Anatomy 101

 A lot of people probably took some version of sex ed in school. There may have been diagrams of male and female reproductive systems or a demonstration of how to put a condom on. But how much does that average person actually know about reproductive and sexual anatomy? In a 2021 study, only 9 out of 103 people were able to label the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, urethra, vagina, perineum, and anus on a diagram of a vulva. And only 41% of women and 15% of men were able to correctly identify where the vaginal opening actually was. So we decided to take a trip back to middle school sex ed, give it an upgrade, and lay out the information you needed to know here.

Knowing your own anatomy and your partner's might seem trivial or unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but it can have a huge impact on your health and sex life. If we don’t have the correct information to identify what is feeling good, where the most nerve endings are found, and even how our body is functioning, how can we expect to experience maximum pleasure? It’s like hiking without a trail or map. Sure, you might find some cool things along the way, but you’ll likely get lost and miss out on the amazing waterfall at the end. 

What’s Going On Down There

Before diving in, it’s important to note that we’re sticking to medical and anatomical terminology here. And we’ll using Male and Female as it relates to sex assigned at birth, not gender identity.

• Urethra: This is the tube that carries urine from the bladder. For biological males, this has an opening at the tip of the penis and it also carries pre-ejaculate and semen along with pee. For biological females, the urethral opening is between the clitoris and vaginal opening.
• Anus: AKA the butthole. We’ve all got one and there are actually quite a few nerve endings here, so a lot of people find pleasure from stimulation in and around the anus.
• Perineum: (Or the taint) is one of the most overlooked pieces of sexual anatomy. There are people who can even have orgasms from stimulation to the perineum alone. This is the muscle between your genitals and anus. For men, it can be especially pleasurable since the prostate is right behind it. If you’ve never explored your own or your partner’s perineum, we 10/10 recommend.

The Female Anatomy

A lot of people refer to the female genitals as a vagina, but the vagina is actually internal. Everything you see on the outside is known as the vulva. The vulva is comprised of a few pieces:

• Labia: There are two labias, the inner and outer (or labia minora and labia majora). The inner labia are often what people think of. They come in all variations. Some hang down, some are tucked within the outer labia, some are more wrinkly or asymmetrical. The outer labia are the “lips” on the outermost part of the vulva and often have pubic hair.
• Clitoris: Despite the jokes made about the clitoris being hard to find, it’s not a mystery or myth. The clitoris is often known as the knob of nerve endings at the tip of the vulva, but as we can see in the diagram, that is just the tip of the iceberg. The clitoris extends about 5 inches internally and its only purpose is for pleasure. Although there isn’t widespread agreement, some people think the internal part of the clitoris is the “G-Spot”. As a whole, the clitoris has over 10,000 nerve endings. That little guy packs a punch. Pro tip: have your partner guide your hand right to where their clitoris is for maximum pleasure.
• Vaginal Opening: We’ve finally arrived at the entrance of the real vagina. The opening is responsible for a lot from childbirth, penetration, squirting and more. 

Female sexual anatomy doesn’t stop there. Internally, a lot of sexual anatomy is related to fertility and reproduction, but it’s no less important.

• Cervix: After passing the vagina, we’ll hit the cervix. It acts as a goalkeeper between the vagina and uterus. It essentially lets babies out and sperm in. The best part of this goalkeeper is that nothing can get lost in a vagina. Depending on how long someone’s vagina is and how low their cervix sits, you may be able to feel it.
• Uterus: The uterus is most known for where fetuses grow throughout pregnancy. It’s also where period blood comes from, but this topic deserves it's own post.
• Fallopian Tubes: These are the passages that bring eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. If sperm make it this far, this is where they will try to fertilize the egg for pregnancy. 
• Ovaries: At the very end, we have the ovaries. They serve as the warehouses for eggs. From puberty to menopause, the ovaries will release one (but sometimes more) egg a month. Contrary to sperm which is constantly being replenished, ovaries don’t create more eggs over time. 
• Glands: There are two glands that are responsible for lubrication and ejaculation (yes, even vulva’s can ejaculate). Bartholin's glands are right inside the vaginal opening and they produce the natural lubrication that makes a vagina “wet.” Some people produce more lubrication than others, so it’s always a good idea to grab extra lube to extend your playing time. On the other side, the Skene’s glands are located inside of the urethral opening. They’ll release fluid during female ejaculation (AKA squirting). Remember, squirting is not pee. There might be some pee that finds its way in the fluid, but generally it’s an odorless and colorless fluid being released.
• Hymen: Finally, the hymen is historically one of the most misrepresented parts of the female sexual anatomy. Some people are born with a thin fleshy layer that covers the opening of the vagina. If it tears during penetration of any kind (tampons, fingers, penises, toys), it can cause some bleeding. However, not everyone is born with a hymen, some never tear, and some tear during activities like riding a bike. Some people think you can tell if someone is a virgin if they bleed during penetrative sex or that you can “pop someone’s cherry,” but this is ultimately untrue. If some spotting happens, that’s normal but there should never be excessive bleeding, tearing, or bruising.

