxbooks #drjengunter #curteaveche #recomandarecarte

[Mica · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Surgery can create labia, clitoris, and a vagina (vaginoplasty). The glans penis is used to create a clitoris, and both the new clitoris and stimulation of the prostate with vaginal penetration contribute to sexual pleasure. After surgery, approximately 75 percent of trans women report they are sexually active vaginally, and the ability to orgasm ranges from 70 to 84 percent.”

The labia, clitoris, and vagina are parts of female genitalia. In absolutely no way does removing part of the glans penis and relocating the remainder create a clitoris. In no way does creating a cavity and inverting the skin of the penis and scrotum create a labia and vagina. This is as ridiculous as carving a kidney shape out of a liver and saying you've created a kidney. Female genitalia is not just a look, and it's not made of feelings and rainbows.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m going to make a bold claim: if you are a person with a vagina, you need this book. Whether you read it front to back or use it as a resource tool, it is one of the most important books I’ve read for my own health and well-being and I commend it to everyone. I’m a relatively informed cis-het woman and I still learned so much in this book.

Dr. Jen Gunter writes in an accessible, engaging style. Her astute insights and observations are interspersed with humor and wit. Her goal is to empower and inform and she more than did the job. I especially appreciated how she showed the role of patriarchy in women’s health: "Medicine has been steeped in man-splaining from the start.” We need so much more research and information on vaginas and vulvas and she is shining a bright light for us.

There are chapters like how to discuss concerns with your doctor, as well as chapters on topics like menopause, genital hygiene, Toxic Shock Syndrome (not as big of a risk as I thought!), and hair removal. It’s one of the most thorough resources I’ve ever read and I feel so much more empowered as a result, as well as more aware of what I didn’t know before because of how little good information is out there. We are constantly exposed to poor research and often gaslit for our concerns so it is beyond helpful to have a guide at the ready should you experience any symptoms or receive a diagnosis.

This is a truly inclusive book. Chapter 3 is specifically about trans people: Vaginas and Vulvas in Transition. It was so great to see the various concerns and barriers to care addressed. Throughout the book, she specifically notes risk factors and concerns for those who are lesbian, bisexual, or trans.

The myth-busting portions proved to be particularly valuable, whether it was something I’d heard or done before or not. For instance, I was flummoxed to learn wearing cotton underwear to prevent yeast infections is a myth. Something I've heard my whole life! But there’s negligible research to prove that claim, no matter how often I’ve heard that advice. Same goes with peeing after sex to prevent a UTI. Two studies showed there is no correlation there.

Related to all this myth-busting is Gunter’s stringent research methodology. She takes great pains to reference when research has been negligible, when sample sizes are too small to give us clear results, when more search is needed, and so on. She backs up her work and shows where more information was needed to make a determination. There’s also an entire chapter on how to evaluate medical research, which includes how to determine whether bias is at play and where to even start online. As someone who was a sociology major, I wish this was something more people knew, particularly how to evaluate research quality, so I was glad to see her lay it out.

I’ll be recommending this one to everyone I know. All my gratitude to Dr. Gunter for writing it.

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Citadel Press in exchange for an honest review.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd never heard of Dr. Jen Gunter before, but since reading this book, I found out that she's got quite an online reputation and following (as well as her own column in the NYT), and is a crusader against Gwyneth Paltrow's "health venture" Goop, who, among many other ethically questionable products (at best ineffective, at worst potentially harmful), promotes sticking a $60+ jade egg up your vagina for "spiritual detox"... I can get behind anyone loudly advocating against that.

