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This Is How You Vagina: All About Your Vajayjay and Why You Probably Shouldn't Call It That

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The history, mystery, and majesty of the most fascinating organ

In This Is How You Vagina, Dr. Nicole Williams presents readers with a much-needed education on the history, science, and attitudes of the most fascinating and misunderstood part of the female anatomy: the vagina. She covers valuable information about sexual function, childbirth, and physiology and provides answers to her patients’ (and probably your) most asked questions. She matter-of-factly dispels the most common myths and misinformation concerning female genitalia, including—

• No, your vagina doesn’t need steaming 
• Those panty liners are unnecessary—your vagina needs to breathe
• It’s actually perfectly normal for your vagina to have an odor—consider it your personal brand

This book is an easy-to-understand guide, complete with illustrations, for women to explore and understand their vaginas in a way they never have before. You will learn what's normal and what's not, including that, yes, yours is most certainly normal too.

This is How You Vagina is essential reading for anyone who is looking to better understand the form and function of this most majestic and fascinating organ.

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 21, 2021

40 people are currently reading
2365 people want to read

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
Profile Image for TL *Humaning the Best She Can*.
2,354 reviews170 followers
April 29, 2023
*Won via goodreads giveaways, all my opinions are my own *

With my surgery coming up, I thought this would be a good time to add to my knowledge bank and see what could possibly happen after and be prepared. Plus, I'm a history nut as well.

This was an easy and informative read, I highlighted alot of passages in my kindle :) some things I read again and also told my sister about. (She had a good laugh at the title)

Some stuff I didn't know, and would have appreciated this knowledge in health class (especially the chapter on periods) back in school, though I can see SOME people protesting *rolls eyes* Better to br prepared with knowledge so we are comfortable talking about it later (especially those with anxiety disorders).

Definitely will be referring to this later on and recommending it to the women in my life. I was unsure at first, kind of uncomfortable at the thought of reading about the topic but surprisingly it wasn't uncomfortable to read at all.

Full disclosure: I did skip the parts that didn't/would never pertain to me (aromatic asexual) but I did read the bits of some of them to get the general facts.

Definitely check this one out.

Side note: I would be comfortable getting treated by this doctor.
Profile Image for gee.
108 reviews
September 10, 2021
I’ve needed this book since i first came out of my mother’s womb. This handy book will help you reassure yourself that all vaginas are normal. It includes such interesting facts at the end of each chapter & it was SO interesting to learn the history behind vaginas, dildos, sanitary products etc. I will definitely be referring back to this book in the future.
Profile Image for Valerity (Val).
1,116 reviews2,776 followers
November 22, 2021
I won this book on a Goodreads Giveaway. I was hooked by
the title and figured it would be hoot to read. It turned out to be
much more than that, and a good, informative read. I never knew there
was such a thing as a “Tampon Tax” on feminine products in many
states. I have 7 nieces and feel they all should read it for
enlightenment on the subject in regular language by a modern woman
doctor.

Profile Image for readingwithdemix.
68 reviews
September 21, 2021
I loved this book! The author normalises taking about the vagina and sexual health in a chatty way, using slang we often hear rather than just the scientific phrases.

This is such an interesting and informative book that everyone needs to read. Show this to your daughters, your aunts and your friends!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
671 reviews51 followers
May 6, 2022
Edit: this is the weirdest review I've probably ever written. I'm also not sure it's a review. Enjoy..?

I was excited to read this book because I know basically zero things about my vagina. How is it shaped? How does it WORK? How can I get it to feel great? What do I do when it feels terrible? And because I'm always a reader first, I of course sought out a book. Just call me Hermione.

I now have some answers to those questions, and damn if I don't feel so great about that. I'm so happy to finally understand my body better! My current state and my future state! I've had SO many questions about menopause and was like, well it's a while off I guess I'll deal with it then. And yet, if I take care of myself now, I can make that transition a hell of a lot easier on myself. Basically I need to keep having lots of sex. Thanks Doc. 😏

Plus I've always known pregnancy is INSANE and women are INSANE and now I know exactly how incredible and, to me, fairly terrifying it all is. I have no idea how our bodies are able to heal from being torn open and having a human crawl out, but clearly they are, and isn't that just incredible?

