Where Art Thou, V?

Bad news for vagina owners and visitors alike: Approximately half of the 2,000 men who participated in a recent British survey were unable to identify the vagina in a diagram of the female reproductive anatomy. Not only is this discouraging, it's also downright dangerous in terms of sexual health for women and many trans men.

The survey, conducted by London-based gynecological cancer research charity the Eve Appeal, also found that over half the men were uncomfortable discussing gynecological health with their partners, and only 20 percent said they felt confident enough to mention a change in their partner's vagina. Furthermore, 83 percent of the men surveyed said they didn't fully understand "how the vagina really works."

But we're not trying to pick on the guys -- or Brits for that matter. After all, American studies have yielded similar results, and in a previous survey conducted by The Eve Appeal, nearly the same amount of women (44 percent) couldn't identify the vagina either.

The latter survey also found that 15 percent of women wouldn't see a doctor if they found a vaginal lump or growth, and 50 percent wouldn't seek medical attention if they experienced persistent bloating.

The Eve Appeal's CEO, Athena Lamnisos, told Forbes magazine that the findings were released in an attempt to increase awareness about gynecological health issues, like symptoms of uterine, cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and ovarian cancer -- which sexual partners can help identify.

So whether you have a vagina or love someone who does, you'd better hit the
books to make sure you're fluent in human anatomy. Better yet, why not try some hands-on exploration?