Vagina: The Swelling Sheath
Our headline is a metaphor: Sufficiently aroused, the vagina swells during sexual arousal to embrace a penis of any size. No wonder women know it's the lover, not the size of his penis that matters. About the size of a popsicle in its non-erect state, the vagina allows menstrual blood to flow out and sperm to flow in. Like the extended clitoris, the vagina is made up of spongy tissue, blood vessels, glands and nerve endings, but these nerve endings are not as sensitive as the ones in the clitoris.
Surrounded by muscles that contract voluntarily and involuntarily during orgasm, the vagina must be used to stay in shape. A woman can insure its strength and flexibility by giving herself regular orgasms (by whatever means she likes) and with Kegel exercises. A healthy vagina never needs to be douched, deodorized, sanitized, flushed, powdered, or made to smell like a summer's evening. Every individual woman needs to accept emotional ownership of her vagina. The vagina has the power to bring great joy--and tragedy, depending upon the respect a woman gives and expects of her vagina. Acknowledging its importance, strength, and vulnerability will encourage better understanding of our sexual selves.