Dr. Gunter has a very simple "vagenda"—to debunk old wives' tales and combat the misinformation women are confronted with, by providing a comprehensive guidebook of accurate, medically sound information, because only someone armed with fact-based knowledge has the necessary tools to give informed consent when it comes to their health. The Vagina Bible (which covers the vulva and uterus as well) is broken up in sections and chapters that cover everything from the most basic anatomy, maintenance and care, menstruation and menopause, as well as STIs and other medical conditions. Each chapter is fairly short and snappy, full of good information and refutation of bad one, with the most important pieces of info summed up at the end of each with a handy list of bullet points. Despite having almost thirty years of experience as an OB/GYN, Gunter has been a blogger and columnist for many years, and her writing is the opposite of clinical, but rather lively, engaging, and often quite funny—my favorite out-of-context quote is definitely "it's a vagina, not a piña colada".

The title and subject matter may give the mistaken impression that this book adheres to a sex binary, but Gunter often goes into how certain conditions can affect trans* people transitioning from either sex, and I appreciated her making the effort to be inclusive of someone who probably has an even harder time acquiring the information they need. As for myself, I thought that I had a fairly good idea about my own bits, but this book schooled me and definitely filled some gaps—for instance, I never questioned the (what I now know to be a) myth that peeing after sex decreases the chances of getting a UTI, because it seemed oddly plausible to me. I also learned that having gotten my first period early in life won't mean that I'll go into menopause earlier, but the prolonged exposure to those hormones increases my risk of getting breast cancer down the line—how's that for a cheery thought?

I've never (thankfully, knock on wood) suffered from any STD, yeast infection, UTI or anything of the sort (and this book made me appreciate just how lucky that is, given the prevalence), so all of that was a wealth of new information for me, although I admit that the latter half of the book felt very US-centric, since Gunter goes into treatment options in detail, giving commercial names of medication and their recommended dosage for intervention. Those chapters weren't as captivating to read because they were so packed with information I didn't have use for, but the right audience will surely appreciate it, and they're a good resource to have after a doctor's appointment if you have any lingering doubts about a diagnosis or prescription and are trying to decide whether you should get a second opinion. For myself, I would've liked it if she'd gone more in-depth about different types of hormonal birth control—I've switched to the mini-pill at the start of the year and have started questioning that choice, and there wasn't much on that to be found within these pages, and I missed a chapter on endometriosis, a condition I fear I may suffer from, and a fear every gynecologist I've seen about it has dismissed without any testing.

Some omissions that probably would've been well beyond the scope of the book aside, The Vagina Bible is basically a vulva and vagina encyclopaedia where medical knowledge and myth busting meet a good dose of humor, and I'd recommend it to anyone who has (or used to have) a vagina, and to anyone who loves someone with one—my own partner has expressed interest in reading this for his own education, and I'll gladly pass it on.

—————

Note: I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My Dr. Jen Gunter reviews:
The Vagina Bible · ★★★★
The Menopause Manifesto · ★★★
Blood · ★★★★

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I'm struggling with what to rate this book - I think I'm somewhere between a 3 and a 4.

In Dr. Gunter's introduction, she says to use it as either a reference or read it straight-through. I chose to do both: I read 100 pages straight, and then I looked up topics I was particularly curious about.

There is a lot to love about Dr. Gunter's book. I found her book extremely readable - she writes like your friend-doctor with whom you're getting a cup of coffee. Who knew reading about reproductive organs could be so enjoyable? I am also extremely grateful for and encouraged by the fact that she spends a lot of time reminding the reader that so many of the misconceptions we have around our bodies are a result of what was previously a male-dominated medical field and, in general, male perspectives. It's easy to feel "less than", and the fact that she addresses that a lot of the ideas we have about are bodies are non-scientific is so important. I wish more women we read this book for that reason.

The problem, though, with having such a personable writing style, is that there may be people who are turned off by it. I personally am grateful for the feminist educational stance within this book, but I remember reading one passage that felt a little like, "UGH, men." I also didn't necessarily agree with one of the theories I read (bear in mind I have no medical training). My fear is that, because Dr. Gunter is so unapologetically herself in this book, the people who might need this education the most may not read it.

This book exhaustively addresses various topics surrounding the reproductive organs, as far as I can tell. Again, no medical training here, but I was able to answer some questions I had as well as learn a bunch. Because the book covers a lot of material, I believe it would be a good resource for women of all ages.

