The Words Women Use For Their Vaginas May Affect How They Feel About Sex, Study Shows

"While driving a year or so ago, social psychologist Rotem Kahalon began thinking about the words women use to describe their vagina. Well, it wasn't out of nowhere. Kahalon had been listening to a podcast on women's health where a gynecologist noted ― almost in passing ― that she was often surprised by how even older women refer to their genitalia using euphemisms such as "down there" or "pee-pee.""

"For starters, the researchers found that using playful or childish terms in your day-to-day ― "pee pee," "hoo-ha," "vajayjay" ― tended to report more negative feelings about their genitals. "These terms were also linked to a more negative perception of partner's oral sex enjoyment, greater use of vaginal cleaning products and higher openness to labiaplasty," said Tanja Oschatz, who studies women's sexuality at Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz, Germany, and co-authored the study."

Women’s word choices for their genitals vary from childish euphemisms to anatomically correct terms and vulgar sexual language. Using playful or childish everyday terms like "pee pee," "hoo‑ha," or "vajayjay" associates with more negative feelings about genitals, greater use of vaginal cleaning products, more negative perceptions of a partner’s oral-sex enjoyment, and higher openness to labiaplasty. Generational patterns show older relatives favor euphemisms such as "privates" or "pee pee." Using vulgar terms during sexual activity, such as "pussy" or "cunt," associates with more positive sexual experiences. Word choice appears linked to body image, sexual pleasure, and health-related behaviors.

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