'Penis' is a nice word. You can use it in casual conversation, both in real life and in stories. It's neutral, in the sense that it is not inherently sexualized, and it refers broadly to the entirety of male sex organs, (though technically not, but in common use it does).
'He accidentally exposed his penis." Or, "He got his penis caught in the car door." If it's the kind of conversaton where you can reference it at all, you can use the word.
It can also be used in a sexualized context as a tamer reference than 'dick' or 'cock'. '"He has a nice penis," she said.'
Then we have 'vulva'. A clunky word that I'd bet a lot of people don't even know. It's the female version of 'penis' in referring to the entire package of female sex organs. 'Clitoris', 'vagina', 'labia' are just parts. (That's the problem, women's parts are so much more wonderfully complex.)
But I can't imagine it ever being used in casual conversation. I've seen some writers here use it in the neutral, non-sexualized or mildly sexualized way that 'penis' is used, but it never really works, in my opinion. "She has a nice vulva." Nope. I can't imagine people just sitting around talking in a non sexual context and ever using it. Or in a sexual one.
Maybe because vulvas are hidden away until things become sexual. You can't see much if a woman is just standing there naked, and they don't get caught in doors. Breasts can be fully exposed accidentally or casually, but there's a nice neutral non-sexualized term for those too. So there's 'pussy', the usual default. But that word is highly sexualized and not used in casual conversation.
I'm interested to hear thoughts on this writing dilemma. Is it even a dilemma? Are there words I'm not aware of or haven't thought of that work for this?
'He accidentally exposed his penis." Or, "He got his penis caught in the car door." If it's the kind of conversaton where you can reference it at all, you can use the word.
It can also be used in a sexualized context as a tamer reference than 'dick' or 'cock'. '"He has a nice penis," she said.'
Then we have 'vulva'. A clunky word that I'd bet a lot of people don't even know. It's the female version of 'penis' in referring to the entire package of female sex organs. 'Clitoris', 'vagina', 'labia' are just parts. (That's the problem, women's parts are so much more wonderfully complex.)
But I can't imagine it ever being used in casual conversation. I've seen some writers here use it in the neutral, non-sexualized or mildly sexualized way that 'penis' is used, but it never really works, in my opinion. "She has a nice vulva." Nope. I can't imagine people just sitting around talking in a non sexual context and ever using it. Or in a sexual one.
Maybe because vulvas are hidden away until things become sexual. You can't see much if a woman is just standing there naked, and they don't get caught in doors. Breasts can be fully exposed accidentally or casually, but there's a nice neutral non-sexualized term for those too. So there's 'pussy', the usual default. But that word is highly sexualized and not used in casual conversation.
I'm interested to hear thoughts on this writing dilemma. Is it even a dilemma? Are there words I'm not aware of or haven't thought of that work for this?
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