I do think the book could be organized a bit more intuitively - from what I read, some topics would be addressed in passing in one section, and then brought up again in an independent chapter. I also wish there had been a few more diagrams - I think they would have helped someone like me (with no experience with anatomy) navigate some of the terms a bit better.

Overall, I think this book is extremely encouraging, educational, and thorough. I plan to keep it on my shelf as a resource for years to come.

*This book was graciously provided by Kensington Books. I have attempted to remain as impartial as possible while leaving this review.*

[Isil Arican · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jen Gunter's work, admire her contribution to science based medicine and support her fight against misinformation around women's healthcare. I have been following her for some time on twitter and in various blogs, and when I hear she was writing this book I was thrilled. Women's health is ignored and dismissed on so many levels, it is hard to find reliable and more importantly digestable information without the myths and misogyny surrounding it.

This is a book every vagina owner ( natural or surgically constructed) should read, as well as anyone who loves a vagina owner. The book provides detailed information on female anatomy, various organs and their functions, their physiology, major and common complaints about female reproductive system, and its major disorders and diseases, all written in a very easy to understand, easy to follow, no bullshiting style, without the heavy jargon. Furthermore, she also explains major stages of a female from the reproductive system perspective including menstruation, ovulation, pregnancy, menopause and birth control, and give suggestions and recommendation for everyday care.

While reading all this I loved Jen's wit and her sense of humor, and her directness about the issues we tend to avoid to discuss. It was a wonderful read. I should also mention that even though I am trained as a medical doctor myself and knew most of the things described in the book, I learned some new things I didn't know.

I plan to gift this book to my female friends, hoping they too, will learn something they didn't know about themselves.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I'm so glad I chose to read this book. It's phenomenal. It's a book where knowledge meets humor. So you can only imagine that this is a fun read that at the same time gives you much needed information about a woman's body, mostly about the vagina as well as the vulva. I really enjoyed reading about the different functions each part has and also about the numerous trends. Some were really crazy and I for sure would not try them out but to each it's own, right? What also helped with the reading were also the detailed sketches and the many details. Since this book is written by a doctor that has worked as a gynecologist for twenty-four years and therefore has a lot of experience in this field, I would highly recommend to read this book. And to be honest, this book is for everyone. Not just women. Anyone who wants to know more about this subject is not going to regret the decision to read this book.

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for any person who has ever had a vulva/vagina in either an anatomical or biblical sense, because Dr. Gunter is inclusive, evidence-based, seemingly embarrassment-proof, and utterly unwilling to put up with any patriarchal or consumerist bullshit. She can also be funny. Not only does she tell you what has been proven, but she tells you how strong the research is, or what the limitations are, and what is under researched or just unknowable. This is the ob-gyn everyone wishes they could ask for advice, and a book every general-interest library should have. In the absence of comprehensive sex education in most public schools, having a copy around the house is a good idea.

Library copy

[Jyvur Entropy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a DNF for me. Before I start, look....I'm not a TERF. I think trans women should be included in conversations about women. I believe they are women. However, I can see why TERFS be so mad. In today's world of identity politics victim olympics, trans-women are given much greater consideration than cis-women. Because they have more chips than us, you see. The second chapter in this book is a detailed explanation of trans vaginas. In a book about freaking VAGINAS, we have to talk about the issues that come about when scrotum hair grows inside of a trans vagina :/
I know, I know, this isn't the wokest of opinions. Bite me.
Why would such a niche issue be chapter two, except to pander to the most trendy of woke topics? Trans women make up a much smaller segment of the population than cis women. I'm not mad the chapter was included, but it should have been closer to the end. The fact that we talk about trans vaginas BEFORE cis vaginas is incredibly telling.
And this feminist didn't get the memo. Word on the feminist street is that hymens aren't real. Construction of the patriarchy blah...blah....Yet, she's in here talking about the hymen in great detail. Feminism is having a fucking identity crisis.
I'd love to read a book like this by a conservative woman. I'd like to learn about my own anatomy without all the wokeness shoved down my throat. Conservative women have pussies too.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 αστέρια

