Why is the female population so damn reluctant to learn what’s going on with their own bodies? I’m continually struck by the ignorance perpetuated not only by media, but by parents who refuse their kids sex education and girls and women who flat out choose not to know.

Ladies, you need to be comfortable with your cooter, pals with your punani and homies with your hoohah. One of these days (when you’re home alone) get out a hand mirror, spread your legs and get to know your vulva and vagina.

Even if you are ‘grossed out’ by your most feminine bits, you need to understand what it looks like, what it feels like, what it smells like and what comes out of it. Everyone is a little different and you can’t always go by ‘textbook’ descriptions of what is going on down there. By knowing what your body is normally like, you can tell when something is ‘off’, when your ovulating (if do/don’t want to get pregnant,) if you have any STD symptoms… Honestly, I don’t understand why I’d even have to try to convince people to understand their own bodies.

Anyway, here’s a list of things that I’ve found that women don’t know, but should.

1. A little white, yellow or clear daily discharge is quite normal. Unless it’s unusually textured (globby or cottage cheese) or smells ‘bad’, you have nothing to worry about. If you know your vajayjay, then you can tell when discharge is unusual for you.
2. DOUCHING IS VERY VERY BAD FOR YOU! Do not do it, as it disrupts the PH and organism balance that helps your vagina keep infections at bay. If you notice an ‘off’ smell, it’s time to visit your gynecologist, not try to perfume the smell away.
3. All you need to do to keep your vulva clean is use a little, mild soap and water on the outer surfaces. No need to scrub, stick soap in the vagina or wash it more than once a day. Again, if there’s an ‘off’ smell, see a doctor.
4. You should see a gynecologist when you reach 18 or when you become sexually active. Ideally you should get an annual exam thereafter. Being a virgin does NOT make you immune to infections or even cervical cancer.
5. Your hymen is at the very entrance to your vagina. It’s pretty easy to break for most women (via tampons, active play, horseback riding, etc) and not having one is certainly not an indicator of whether you have or have not have sex. (It’s possible to still retain part of the hymen if you DO have sex, too.)
6. It’s quite possible to be allergic to condoms. You could have a latex allergy OR you could be allergic to ‘Nonoxynol-9′ which is found on some condoms as a spermicidal agent and in many spermicidal products. Try using a polyurethane condom lubricated with non-spermicidal, water or silicone based lubrication. (If you need help locating these products, try Babeland.
7. Those fancy-pants underthings from Victoria’s Secret may look fabulous, but if they’re not made out of breathable cotton, they could be giving you a yeast or other infection. Save the lacey panties for special occasions and stick to plain, cotton panties for everyday wear.

And that is the end of my TMI PSA. As always, I am not a doctor, so if you have any serious questions, ask your gynecologist or try the local Planned Parenthood.