Labia Library emphasizes genital diversity

Women’s Health Victoria, an Australian non-profit health and advocacy organization, was frustrated with the rise in popularity of female genital cosmetic surgery. So, after receiving funding from the Victorian Women€™’s Benevolent Trust, they developed a website showcasing the natural diversity of vulvas: the Labia Library.

Not only is it great alliteration, but the Labia Library is an awesome and empowering resource. The site includes an in-depth photo gallery of an array of sizes, shapes, and colors of vulva, with photos from both the front (while standing) and below (with legs spread). There is also an anatomy page and a page called “are my labia normal?“

The site seeks to reiterate that what you see in magazines and mainstream porn is not what many vulvas look like. Especially in Australia, where the Classification Board requires that the labia minora and clitoris be airbrushed out of photographs in unrestricted publications. Women’s Health Victoria hopes to influence this damaging phenomenon, as explained in an interview with Cory Silverberg:

We’re going to be doing further advocacy with the Classification Board in Australia, in an attempt to influence the application of the guidelines in Australia. We’re hoping that they will cease applying the guidelines by removing the labia minora and clitoris, or that they will start acknowledging that they’re doing this with a statement detailing how images have been altered.

That is definitely a worthwhile endeavor. So go, support this excellent project and take a stroll through the Labia Library. (Sorry, we just had to say that.)