Ένα αξιόλογο βιβλίο, από μια έμπειρη και καταξιωμένη γυναικολόγο, που καλό είναι να υπάρχει σε κάθε βιβλιοθήκη. Δικαιώνει τον όρο "Βίβλος" γιατί πραγματικά λειτουργεί σαν μια τέτοια.
Ως προς τη μεριά των πληροφοριών είναι ένα ενημερωμένο, επεξηγηματικό και κατατοπιστικό βιβλίο που καταδεικνύει όχι μόνο τα διάφορα γυναικολογικά ζητήματα αλλά και καταρρίπτει μύθους που έχουμε ακούσει γύρω από αυτά.
Ως προς το τεχνικό κομμάτι μου άρεσε ο χωρισμός των ενοτήτων και τα σύντομα κεφάλαια της κάθε ενότητας. Προσπαθεί να εξηγήσει τα διάφορα γυναικολογικά ζητήματα με κατανοητή γραφή, με απλό τρόπο και με αρκετές δόσεις χιούμορ. "Μπορώ όμως να φανταστώ το Sexual Competence of Rats [Σεξουαλική Ικανότητα Ποντικιών] ως όνομα πανκ μπάντας που τα μέλη της δεν ξέφυγαν ποτέ απ' το υπόγειο των γονιών τους γιατί δεν έκανε επιτυχία το πρώτο τους σινγκλ με τίτλο Thrusting [Σπρώχνοντας]."

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short review time! This book is incredibly informative and interesting if you're at all interested in vulva and vaginal health and maintenance. This book goes into a lot of anatomical information, medical information (diseases, illnesses, infections, irritations, and issues) that affect people with vulvas and vaginas, and all manner of other various bits of relevant info pertaining to holistic (meaning whole body, not frou frou crystal shit) wellness as it relates to them. Birth control, hormone therapy, care and handling, hair removal, bleeding, period pain, TSS, lubrication... if ever you feel the need to have a Vagina Trivia Night... this book is here for you.

As the proud bearer of my very own vagina, I found so much information useful and helpful just in normalizing conversations and providing a basis for having them with my gyno. I am that person that just goes in, gets it over with, and when my lovely doctor asks if I have any questions or concerns or want to talk about anything... I'm like a blank slate. BUT, maybe not next time. I am not really a squeamish or overly embarrassed sort (as evidenced by me discussing my bits here in this review!), so it's not that I am worried she might judge me or something... it's just more the "This is normal for me, so what's there to discuss?" thing that I have now realized is maybe not such a normal thing after all. (I often have debilitatingly painful periods, so next time I go in, I shall discuss this with my doctor and not just continue dealing with it in silence as I have for far too long.)

Anyway. This book is very pro-feminism, in a "women/people with vaginas healthcare IS healthcare" way, and pro-equity of access and information and assistance and advocacy. Otherwise, it's apolitical. She gives straight up facts based on studies and information available currently, and outlines it in an accessible and lay-person friendly way, though it can be a bit dry at times (She recommends water based lube for that. :P). This is definitely a reference type book, not a narrative type book, but I still think it should be required reading (or at least referencing) if you have, or know someone who has, a vagina. :)

[Iryna Khomchuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Є теми, говорити на які "невдобно". Кому й чому — варіантів може бути багато, але результат зазвичай один: низька поінформованість, а відтак високий ступінь помилкових дій, часом дуже шкідливих для здоров’я (як фізичного, так і психічного).

