Betty Dodson with Carlin Ross

Better Orgasms. Better World.

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This video is brilliant...Dr Vajayjay will show all you enterprising doctors out there how to succeed in the business of medicine by Privatizing Those Privates:

Please sign The New View's petition to monitor and evaluate cosmetic genital procedures.

Cunts need to be visible. I have a suggestion for how to do this but first I want to acknowledge what inspired this blog. Labiaplasty is fast becoming the most popular surgery for young women. It's no worse than breast implants or a nose job or a face lift as a cosmetic procedure per se but what is concerning is it's popularity and why.

I had to watch the clip to believe it.  Yesterday, CBS's daytime show The Doctors' featured labia reduction *sigh*

When the doctor is taking the woman's history, she talks about the pain and discomfort of her labia but doesn't talk about the type of pain - she only states that she's embarrassed to wear swimsuits or have sex.  She doesn't say it's difficult to have sex just that she doesn't want to...can you say body image issue?

And at one point the doctor says, "so it's like having testicles".  Well, yes, except a man would never cut his balls off.  

Dear Betty,

Dear Dr Betty,

I am 16 years old and since I was twelve I've been really self conscious about the length of my labia. They are really long and darker then most. I'm really scarred when I have sex with my boyfriend because he hesitates to eat me out. I was showering at my friends once and she looked at it and said eww what are those? I don't know what to do.

Dear H,

Just know that you are in the majority of women who have extended inner lips. And that many people prefer what you have to what porn shows which has created this false preference. . .the clam shell. You have a vulva style that has the petals of a flower. Celebrate your beautiful vulva flower. Read what we have posted on inner labia by checking the left hand list of topics on our front page.

Dr. Betty

I've been waiting for this documentary to hit the states.  It's out of Australia and describes how labia have been declared "obscene" and are removed from pornographic content.  Yes, an image of a woman's labia - her real genitals - is obscene.  It's chilling:

LABIAPLASTY: Hungry Beast, ABC1 from Ali Russell on Vimeo.

Dear Betty,

I'm a 29 year old who has long struggled with my inner labia lips not only for their appearance but for the pain I feel. Sitting for long periods of time, wearing tight clothing, working out as well as other activities are sometimes hard and are very painful for me to accomplish. As I try to become more aware of my sexuality, the look of my labia minor does not bother me as much as it once did. I have your site and self-exploration to thank for that.

I stupidly already have had the labiaplasty procedure. I was so uncomfortable not with my looks but the way I felt just walking naked, or doing yoga, or other things where the long labia got in the way. So a few years ago I decided to get labiaplasty. Now I can't orgasm. Never have anyway, but I am upset and scared that I ruined my body forever. I am only 24 years old and would like to experience that orgasm sensation.

Hi Betty,

First, I would like to thank you. I am an eighteen year old girl who has just this year begun University. Until now I have always been incredibly ashamed of my genitals. I have very large inner lips which I always thought were stretched and abnormal. After searching on the internet, I became convinced I had 'hypertrophy of the labia minora' and saw countless cases where women have gone through labia minora reduction to have a 'normal' looking vulva.

After watching 'Viva la Vulva' I finally realized just how many unique looks there are and how beautiful they all are. In fact, upon examining my own genitals with a free standing mirror, I discovered that when I open my inner lips in a specific position, they form an adorable heart.

I watched a video about how women feel about their vulva and undergoing labioplasty and such. I'm pissed the fuck off. There was so much negativity and disconnection. I have NEVER given much thought to how my vulva looks... At all. Why? Because it's completely irrelevant to me. I may sometimes be self conscious about my thighs and my tummy and my arms, but my pussy? Never.

I can't say it's because I'm necessarily "proud" of it, but it's just one of those things that you just can't change. No amount of exercise, toning, healthy dieting, or supplements will make my pussy look any different. Why don't I just love it for what the fuck it is?

This documentary is a must watch for any woman considering labiaplasty:

I don't have especially long labia, but I was wondering if labiaplasty could help me. I'm 22 and I've never had an orgasm, even though I try to masturbate regularly and have used a vibrator. I love having sex and my body and I don't have any hangups, so now I'm wondering if my problem could actually be in my anatomy. My clit is tucked away between lots of folds, and it's not very sensitive and my partner can't reach it with oral sex. In my case, could labiaplasty to trim everything help?

Dear BH,

Becky Chalker takes on genital body image in her piece on Alternet.  D&R got an honorable mention and I was quoted *smiles*:

Type "labiaplasty," "vaginoplasty" or any of nearly a dozen female genital cosmetic surgeries into any search engine, and a flurry of doctors' Web sites will pop up touting the self-esteem, sexual enhancement, comfort and fashion benefits of female genital cosmetic surgery.

These sites, typically decorated with airbrushed pictures of lovely women in various states of undress or even nude, are replete with before-and-after photos of trimmed-down labia and gushing quotes from satisfied customers.

Most women don't even know that the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology doesn't support cosmetic genital enhancement surgeries and has publicly said that "it is deceptive to give the impression that [these procedures] are accepted and routine" and has stressed that their safety and effectiveness have not been documented.

To raise public awareness of this assault on women's health and well-being, the New View Campaign will stage a protest on November 17 from 12-2 PM outside a cosmetic genital surgeon's office on E. 64th street between 2nd and 3rd aves in New York City. For more information see http://www.newviewcampaign.org/fgcs.asp. Go, Leonore.