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Genital Variety is the Spice of Life

cactus plant next to measuring tape

Pornography typically depicts a narrow image of genitalia.

Penises are large, hard, and circumcised. Vulvas are shown as hairless with small light-colored lips. However, real life genitals are much more varied in size and shape.


Penises

The average penis size is 3.6 inches when flaccid and 5.2 inches when erect. The six-inch average that’s often promoted in the media isn’t close to reality.

Penises in porn are typically shown as circumcised, however the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates only 30% of adult males worldwide are circumcised.

Here's an illustration that embraces the variety of penises: 

illustration of different types of penises

Vulvas

Expectations about vulvas have also been impacted by pornography.

Hairless vulvas in porn have led to a rise in Brazilian waxing.

Vulvas are typically shown with small lips making many women feel self-conscious if they look different and even leading to a rise in plastic surgery. However, research suggests the labia minora (or inner lips) average about 6 cm long with a range from 2 to 10 cm (about 4 inches).

Here's an illustration celebrating a variety of vulvas: 

If variety is the spice of life, shouldn't we celebrate them all?