Одна з найбільш табуйованих тем на сьогодні — жіноча тілесність. Це ж просто страшно уявити: людство вирвалося в космос, планує колонізувати Марс, а згадка про менструацію чи потребу жінки в сексі багатьох його представників вганяє в ступор: як? та ви що? нащо про таке говорити і тим паче писати? І стосується це, як не дивно, навіть такого "просунутого" суспільства, як американське. Тож і вирішила Джен Ґантер написати книгу про жіночий орган із голосною назвою, аби привернути увагу до багатьох проблем, а головне — розвінчати напрочуд живучі міфи, які наука вже давно спростувала, однак кому вона треба, та наука, чи не так? Сказав же колись один лікар, що в жінок існує чарівна точка G, і тільки за її допомогою можна довести їх до оргазму — от і досі чоловіки намагаються її намацати, а жінки, наслухавшись нісенітниць, платять гроші за хірургічне наповнення цієї неіснуючої точки колагеном (такий собі відповідник збільшення члена).

Ніхто не говорить назагал і про те, що відбувається з організмом трансгендерних жінок і чоловіків. Я вже "бачу" коментарі на кшталт: чого це має турбувати мене, порядну жінку, хай вони самі про таке й читають))) Однак нюанси регулювання роботи нашого організму посередництвом статевих гормонів ніколи й ні для кого не будуть зайвими! Надлишок тестостерону може бути таким же характерним для "порядної" жінки, як і нестача естрогену для неї ж у період менопаузи. До речі, про цей процес, як і про менархе, теж бажано дізнатися набагато раніше його початку, аби бути готовою. Не зайвою буде й інформація про інфекції, котрі можуть з’явитися самі по собі або ж передатися статевим шляхом, аби розуміти, коли варто мчати до лікаря негайно, а коли різкуватий запах піхви — це норма, адже вона й не має пахнути конваліями, що б не говорили нам глянцеві журнали чи чоловіки.

До речі, про чоловіків. Джен Ґантер не раз згадує про "інвестиції патріархального суспільства" в культуру замовчування жіночої тілесності або ж "забруднення" всього, що виходить за межі дітонародження, у тому числі сексуального задоволення. Навколо цієї теми також створено багато міфів, які старанно підтримуються, бо це вигідно насамперед тим же чоловікам. Прикро, що більшість жінок не готові змінити хоча б щось, аби позбавитися ярликів, а часом і навпаки: свідомо чи ні їх тиражують. Це стосується й геть банальних речей, як-от використання спеціальних засобів для очищення інтимних зон: мовляв, запаху треба позбавлятися, а рівень pH потрібно берегти, бо аяяяй! А насправді це все — ніщо інше, як маркетинговий хід, розрахований на споживачок, не озброєних елементарними знаннями про особливості жіночого організму. Хоча про яке озброєння йдеться, якщо й досі жінки спринцюються оцтом після статевого акту, аби "повбивати" сперматозоїди, забороняють дівчатам користуватися тампонами, бо це може позбавити їх цноти, старанно імітують оргазм, замість того щоб пояснити партнерові, як ліпше зробити так, аби все було по-справжньому, цькують тих, хто посмів бути не такою "порядною", як вони, ліпше повірять інтернет-вигадці такої ж, як самі, ніж обґрунтованій інформації досвідченої лікарки, бо як вона посміла назвати книгу про вагіну "біблією"?

Однак вибір є в кожної з нас, тож зробімо його, дбаючи про себе, а не про старі, вкриті мохом і оброслі запліснявілими міфами традиції.

[Mundy Reimer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Longer review coming shortly but 💯👌 so far! Incredibly comprehensive and informative! I would recommend this to pretty much all of my female friends and any others who want to understand more and/or care for their partner's health as well (go teamwork!)

Goes over: General Physiology (finally decent pictures for once!), Pleasure, Pregnancy & Childbirth, Food & Vaginal Health, Underwear, Lube, Exercises, Skincare & Cleansing with various soaps/cleansers/wipes, Moisturizers, Hair Removal+Grooming, Menstrual Products + Myths, Menopause, Medications + Interventions (like Antibiotics + Probiotics), STIs (HPV, HSV, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Trichomoniasis, Lice), Conditions (Yeast, Vaginosis, Vulvodynia, Vaginismus, UTIs, Bladder issues, Pelvic Organ Prolapse), Symptoms + What to Do(!)

