Betty Dodson with Carlin Ross

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Several years ago Kath contacted me about her project of creating an International GYN Awareness Day. She did it - International GYN Aware Day is this upcoming September 10, 2010.

And she speaks to one of my major rants about the mis-naming of women's sex organs. No wonder there is so much shame and ignorance surrounding female sexuality. We don't even know what to call our genitals! That's pathetic.

We're behind you Kath and your organization Gain (the Gynecological Awareness Information Network), all the way from our heart to our vulva.

Below is Kath's letter to Julia Serafin urging Medical Professionals and women to use correct terminology when referring to womens genitalia:

Att: Julia Serafin

Re: Medical Professionals Using Incorrect Terminology

“Hungry Beast” 3rd March 2010 ABC

Dear Julia

Thank you for your time and patience with me this morning whilst I try to make a difference in the world of gynaecological education. I have liaised with you a few times now regarding how I have continued to noticed that medical professionals and women themselves describe the vulva as a vagina thus leading to great confusion in our society of which bit is which and its function. Clearly the vagina is where the penis penetrates as well as being the birth canal and clearly the vulva is neither of these things!

Clinical Professor Lesley Carla at the University of Western Australia has confirmed that I am correct in my lobbying that a vagina is not a vulva. I find this must be a huge embarrassment to the college who obviously must be teaching that a vulva is not a vagina yet I continue to hear in the media and the medical profession that the vulva it is classed as the ‘outer appearance of the vagina’. This is a great injustice to women to be educated incorrectly about their own bodies. I would also like to ask why is it that most educational illustrations of the female genital tract omit the vulva when clearly, as Professor Carla states, it is an inclusive part of women’s anatomy and should be shown alongside the usual illustration. What can the college do about this for the future of women’s health?

I appeal to the college to consider what I am trying to do by educating women and men about the correct terminology. I have great support from the International President of Sexual Health, Professor Rosemary Coates, and the Western Australian Sexology Association in my endeavours to bring this very important issue out into the open.

In 2007 I presented at an International Sexual Health Conference in Sydney where I participated in a workshop of world leading gynaecologists talking about designing vaginas yet their diagrams were clearly of a vulva.

Earlier in 2006 G.A.I.N. Inc. lobbied the government, instigating a senate enquiry which then lead to a National Gynaecological Cancer Centre. Through this progression I am sure that now in the year 2010 the world is ready to call a vulva a vulva.

During my sixteen years of lobbying I have had great support from the college and I hope we can continue to work together as professionals and health consumers.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Kath Mazzella OAM