ABOUT THE PROJECT: Women are now more concerned than ever about the appearance of their genitals. The convergence of the trend to remove pubic hair which leaves the vulva more visible and open to scrutiny, the normalization of oral sex, and the ubiquitous exposure to pornography and the unrealistic ideals it creates, have led an increasing number of women to feel serious anxiety about their own genitalia. Frequently this manifests as a lack of self-confidence or diminished body self-image; for an increasing number of women, the level of psychological distress is so severe that they undergo genital cosmetic surgery. Labiaplasty (reduction of the inner labia, most often for cosmetic purposes) is now the fastest growing type of cosmetic surgery and is in many ways following the same growth pattern and cultural acceptance as breast augmentation did in its early years.
While vulvas are more visible than ever, most women still have a strong sense of shame with regard to discussing or displaying their own, or looking at another's vulva. Pornography, whether online or in print, has come to serve as a very common tool by which women and men learn about sexual behavior and anatomy. Unfortunately, pornography depicts a severely limited scope of genital diversity. Analyses have found that there is a strong tendency to display genitals at the extreme end of the range of diversity: small, hairless and with little or no visible inner labia. This misrepresentation is dangerous as it conveys an artificial norm to which women often feel they need to conform.
There are very few resource tools available for women and men to gain a true appreciation of genital diversity. This skewed understanding leads many women to feel that they are alone and abnormal in their body and in their experience. The awareness of such procedures as labiaplasty can serve to further heighten women's belief that there is in fact a "normal", and that surgery is a suitable remedy for "abnormal" genitalia. This project stands in defiance of these societal constructions which serve to limit our growth, understanding and empowerment.
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ABOUT THE BOOK:
I'll Show You Mine is a photo study of female genitalia and a window into women's experiences of their genitals. The book contains 120 photographs of 60 women, with all women photographed from the same two positions. Each woman was photographed in the same conditions and the photos are shown in the book in true-to-life size and color, as this is the best method to accurately display the diversity of female form. Accompanying each woman's photos is text written by the woman, detailing her challenges and/or successes as pertains to her relationship with her genitals. The photos in the book demonstrate and celebrate the wonderful diversity of the vulva; the stories illuminate the range of experiences that women have relating to their genitals in a world where mass media and pornography increasingly set the standards for sexuality and the look of all body parts, even our genitals.
The book is printed in Canada and is made to the highest quality in all ways: it is 7" tall by 10" wide and opens in a landscape layout; the paper is matte 100 lb FSC-approved stock and the ink is soy based; the covers and spine are coated with a scuff-proof laminate that protects them from minor damage and all but eliminates fingerprints.
10% of the sales of the book is donated to women's charities, locally and internationally.
The book is available free of charge for educational use to women's, men's, teen and family resource centres; physician's offices; sexual health clinics; K-12 school counselors; college counseling and resource centres; and more. Visit our website for more information.