The range of topics in here is just fabulous. Williams covers so much content and variety that it's crazy to think it's all still about vaginas and vulvas. To anyone who's thinking that a whole book about vaginas and vulvas sounds boring or maybe gross, I say: piss off. Women need this book, or at the very least *I* needed this book, and I could probably read multiple more books all about it and still be learning.

This is definitely geared more towards people who have vaginas, but I do think it would be valuable for those without to read this as well. Have some appreciation for how incredible they are. There's a lot of public knowledge about penises, and I'd say in American culture at least, we know how they work. They're easily visible, and easy to understand, and possibly too common in pop culture and humor, etc. But vaginas? All tucked up in there and the epitome of "naughty" and "taboo??" Let's get them some visibility too, aight? Vaginas and vulvas are also really awesome!

Case in point: the muscles that make up most of the vagina are stronger than steel. STEEL! STEEL IS REALLY STRONG, AND MY VAGINA'S GOT IT BEAT! I'm a frickin' superhero, y'all.

~See more reviews and book talk at MyBookJoy.com!~

mybookjoy.com
Profile Image for Seher.
785 reviews32 followers
January 9, 2022
As a desi woman and a member of several Facebook groups, I’ve heard all the horror stories about gynaecologists.

That being said, I live in a world where my doctor asks me if I’m married or not to check if I’m sexually active (a day ago) and I definitely cannot say vagina out loud! And there are a hundred things I’m too hesitant to ask questions about. I’m also leaving all my over-sharing in my notes app, so you guys aren’t subjected to it.

While Dr. Williams is engaging, I don’t feel like she’s trying to infantilise me. She didn’t shy away from explaining basic medical terms to us that make me feel less stupid now. It’s also incredibly informative because while we all get told to love ourselves and take a look down there, this is the first time I’ve actually been told what I’m looking for. Like what’s an actual thing I should take note of.

Of course, there are the usual things we go over again ( please don’t ever douche, or wear a thong for longer than three hours), there are some really beautiful facts about the body. Did you know that the vagina can be heart-shaped on inside? And thats normal?!

I learned a lot from this book and will probably pick it up again in the future just to calm myself down or figure out what questions I should ask my doctor. I fully recommend this book and putting this down as a 5 star read!

Thank you Kate Rock Book Tours for the chance to read this!
Profile Image for Katelynn.
60 reviews17 followers
January 4, 2022
Let’s face it: US health education in schools is useless. So many of us come out of it, and have no idea anything about our own bodies. We have more questions than answers, and often have no idea where to turn for answers.

Enter “This is How You Vagina”. This book is perfect for all the unanswered questions people with vaginas might have. Dr. Williams is a OB/GYN, and she shares her years of experience to answer questions and dispel common myths. I absolutely think that anyone should read this book, it’s a great source of information!
Profile Image for Nicole Nieto.
Author 2 books4 followers
September 16, 2021
This Is How You Vagina is an informative and helpful book about vaginas. It really reminded me of the kind of pamphlets and books your mom gives you when you hit puberty, but with a more mature tone and more in depth information. There were definitely parts in the book where the author went into a lot of scientific detail and long Latin names that made my brain want to skim, but I think all of the up front and honest talk about the vagina helped keep me engaged.
I do think there was an opportunity to include trans people in this discussion that was missed and this book really focuses on heterosexual women more than any other sexuality, but I don’t think badly of the author for any of this. This book is very good at what it does, which is to talk about the vagina as an organ that has a lot of misinformation surrounding it. This book never really focuses on gender and sexuality as a topic, merely makes the assumption that it’s audience consists of cis, heterosexual women.
This is a great way to start gathering information and with the resources included in the book, there’s plenty of opportunity for people to learn more if they really want to.
Profile Image for Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile.
2,171 reviews133 followers
January 14, 2022
The best book on female anatomy that I have read! The author - a Black female gynecologist - covers EVERYTHING from proper names of female body parts to toys to sex to female history. Even though some of the "science" parts were a little dry for me, I highly recommend this book. It's a must-read. Many thanks to Kate Rock Book Tours for my copy!
Profile Image for Dive Into A Good Book.
740 reviews41 followers
January 14, 2022
If you have questions about your vagina, you need to read this book. Nicole Williams brings humor, history, and science to explain all your questions about "her". It is informative, extremely well researched and meticulously planned. You can skip around the chapters. If you are not dying to know about vaginal rejuvenation, you can jump to the sex toys, or the reasons some women do not orgasm. There is something for everyone to learn or have an aha moment. You can peruse the appendix for sex toys, which also gives a description and the website. Just in case you are interested.

