When you were a little girl, were you taught the correct words for your body parts?

I received zero sex ed from my parents. My mother tried to pretend that sex did not exist and avoided the subject entirely. Did not even mention menstruation....I found out from my best friend whose mother was a nurse. My mother even came up with her own bizarre word for female genitals. Later in school, we were taught the right words in biology class but it amazes me how many parents are still coming up with fake words for their young children's body parts.

I am wondering what other women's experiences were when they were growing up?

I didn't know anything until my 8th grade sex education class that one of the teachers taught.

Thanks for sharing Ennie. What were you taught in 8th grade?

I have met women in their 20s who don't know where their vulva is. Zero judgment here...I am curious about what girls are taught.

A sex educator I spoke with said she is frustrated with the emphasis on learning about menstruation and preventing pregnancy or STDs with zero mention of the clitoris and pleasure. This often leads girls to grow up thinking that their role during sex is simply to please their male partner (while preventing pregnancy or STDs). Thoughts?

When I was a girl such parts were not mentioned and I can't recall 5th grade seperate class for girls ever mentioning names either. But there was a book our bodies our selfs that came out in the 70's but I didn't see a copy till I was out on my own.

In 8th grade, they taught about male and female parts (not in details like you described above but you know, the general parts), how babies are produced, abstinence, birth control, and STD prevention.

I don't know if any more would be appropriate for teens. I think some things you learn as an adult while you explore with your spouse/ partner.

my parents would always tell me to call my vagina a "daisy". that's the one thing I do remember

" you were born with a daisy, not a snake" they used to say (snake I later found out was the name they gave to my brother's body part)

all other body parts had their correct names. I was taught the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, like usual

My mom wrote in my baby book that when I was two, I was changed in front of another boy my age. I asked, “What’s that little tushy in front of his tushy, and where’s mine?”

My mother must have explained he was a boy and I was a girl and those body parts were the difference, but I’m not sure if she used proper names for parts.

When I was 5, my sister explained sex and where babies came from in great detail.

I remember the sex talk in sixth grade where the basics were covered. I think I already knew most of what was taught.

I was so fortunate my family did not tell me anything bad about my sexuality. I discovered I could have pleasure all on my own and I was never shamed, and probably never discussed it at all with my mother.

“Daisy” and “snake”— what strange, scary images to attribute to body parts. I’d be scared of a snake!

Exactly! Snakes can be poisonous and cause your death! Yikes.

The research indicates that it's very important to teach children the correct words for their body parts, all body parts including genitals. Using a fake name or avoiding any name at all for genitals sends the message that there is something bad or dirty or shameful about genitals....which affects a child's sense of self and future sexuality. The more detailed and accurate the information about bodies and sexuality, the better the outcomes for adolescents and young adults. Accurate and early discussion has been shown to decrease teen pregnancy rates as well as decreasing rates of STDs. Whereas the average age at which boys and girls start having sex (~15/16yrs) remains the same whether they have early education or not. Interesting, right?

We really need to start telling teenage girls and young women that they have as much of a right to pleasure during sex as teenage boys and men do. The studies on college-age women's attitudes and feelings are quite startling.

Bodily autonomy also needs to be taught very early on. This can really help to keep young children safe. My sister did this with my niece. She knows all about her body and what's okay and not okay. She knows what pedophiles are and that when she goes to swimming class etc nobody is allowed to touch her etc. She is a very well-prepared girl. I wish I'd been raised like that! My mother's approach was to shame and scare us. She never told us anything about our bodies or sex except to emphasize that we would be disowned if we were lesbians or pregnant out of wedlock. Helpful!

No name that I recall. When I was about 12 my mother gave me a book to read called Marjorie May's twelveth Birthday, which talked about periods and males versus females, etc.

I cant imagine ever discussing that with my parents. There were no corrections as I personally was too mortified to even acknowledge things beyond absolute necessity. For example bras, pads, etc. Still. Nope.