Rachel Hansen : Good Talks
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Me
    • Recommendations

A Basic Anatomy Lesson

12/5/2012

2 Comments

 
We recently had the excitement of having an ultrasound scan. I was twenty weeks pregnant and we had decided to find out the sex of our baby if he/she decided to reveal it to us. 

As we walked into the room, our three-year-old son Sol announced: “I am going to see if there is a vulva or a penis!".

The radiographer seemed rather uncomfortable at his confidence. She giggled, and then said to him: “A Volvo! But a Volvo is a car!”, and it seemed that she was making this joke to cover up her embarrassment at Sol’s knowledge of basic anatomy.

Sol looked at her oddly, and calmly explained to her “No it’s not, it’s what girls have instead of a penis”. 

As I lay there, I did a silent cheer for my boy.

As Sol provided a running commentary on what he believed he could see on the TV-screen of the scan, the radiographer commented to me that he had an impressive knowledge of anatomy.  I thought about her comment, and I really don't think he does. I think she was actually referring to Sol's accurate labelling of sexual body parts, and I got the feeling this made her uncomfortable.

Isn't it odd that so many people are so uncomfortable with the correct labelling of body parts?  For preschoolers, the word vulva has about as much meaning attached to it as nose, mouth and ears. It is just another body part.
Picture
2 Comments
Kat
13/5/2012 01:10:25 am

Yes! I felt a little uncomfortable with the word when we first introduced it to Miss 2 but I'm so glad we stuck with it because now it has become normal for all of us to hear the word "vulva" and that is a really good thing.

Reply
Momma Sam
13/5/2012 07:21:42 am

I think I learned "vulva" in middle school ... until then it was "down there," or "privates." So glad that it's now the norm or becoming the norm to give accurate names! Proud of your kiddo, too! :)

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Share

    Author

    Rachel is a writer and educator whose fields of interest include sexuality education, gender, feminism and youth development.

    Click here for blog comments policy.

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn
    Follow rachelhansennz on Twitter
    Picture

    Archives

    November 2023
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    January 2013
    September 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    December 1969

    Categories

    All
    Advertising
    Beauty Pageants
    Body Image
    Book Review
    Boys
    Breastfeeding
    Car Seats
    Children
    Education
    Fashion
    Fertility
    Gender
    Girls
    Hello
    Inspiration
    Language
    Learning
    Media
    Menstruation
    Mothering
    Parenting
    Periods
    Pornography
    Pregnancy
    Puberty
    Questions
    Relationships
    Relaxing
    Reproduction
    Roles
    Safety
    Self Esteem
    Self-esteem
    Sexualisation Of Children
    Sexuality
    Sexuality Education
    Tampons
    Vagina
    Vaginas
    Violence
    Vulva
    Women

    See blogs and businesses for New Zealand
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Me
    • Recommendations