My favorite part of This is How you Vagina were the history sections. Did you know Lysol was first marketed as a vaginal disinfectant...ummmm what!! I was brought screaming back to my college anthropology classes when we discussed Saartjie Bartmann, she was also known as the Hottentot Venus. My heart is wrecked when I think about our history and how we treated people. Do yourself a favor and your vaginas and read this book! Thank you to Nicole E. Williams M.D. and Kate Rock Book Tours for sending me this informative and thought provoking read.
Profile Image for Sherrie.
691 reviews2 followers
November 11, 2021
***I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway***

Whether you have a vagina, want to touch a vagina, or care about someone who has a vagina...you probably don't know enough about this organ to give it the respect it deserves. I thoroughly enjoyed the light hearted tone the author managed through most of the book, while not backing away from the science. She used technical terms, discussed biochemistry and bacteriology and used diagrams. This is what sex ed should include but we all know it doesn't usually do so.

I appreciated her consistent use of general terms to be inclusive of different genders and sexualities. Her last chapter which discusses the compounded issue of vaginas with sexism and racism, especially racism, was a bit of a dark point to finish on...but that was clearly intended. It's an important issue.

I recommend this one to science teachers and parents of teenagers who have or would like to touch a vagina. It's an in-depth and humorous look at the humanity's coolest body part.
Profile Image for Haley, MLS | haley.readsbooks.
69 reviews3 followers
January 19, 2022
Absolutely recommend ALL women read this book! (and men tbh).

So much scientific backed knowledge. Opened my eyes to how little research (even today in 2022!!!!) has been done to help/further/understand women’s health and their bodies.
This book also taught me so much about the divide between what black women experience in regards to issues of female reproductive/sexual health compared to all other races.
Did you know that the very first Black female ob-gyn only received her board certification in 1945… that’s ONLY 76 years ago!!!
We have come a long way but this showed me we still have so much further to go.

If you are a woman and you have a vagina (lol ya I said it Goodreads), you need this book!
We as a society should be comfortable talking about women’s sexuality & reproductive health!!! And it should not be coupled with shame.

Well done Dr. Nicole Williams👏🏼👏🏼
Profile Image for Cara BookShelfMomma.
396 reviews18 followers
October 29, 2021
What is a topic that was super taboo, or embarrassing to talk about when you were little?? Vaginas come to mind! Even though 50% of the population have them. In our 66% of us have them and I want my daughters to understand their vaginas, heck I wanna know more about mine. So this book is a wealth of scientific knowledge and history about our vaginas, and topics pertaining to them. There is so much knowledge to be gained from this book. Even as a nurse and a woman I have learned a lot by reading it. I love how the author makes vaginas normal, something I want my daughters to feel, not ashamed or embarrassed. I will definitely be keeping this on my shelf for years! Thank you to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @drnicolelife for having me on this book tour.
Profile Image for Nicole McKelvey.
123 reviews2 followers
January 16, 2022
I received this book from Kate Rock Book Tours and the author for my honest review.

In this nonfiction deep dive into all things vagina, Dr Nicole Williams helps to unpack the mystery that still seems to surround an organ and system that half the world is blessed to have. She breaks down concepts like normal smells, discharge, sensation, and habits, while breaking down myths, no-no’s (there are things that should NEVER go in there) and terminology to make things easy to understand and follow.

Throughout the book Dr Williams integrates personality, validation, and historical context to help us understand our bodies. A lot of what she writes is important. In addition to demystifying vaginas, Dr Williams broaches some difficult and taboo topics. She delves into the racism and sexism in medicine that has limited research on vaginas (and especially vaginas of color). She talks about grooming and health, and does not shy away from discussing toys - they have their own chapter and appendix! Overall I felt this was an important read for any vagina owner.

The only concern I had in this book was the mention of “clean eating” a few times throughout the book, and some of the comments about weight. As someone who works in the healthcare field, and as someone who has experienced fatphobia at the hands of medical professionals, I recommend those who read this take caution when reading those passages. Clean eating is a fairly vague term and research demonstrates that the use of these terms may (unintentionally) lead to eating disorders. (Google Orthorexia).