Conclusion = 5 stars!

[Emmkay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admirably and exhaustively educational - nothing like settling into a chapter on ‘pubic lice’ for your bedtime reading. Gunter’s educational campaign extends to other topics that my middle-aged brain was only vaguely aware of and had no need to be dissuaded from, ranging from crocheted tampons found on Etsy to having one’s own plasma injected into one’s clitoris. Not things that were included in the 70s copy of Our Bodies, Ourselves in my home when I was growing up. Still contains line drawings, though. 3.5.

[Erasmia Kritikou · Rating 3 out of 5]

μια καλη αρχη για την εκλαικευση και αποταμπουποίηση της γυναικειας γενετησιας ανατομιας - ωστοσο για μενα οχι αρκετή.
Δεν μου αρεσε πολυ το υφος της γυναικολογου, που θεωρουσε τον εαυτο της αυθεντια και βαλλοταν κατα παντος αντρα γυναικολογου, τοσο πολλά τα κατηγορω της και το κραξιμο της, που το θεωρησα αντισυναδελφική προσβολή. Σιγουρα θα ειχε και τους λογους της, αλλα αυτο δεν αφορα εμας τους αναγνωστες αμεσα, ειναι κατι δικο τους να λυσουν.
Και καθολου μα καθολου δε μ αρεσε η μεταφραση. Ηταν τραγική. Επιμελητη που να ελεγχει τους ιατρικους ορους δεν εχουν εκει στο μεταιχμιο; επειδη εχω κανει τρια παιδια και 3 γυναικολογικα χειρουργεια, τυχαινει να ειμαι αρκετα εξοικειωμενη με τη γυναικολογική ορολογια, και ημουν συχνα σε φαση facepalm με την οτι-του-φανεί μεταφραση.
τελος, δε μου αρεσε η επιλογη των κεφαλαιων, τα θεωρησα λιγο εξειδικευμενα, και δεν απαντουσαν με απλο τροπο στα φλεγοντα και κυριαρχα ερωτηματα των κοριτσιων. Ακομη, οι απαντησεις που εδιναν ηταν σχετικα με το ισχυει στην Αμερική και συχνα δεν ειχαν καμια σχεση με το δικο μας συστημα υγειας.

Το τριτο αστερι λοιπον, καθως η αρχική μου προθεση ηταν τα 2*, παει στην προσπαθεια να βγει στο φως και η γυναικεια φυση - να μην ντρεπομαστε οταν εχουμε περιοδο, να μη πασαρουμε κρυφα σερβιετες η μια στην αλλη λες και αγοραζουμε κοκα, να μη ψαχνουμε απαντησεις στο φεισμπουκ σε γκρουπ γυναικολογικά, να απελευθερωθουν τελος παντων και τα αρκετα καταπιεσμενα δικαιωματα της γυναικας, αναλογικά με τον αιωνα που βρισκομαστε.

[Raine McLeod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected. It’s very good for reference and there’s honestly a lot more going on down there than I thought. Only gets 4 stars because she spends a huge chunk of the book talking about men (transwomen) who neither have a vagina (an inverted penis is not a vagina) nor will ever need a gynaecologist (because they do not and will never have a vagina). It pisses me off that we can’t even have a book called THE VAGINA BIBLE without having to pander to fucking men’s delusions.

[Ariel ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Jennifer Gunter crams a lot of valuable, dense information in this little tome. At times it became a little too dense as if she forgot she wasn't writing a textbook for medical students. I'm glad this book exists, but a few sections gave me pause. I started to feel almost defensive of natural menstrual sanitation tools and techniques that I don't even use because of the way she dismissed them so flippantly, but she does dig deep into shaving vs. waxing, the microtraumas these grooming practices cause, and which are the best techniques because of *choice* and *bodily autonomy*. :/ The organization of the chapters also felt disordered and repetitive.

