One can be born with a pussy, and one can acquire one through surgery.
And some transmen keep theirs, but they might call it something else. All the content that follows is mainly applicable to people who were born with one, although some information can be useful for those with a neo-vagina.
Visible on the outside of the pussy are the outer lips (labia majora), the inner lips (labia minora) and the clitoris hood, also sometimes known as the foreskin. Just above the vaginal opening is the urethral opening, and just above that is the clitoris, or rather the ‘glans clitoris’ which is the nub of the clit.
The outer lips are often ordinary skin, but they are sensitive to contact and swell on sexual arousal. The outer lips are hairy and may be slightly darker than the rest of the skin.
The inner labia extend from the clitoris nub and down around the vaginal opening, and they vary in colour, form and size. For example, many people have one long and one short inner lip. When you get turned on, they swell and become extra sensitive to touching. The inner lips are ordinary skin on the outside and mucous membrane on the inside. Therefore, avoid using soap to wash inside as this can dry you out and irritate the mucous membrane, and increase the risk of fungal infection. Many use water only, although there are also special soaps you can buy.
The clitoris
Above the clitoris itself is the clit hood. Many people who have a clit masturbate or like to be touched by applying pressure or moving the hood over the clitoris.
The ‘nub’ or ‘button’, which is known clinically as theglans clitoris, has the largest concentration of nerve endings in the entire human body, far more than in the glans or ‘helmet’ of the penis. This makes the glans clitoris particularly sensitive to touch. For many people, the clitoris is an extremely important sexual pleasure spot. Many like to be stroked and licked on the nub of the clit, or to have a vibrator used on it. Approximately 70 % of pussy owners need to stimulate the clit glans, in order to achieve orgasm.
Like the cock, the clit has erectile areas that fill with blood and swell up when sexually excited. This effectively gives the clit glans an erection, and it can almost feel like the clit is disappearing up under its hood. People who take testosterone (for instance in connection with gender affirming treatment) often experience permanent enlargement of the clitoris in both its erect and its non-erect state. There is also erectile tissue around the vaginal opening, in the labia, around the urethra and in the perineum. When you get turned on these areas swell up and become more sensitive to touch.
The clitoris is much larger than just the glans which is visible on the outside. From the glans, the clitoris continues along the pubic bone a couple of centimetres into the body inside the inner lips and covers both the urethral opening and the vaginal opening. The shafts can be stimulated by ‘massaging’ and applying pressure to them outside the body or from within the vaginal opening. From the clitoris, nerves extend outwards toward the inside of the thighs, and many people like to be stroked here too.
When you get turned on, the blood flow to the area in and around the vagina increases. Extra liquid flows out from the vaginal walls and from glands within the vagina and vaginal opening. This is called lubrication and should not be confused with discharge, which is something else. Lubrication is important for pleasurable vaginal sex and helps protect the mucus membranes in the pussy. The amount of lubrication varies in different people, and the amount can also vary from one occasion to the next. Lack of lubrication could be caused by nervousness, worry or performance anxiety, but it could also be due to medication or disease. A good foundation for getting properly wet down there is to feel both aroused and secure. If you still have long-term problems, speak to your midwife/gynaecologist for help and advice. But remember, not everyone gets lubed up all the time, and it is not a clear sign that something is wrong. If you feel that you want to be more wet for added pleasure, you can buy supplementary lube in the store or online.
The hymen
In the outer part of the vagina are folds in the mucous membrane, which are known as the hymen. It is also sometimes known (rather archaically) as the maidenhead or in slang as the “cherry”. In young people these folds can be quite narrow, but they often widen naturally during puberty. When something is inserted in the vagina the folds can be stretched and sometimes bleed the first few times. But contrary to popular belief, the folds never disappear and always remain, even after bleeding.
The inside of the pussy is about 4 inches/10 cm deep, but when you’re horny it gets slightly larger and deeper. Furthest up in the vaginal canal is the cervix, which is the beginning of the uterus. Roughly halfway up at the inside front of the pussy a couple of centimetres in is the G-spot, a rough area that’s particularly sensitive to contact. The easiest way to find it is to stick a finger inside the pussy and point toward your navel or belly button. A lot of women like to stimulate the G-spot with pressure and massage rather than soft stroking. The G-spot can sometimes also be stimulated via the arse if you push toward the navel.
Hygiene
The pussy is self-cleansing and shouldn’t be washed inside the vaginal opening. A substance called smegma forms on and close to the pussy lips. Smegma is a kind of secretion that helps protect the skin and the mucous membranes. Avoid using normal soap when washing the labia and the area around your pussy, as this dries out the mucus membranes and increases the risk of fungal infections. Many use water only, although there are also special soaps you can buy.
Orgasm and ejaculation
Orgasm is a profoundly joyous and intense sensation that may occur in connection with horniness and sex. It’s hard to describe how it feels because different people can experience them differently. You probably know best how your own orgasms feel. Before an orgasm, the muscles in the pelvis contract, and during the orgasm the tension is released in pulsating intervals. There is prostate gland tissue around the urethra which produces a liquid which can run or squirt out of the urethra; and this is called an ejaculation (also known as squirting or gushing). The ejaculation doesn’t necessarily happen at the same time as the orgasm, and the amount of liquid varies from one person to the next, and from one occasion to the next too. Some people don’t notice anything at all coming out during orgasm. Stimulating the G-spot can produce more liquid. Some people with pussies have never had an orgasm and some don’t think it is particularly important. For others, an orgasm is the best thing they could ever imagine. As mentioned before, around 70 % of people with pussies need to have their clit stimulated to achieve orgasm.