The Male Anatomy

Just like vulvas, penises come in all shapes and sizes. You’ve probably seen some in the locker room and realize there isn’t a “normal” for how they should look. Even circumcision trends have fluctuated over time. No matter the proportions, here’s the rundown on what’s going on down there.

• Glans: This is the tip of the penis and where a lot of action happens. Compared with the female anatomy, penises only have one hole for pre-cum, semen and pee to come out of. If someone is uncircumcised, they’ll have foreskin that covers the tip. Both the head (glans) and foreskin are incredibly sensitive, so don’t overlook it.
• Shaft: This is the main part of the penis. When aroused, it will fill with blood and become erect. Size can really vary here and some people tend to grow more than others. But the good news is that condoms are made to stretch and fit even the world’s largest “growers.”
• Scrotum: Most people refer to the scrotum as balls, but technically this is just the ballsack. It’s a pouch of skin that holds the testicles and is responsible for keeping the temperature regulated and safe. Similar to vulvas, they might differ in size, texture, or hair growth. A lot of sensitivity happens here, so depending on the activity, it can feel really good or really bad to have the scrotum touched.

A man's genitalia doesn't all hand outside the body, let's take a look at the parts on the inside.

• Testicles: Now we’ve arrived at the balls themselves. These guys are held inside the scrotum and are responsible for producing sperm and testosterone. Testicles make millions of sperm every day, so they're quite busy.
• Epididymis: After the sperm has been created, it heads over to a tub called the Epididymis where it hangs out until it's ejaculated. Just like there are two testicles, there are two tubes -- one connected to each ball. Sperm takes about 10 weeks to fully mature, so they’ll spend most of their time here.
• Vas Deferens: Once ejaculation starts to happen, the sperm keeps making their way down through one of the two Vas Deferens. These are basically just passageways guiding the sperm to the semen.
• Seminal Vesicles: Right before ejaculating (otherwise known as cumming), sperm is mixed in with the semen that was produced in the seminal vesicles. Since sperm is microscopic, they use the semen to help leave the body.
• Glands: The most commonly known gland is the prostate. This is the golf ball sized gland right behind the perineum (AKA taint). It produces some extra fluid to help sperm move along. It’s sometimes known as the “P-Spot,” and like the “G-Spot” in female anatomy, it’s a huge pleasure center. It can be stimulated through anal penetration or taint stimulation, and some people can even orgasm from it. Cowper’s Glands are the glands right under the prostate. They make pre-cum to reduce friction and prepare for ejaculation. Some semen can end up in pre-cum, which is why condoms are much more reliable than the “pulling out” method for catching those little swimmers.
• Cremaster: If you’ve ever felt your balls shift upwards when someone touches your legs, you get turned on, or you’re cold, that’s your cremaster muscle working. Its goal is to move your testicles closer to your body when they need some extra warmth or are aroused.

So What Now

We’ve all got a lot going on in our bodies. And although it would be cool if every person could correctly identify and define each part of the sexual anatomy, it’s a lot to remember. Instead, we hope you were exposed to some new terms or even learned about a new pleasure center that may be worthwhile exploring. When you know what’s going on in your body and your partners’ bodies, it can really up your game. Because this isn’t school, there won’t be a quiz coming to haunt you, but bookmark this article and come back for a refresher whenever you need it.