Overall this was a great book at unpacking the vagina. I recommend it for anyone who is a vagina owner, loves vaginas, or wants to dismantle the patriarchy in medicine.
Profile Image for Gabby.
45 reviews
July 5, 2024
I received this book from #GoodreadsGiveaways a couple years ago and finally got around to reading it (slow reader with never ending tbr). Dr. Williams was clear about her intentions from the beginning and she stuck to them to the very last page.

Dr. Williams set out to dispel myths, educate, and normalize all vaginas. Although not everything in this book pertains to me, those parts were still very informational to read (or you can simply skip if desired). I really enjoyed the history of the topics covered. She was very thorough in her discussions including her experiences and gathered information.

Dr. Williams did a fantastic job of explaining things for the average human. There were some parts I had to read over a few times to make sure I grasped it but that could have been an attention issue not writing.

This book has educated me and made me feel more confident in my own vagina. I would recommend this to any female.

I would love to have Dr. Williams as a provider! But since I can’t, I’m glad she is using her resources to educate the rest of us.
30 reviews3 followers
January 27, 2022
I'm not usually a nonfiction reader but this book, and cover, caught my eye! It was a humorous take on scientific information and I definitely learned something new. Even if nonfiction isn't your preferred genre this book was easy to read and helpful!

Thank you #Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review of #ThisisHowYouVagina.
Profile Image for Hina Tabassum Khatri.
677 reviews117 followers
January 27, 2022
An interesting and informative book that made me feel pain, sadness, excitement, and fear.

Recommended for all women, especially from South Asian families, to give this one a read.
Profile Image for Cat Fithian.
1,140 reviews1 follower
March 5, 2022
Accessible, educational (I learned so much!) and really readable, Dr. Williams has put together the best thing I've read about my body, perhaps, in my life. For people who have vaginas and those who care about them.
Profile Image for Emma | emmasbookishself.
638 reviews24 followers
September 18, 2021
A wealth of knowledge. I enjoyed how easy of a read this was, despite the amount of information. This is a great tool for initial questions about vaginas. A great start to normalizing vaginas.

As a vagina owner I know how taboo vaginas still are. I learned a lot from this book, and I am thankful for doctors like Nicole Williams who are continuously advocating for women’s health.
Profile Image for Ana.
107 reviews14 followers
September 14, 2021
The main reason why I was interested in reading this book was, as it's mentioned in the book, because of the fact that we don't talk about this topic. Half of the world's population go about their lives knowing almost nothing about something as important as their vagina. And that is mindblowing, but it also seems like no one cares about changing that dynamic.

To do this review properly, I want to first talk about the positives and then the negatives.
For the positives, the main one is that through this book, the author tries to normalize talking about both the vagina and our sexual health. Using normal words, rather than the most academic, helps massively. Some of the things mentioned were worded the same way I could talk to a friend about it. And that made the book a lot easier to read. Medical terms can be tricky for people, like me, who have not studied them.
Another positive, of course, is all the useful information that the book has. I definitely plan on rereading certain parts in the future.
There is talk about menopause. Hurray! Society makes it seem like women who are no longer fertile are not even women anymore. I bet many women can use that chapter about menopause to understand better the changes their body is going through. As women, our body changes so much, yet we know so little about why and how.
The chapter about race was very interesting. I am a firm believer in getting data from both sexes to properly analyze all types of medical stuff. And in the same way we need to talk about heart attacks knowing that the symptoms can be different for men and women, we need to acknowledge that race can affect the way a certain medical thing needs to be studied and treated. There are so many illnesses and similar where the death rate is so much higher for non-white people, and this kind of research is essential to change that.

For the negatives, I first have to mention how food was talked about in a chapter. I understand mentioning healthy eating as a way to, well, be healthy. But demonising food groups with harsh terms is never the way to do it for me. Rather than saying "never drink soda" (and this comes from someone that rarely drinks soda), say that soda is not the greatest drink for different reasons and that drinking more water can help with this or that problem.
Of course, there is pseudo-science and terms related to that in this book. It seems like they need to feature otherwise the book will be "cancelled". Mention "cis" women is ridiculous, especially coming from a health professional. Using gender rather than sex throughout the whole book is annoying. I understand the author is American and that country is where most of these silly (very misogynistic) terms come from, so I didn't really expect any better. I'm actually pleased she mentions women and girls when talking about problems that only affect women and girls. However, it's interesting that one of my favourite quotes from the book is negated by the use of these terms.
When talking about the different words we use to name a vagina, the author says that we use these words because of our "desire to remain inoffensive". I 150% agree with that. That's why I never use terms like "cis" which force me to not talk about any experience that I have because I'm a woman. For the people who obsess over these terms, me talking about my vagina, my periods, etc...is offensive. So, kind of interesting if you think about it.

