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   Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 23-Apr-2026 23:31:38 JST Vagina Museum

   This rather cursed screenshot was sent to us, and we regret to inform you that quite a lot of people seem to believe this myth, and related myths surrounding the vulva. These myths been around for literal millennia, even though there is no rooting whatsoever in reality. Let's take a little look at the history of misogyny and racism inherent in this belief...

   • Ódio e Apatia :Ryyca: repeated this.
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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 23-Apr-2026 23:58:13 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     A caveat: Throughout history, a lot of written sources have used terminology very inconsistently, to the point that sometimes it's hard to know exactly what the fuck they were talking about. For example, "nympha" was sometimes used to refer to the clitoris, sometimes the labia minora, sometimes both.

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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 23-Apr-2026 23:58:21 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     However, what is clear is that a hell of a lot of European men since Ancient Greece had some pretty gnarly attitudes about how the appearance of the vulva said something about the character of the person.

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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Thursday, 23-Apr-2026 23:59:46 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     The general prevailing belief was that clitorises and larger labia minora were not really something that Nice White Women had. A vulva that wasn't "an innie" (a phrase not used in history) indicated some sort of masculinity - perhaps lesbianism, perhaps promiscuity, perhaps being a bad wife.

     Larger labia, to a European physician for a hell of a lot of history, basically indicated that it belonged to a woman who transgressed patriarchy in some way.

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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:02:40 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     There was a hefty degree of racism to this belief too. European physicians and authors believed that larger labia were something that African women had, not Nice White Women.

     Ódio e Apatia :Ryyca: repeated this.
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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:04:03 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     The depressing thing is that this myth isn't just niche, even a quarter of the way through the 21st century. One of our least favourite objects in our collection is a medical textbook outlining the difference between "true" and "false" virgins based on labia shape, size and colour. It was published in 2012. https://www.vaginamuseum.co.uk/muffbusters/2d-textbook

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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:04:04 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     So, in short, the myth is misogynistic and racist af. And just in case anyone needs to hear it today:
     ✨Something as insignificant as a penis cannot possibly change the appearance of the vulva✨

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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:04:05 JST Vagina Museum

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     Saartjie Baartman, a Black Khoisan woman from present-day South Africa was transported to Britain in 1810. She was exhibited in a freak show act under the name "The Hottentot Venus", with great attention drawn to her labia and her buttocks.

     Ódio e Apatia :Ryyca: and 10π🍇 repeated this.
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     Vagina Museum (vagina_museum@masto.ai)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:07:04 JST Vagina Museum

     in reply to

     We are a tiny museum, trying to set the record straight and unpack several thousand years of white supremacist patriarchy. It's a gargantuan task and we need your help to undertake it. Please donate what you can to help the Vagina Museum to bust myths and break taboos! https://www.vaginamuseum.co.uk/support

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     Tio Kiloku (kiloku@burnthis.town)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:13:56 JST Tio Kiloku

     in reply to

     @vagina_museum looking at this myth from the "other side", one could ask whoever claims it "So why aren't penises warped and thinned by overuse?"

     10π🍇 likes this.
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     surely bazkie 👩🏼‍💻 (bazkie@beige.party)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:15:31 JST surely bazkie 👩🏼‍💻

     in reply to

     @vagina_museum that that twitler account is named "stoic men" and has some roman/greek looking avatar are pretty clear red flags lol

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     lumi :blobcatnom: :blobcatflower: (lumi@snug.moe)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:16:57 JST lumi :blobcatnom: :blobcatflower:

     in reply to

     @vagina_museum ✨Something as insignificant as a penis cannot possibly change the appearance of the vulva✨:neocat_3c:
     
     problematic men in shambles

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     Ódio e Apatia :Ryyca: (bruiserzinha@ursal.zone)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 00:17:23 JST Ódio e Apatia :Ryyca:

     in reply to

     @vagina_museum
     2012!!!!!!!!!

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     Janneke (janneke@todon.nl)'s status on Friday, 24-Apr-2026 01:37:31 JST Janneke

     in reply to

     @vagina_museum
     This must do wonders for the plastic surgery business.