LOVING EVERY PART OF MY OWN VULVA

- Content warning: this story contains information about sexual assault and/or violence which may be triggering to survivors. -

I’ve never felt self conscious of the way my vulva looked in terms of general aesthetics, so when I found your gallery on instagram I felt kind of confused about why I’ve had a tendency to hide mine for most of my life. I’ve had loving partners who have told me how much they loved it, but I still wasn’t quite comfortable looking right at it. I think I’ve found that my hesitancy to be exposed to myself as well as partners has been a result of my first real boyfriend, who taught me the first things I learned about sex when I was fourteen, and was physically and emotionally manipulative and abusive. I think I didn’t want to engage visually with this part of myself because of how much of my emotional burden it was carrying, if that makes sense. It took many years but I have overcome and unlearnt almost all of the pain and the shame that he made me feel. Seeing your gallery pop up in my feed and looking at all of the different beautiful people you have portrayed has been so helpful in wanting to love every part of my own vulva, and see the beauty in what I have overcome. Thank you for doing this work! It would be an honor to be a part of your gallery.

F. -