Despite those negatives, that won't bother a lot of people, this is a very important book. And I'll definitely recommend it to all the women that I can. Because if we don't make an effort to learn about something that is so important to us, who will?

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for providing me with an early copy of the book.
Profile Image for Amelia.
590 reviews22 followers
January 18, 2022
"Did you know? It wasn't until 1994 that the NIH mandated that most clinical trials include women."

Above is one of the fun facts that Williams, a black OB, writes for the end of each chapter. This book was exactly at my level. I'm pleased (though not smugly) to report that I was already aware of many facts in her book (women used to use Lysol as a douche/spermicide), and that I was completely ignorant of many others (there are 5 known vaginal shapes?? only 30% of what women menstruate is blood, the rest is tissue and mucus [which, sure, makes sense, but ONLY 30??])

Written as though a conversation between a doctor and her patient, she holds no judgement. Women aren't taught a lot of things about their bodies, and I'd personally go as far to say as though on purpose. She discusses how there are plenty of clinical trials about ED, but that it can take years, up to decades, for women to receive proper diagnosis. And from there? Well, who knows?

Williams gives names to all of our parts, explains what can happen when things go wrong. And even better, the penis is rarely mentioned. When it is, it is not in comparison, but instead in reaction to something a vagina does. For example, our pH levels help to kill off weak sperm so that only the strong and active have a chance at fertilization.

Though completely understandable if you don't want to read this one on the subway, it makes for the perfect couch-read, bath-read, kitchen-table-read, or bed-read. I don't think I've read a book about female anatomy that was so riveting and funny and ultimately charming. I've got a lot of love for my little lady, and it's nice to know that someone else is out there teaching others to love and know theirs, too!
Profile Image for Brittany | BrittanyIsBooked.
388 reviews30 followers
September 19, 2021
This was a pretty quick and informative read, I just didn’t love it. I would say I’m closer to 3.5 stars than 3.

I think there are two parts to this book: general information and history on vaginas, and "one size fits all" medical advice on taking care of vaginas. While I appreciate both, and do think both are necessary, I generally shy away from "one size fits all" medicine. We are each unique women with our own vaginas. We carry our questions and our problems differently, and our habits affect us differently. Although this is mentioned somewhere in the book, I don't think the writing carries it across.

That said, I think the history and information on vaginas is invaluable. Providing this information in a book format allows all of us women to step into the office of Dr. Williams as if we really were her patient. The information is also accessible by men, which can help them understand their fellow friends, coworkers, partners, parents, and children with vaginas.

I think this book is important and as I'm sure women are never going anywhere, it'll be a great source for years to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and Greenleaf Book Group for the ARC
Profile Image for noorthebookworm .
818 reviews22 followers
October 4, 2021
Fascinating & informative.
A one- stop GENUINE solution, to all the queries & myths!


from the author-
"How can I write a book that you can read cover to cover, explaining with science but not putting you to sleep? Here is my effort—hope it worked!"

🦉
We had this mysterious body part that smelled bad.
You couldn’t see it very well.
It got hairy.
It bled practically every month, and to top it all off, there was discharge.
Ugh.
Any guesses?

When a natural part of our body can be seen or perceived as diseased and disgusting, it is no wonder that we are unable to fully embrace our bodies and ourselves in every way possible.

📌 about the book-
This is How You Vagina
by
Dr. Nicole Williams.

Release Date: September 21, 2021.
298 pgs.
#1 #newrelease in Women's Sexual Health
#2 in Menstruation
#7 in Menopause.
#19 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The history, mystery, and majesty of the most fascinating organ.

Your vagina needs to breathe.
#didyouknow
It’s actually perfectly normal for your vagina to have an odor.

In This is How You Vagina, Dr. Nicole Williams presents readers with a much-needed education on the history, science, and attitudes of the most fascinating and misunderstood part of the female anatomy: the vagina.

She matter-of-factly dispels the most common myths and misinformation concerning female genitalia.

🦸‍♀️Dr. Nicole Williams is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, with the philosophy of marrying both alternative and traditional medicine.
She lives in Chicago, IL.