There was some information I have not seen explored in nearly as much depth from a medical standpoint, like the way testosterone affects the vagina and vulva. Dr. Gunter pulls from both medical research and personal experience to present these topics in a way that seems complete, but she is still a person with biases. She comes down hard on certain sides of contested medical practices, and it makes the way she explores these issues feel somewhat dishonest. Yes, she is very well-informed and has established her own opinions through her education and years of medical experience, but so have other doctors with just as much education and experience. To not acknowledge the controversies around certain birthing practices, hygiene techniques, hormone therapies, or medications made me take each section with several grains of salt. I'd love to read other doctors' takes on this book. We definitely need more books like this. There was so much I didn't know I didn't know about my body, and I'm just a little enraged about the inadequate education we all receive regarding half the population's anatomy.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more a book that you read in fits and starts, rather than cover to cover. I read it cover to cover. And I learned a lot! I also got mad by how much misinformation and old wives' tales there are out there, and by how the female body has really been exploited by patriarchy.

I also learned that some women dry their vulvas with hair dryers. NOOOOOO! I screamed.

I also realized that I should probably boil my tweezers, or at the very least, clean them more often.

I like Jen Gunter's personable, no-nonsense, matter of a fact, science based approach. Her approach is friendly and factual. I wish she was my doctor.

This is a great book, and I hope a lot of people have a look at it. It's also non-heternormative (except one part), and trans friendly.

[Cherisa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive, interesting, sometimes fun and sometimes infuriating read, especially when the arrogance of masculine issues is played out on women’s bodies, all through history and across medical practices.

[Następcy Książeki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mamy tu podstawy biologii i chemii kobiecego organizmu. Podstawy, które warto znać nie zależnie od płci, bo pamiętamy, że wiedzą z obszaru edukacji seksualnej nie jest tylko dla kobiet.

[Nicole Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!

I'm 33, a mom, college educated, professional, and a mostly Internet savvy feminist. And I learned SO MUCH from this book! I have to recommend it to anyone and everyone who has a vagina.

I mean it. Everyone who has a vagina, including trans women and nonbinary folks. This book is written with diversity in mind and addresses numerous issues specific to these groups. In fact, once I got done reading I donated my copy to my local center for youth between the ages of 14 and 24 who are experiencing unsafe or unstable housing, many of whom are LGBTQ+ and likely have limited access to compassionate health care.

The best part about this book isn't the anatomy lessons or descriptions of STDs and their remedies. The best part is the incredible, timely MYTH BUSTING! What is commonly referred to as "old wives' tales" are a thing of the past. Yes, they do persist, but nobody I know actually douches anymore, for example. We scoff at our mothers for having done so. What we have now is the casual misinformation of reputable-looking health topic websites like Livestrong, which generally show up on the first page of Google search results and tend to perpetuate many of the modern myths about vaginas that I actually believed.

Here are some bombs from this book:
Peeing after sex doesn't prevent UTIs.
Wearing only cotton panties doesn't prevent yeast infections.
Removing the hair from your labia can increase your risk of contracting STDs.
That whole Chris Pratt meme about pooing and that frustrating "wiping a marker" sensation? You don't need to wipe that hard. The harder you wipe, the more poop comes out. You should basically be blotting down there.
Marijuana and alcohol make you physically worse at sex. Men, too. But since so much of arousal is about lowering inhibitions and feeling relaxed, they might help anyway.

These are juuuuuuuuuuuuust a few examples of the amazing revelations this book has to offer. Seriously, if you have a vag, check out this book. Then pass it on to someone else who has a vag.

Edit: I just deleted a really disgusting transphobic comment. Please don't bother commenting on my review if you're going to be blatantly insulting to the almost 1 million transgender people in the US. If you're trans, please know that you deserve skilled, compassionate medical care that respects your health and wholeness.