This is not a "textbook" read, rather it's written with wit, logic and is easy to understand.-- Adrianna Hopkins Emmy-winning News anchor.

She combines historical in-depth research with facts, science & her professional experiences.
The illustrations & her quirky, witty style with historical facts & did you knows 😏, keep the interest of the reader alive w/out making it sound, something theoretical & boring.

🌸
Who or what is your source of information, when you have such queries?
Personally, mine had been #google #mom #gynaecologist in that order.
Profile Image for Amanda.
49 reviews1 follower
April 26, 2022
This book is just incredible. Seriously. I want to recommend it to everyone, regardless of whether or not you have a vagina. While I read this, I was constantly bombarding friends and family with tidbits and new information I learned from this book. It has been invaluable in helping me understand my body and my belief in equal rights for sexual health.

The book is packed with wisdom, history, anatomical diagrams, illustrations, and graphs. It is an in-depth examination of every topic relating to this organ and it is written by the clever, funny, and brilliant Black gynecologist, Dr. Nicole Williams.

I learned so much while reading this. For example, did you know the origin of the word “hysteria” comes from the Greek word for uterus? Let that one stew as you contemplate the etymological implications there. Do you know whether your state applies a “luxury tax” on feminine hygiene products? My state does and I was appalled to realize that I didn’t even know that before reading this book.

I loved the illustrated anatomy diagrams that were so beautifully rendered and I learned so much about lots of different topics like the history of gynecology, sex toys, and advertising to women.

“You can’t even put up an ad that uses the word 'vagina' on most of the major social media sites. I’ve tried. Unfortunately, when we marginalize the proper term, we demonize it, causing us to use inappropriate words like ‘intimate’ and making us all look like puritans.”

This book also illuminated the dire situation for women’s health, the failure of modern medicine to address women’s problems, as well as the way we stereotype the sexuality of women of different cultures.

Regardless of whether or not you have a vagina, you’ll gain so much knowledge from reading this.


*I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
279 reviews
August 25, 2025
Dr. Jennifer Lincoln’s This Is How You Vagina: All About Your Vajayjay and Why You Probably Shouldn’t Call It That (often mistakenly attributed to Williams) is a refreshingly candid and empowering guide to women’s health. Written with a mix of humor, science, and approachable honesty, the book tackles the taboos, myths, and misinformation that often surround the vagina. Lincoln combines her expertise as an OB-GYN with a warm, conversational tone, making a typically clinical subject feel accessible, even fun. She emphasizes not only anatomy and physiology but also the cultural baggage that influences how people talk—or avoid talking—about their bodies.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its ability to balance evidence-based medical information with personal validation. Lincoln doesn’t shy away from addressing stigmatized topics—such as discharge, yeast infections, or sexual pleasure—while also debunking dangerous fads and misleading marketing in women’s health. She encourages readers to understand their bodies on their own terms, equipping them with knowledge that fosters both confidence and self-advocacy. This combination of fact and reassurance makes the book resonate strongly with readers who may have previously felt embarrassed, confused, or dismissed by medical professionals.

Overall, This Is How You Vagina is an engaging, necessary, and empowering read. It not only provides accurate, practical knowledge about the body but also seeks to normalize conversations about vaginal health. For women and anyone with a vagina, this book serves as both an educational tool and a confidence-building companion. Its blend of medical expertise, cultural critique, and humor makes it a standout in the growing genre of women’s health literature—a book that many will wish they had encountered much earlier in life.
Profile Image for Dessie.
65 reviews2 followers
September 17, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a an e-copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. "This is How You Vagina" by Dr. Nicole Williams is a book the vagina-owning population truly needed, for quite some time now actually. Themes from Menstruation, Menopause and Giving Birth through Discharge and Vagina Care all the way to the numerous names which people use instead of 'vagina', Orgasm and Toys are discussed, which leads me to believe that this is a perfect book for anyone who wants to embrace their vagina. With her uniquely mature yet funny writing style, Dr. Nicole Williams presents all things vagina in a very truthful and raw way. As a vagina-owner, I have been in situations, which made me think about the importance of the vagina and how having one changes everything for you (especially that time last year, when I still worked as a receptionist, a very wealthy-looking man came to the reception desk and asked me if I was "bleeding", and if yes, asked me to find him someone else to accommodate him, it is so hard for me to believe that there are still people who can not grasp the idea of women being on their period and not being dirty or harmful), so what makes this book so wonderful to me is the fact that it shows the vagina and the life with one in a way we have never seen before, it gives answers, tips, motivation and knowledge. Everything in this book is explained in a very clear way, so that even I, a non-native speaker, although, in my humble opinion, still fluent. can understand. I find it rather important to mention that this book also deals with topics such as rape, racism, FGM and more. A big thank you to Dr. Nicole Williams for writing a book so informative, educational and empowering.
Profile Image for Kevin Dufresne.
338 reviews3 followers
October 15, 2022
Hi,

I hope all is progressing well.

This is How You Vagina: All About Your Vajayjay and Why You Probably Shouldn't Call it That by Dr. Nicole E. Williams, M.D., is (for the most part) funny, insightful, and practical about aspects of health (particularly women's health) through the vulva historically to modernity with acknowledgements more research is necessary for certain aspects of women's health. I like to be mindful about my health (generally as a man and personally). I like to be mindful about health of women particularly because I want to be cognizant of my/future romantic/life partner's health (generally as a woman and personally to agreeable reasonable extents). Why accept bare minimums of women's health though expect maximum pleasures from a woman in lieu of assisting abundant-robust maximums of women's health to partner to maximums of pleasure together? I choose to learn better so I may assist abundant-robust maximums of health (generally, personally, particularly of men and women) to partner to maximums of pleasure and a better society at large. In the text, Dr. Nicole E. Williams, M.D., tends to advise one to visit one's doctor for consultation even after sharing practical sound advice. The (no jokes, serious, not to take lightly) final chapter in the book approaches stereotypes and tropes for individuals to be mindful of so as to self-protect and prevent harming others from individuals enacting/exhibiting inconsiderate ignorant harmful behaviors embracing/showcasing effects of harmful beliefs. I really like the book. I'm glad about reading the text and having another text of the sort available referentially.

Onward and Upward,
Kevin Dufresne
www.Piatures.com
IG: @Dufreshest
12 reviews
January 28, 2023
This Is How You Vagina: All About Your Vajayjay and Why You Probably Shouldn't Call It That

This book makes it incredibly easy to understand vaginas. Even if you think you already know about vaginas, like myself, you absolutely will learn so much more. Dr. Williams describes intricate medical information in a way thats fun, simple, an interesting for anyone to understand whether they have a vagina or not. This book has medical graphics and diagrams to help the reader visualize the concepts Dr. Williams describes, but the book feels nothing like a boring textbook whatsoever. Dr. Williams also does an amazing job of making lists. For examples, lists of methods for reliving yeast infections or lists of common vaginal smells and their meanings. Dr. Williams goes above and beyond to teach readers about the history, science cultural context behind so many vaginal issues, myths, technologies, terminologies and remedies.

This book is also uniquely inclusive by referring to people with vaginas simply as that- people with vaginas- rather than exclusively referring to them as women or not acknowledging intersex or non binary people. As a black woman, Dr. Williams dedicated the final chapter to talking about racism in gynecology and how stereotypes ascribed to black woman and black people with vaginas came to be.

Dr. Williams is a stellar writer and seems like she cares so much about her patients and her work. I wish i lived in Chicago so i could be a patient of hers!
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389 reviews13 followers
October 4, 2021
This is How You Vagina
All about your Vajayjay and Why You Probably Shouldn’t Call it That
By Nicole Williams

I was feeling a little trepidation in doing this book tour only because I was a little shy about posting on this topic. However, my interest in the topic helped me to overcome that. I have had my share of pelvic pain over the years and one of my daughters suffers from chronic yeast infections, so I knew I could benefit from reading this.
Did you know the vagina can expand in length and width up to 200% during sexual arousal? This is just one of the many interesting facts you’ll read in Dr. William’s book.


Part anatomy, and self- care mixed with history, and part social equality the topics range from menstrual cycles, birthing, menopausal, and orgasms.
What I really found shocking was the history of the vagina. In ancient times it was thought that any ailment a woman had was from a “migrating womb”. This theory was that when a woman had a problem anywhere in her body it was because her uterus had traveled there to cause her turmoil. Therefore the treatments would begin in that region. So blaming PMS as the cause of anything that might be wrong with a women has a long standing history.

This book was very informative and I will definitely return to it when an issue arises or I have questions. Williams makes learning about the vagina interesting and easy to understand. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone with a vagina.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews

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