Self-proclaimed ‘Headmistress of Pleasure’, Layla Martin, launched a photography project on January 17 aiming to help women see the beauty in their vaginas.
The project, aptly named ‘Your Vagina is More Beautiful Than You Think’, aims to highlight the difference between the way a woman sees her own vagina, and the way her partner sees it: to convert the self-consciousness of the former into the unwavering admiration of the latter.
In terms of the body image movement, it’s an issue missing out on the public acknowledgement it deserves.
Listen: Mia Freedman discusses her personal spat with Instagram and body image issues, on Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues after audio…
Martin’s touching video makes an effort to smash the self-consciousness many women experience when it comes to their vaginas.
“I guess I feel embarrassed but I don’t know why”, one woman says in the video.
“I’m a little nervous, because I should be more comfortable with that area of myself,” says another.
Four women of different ages, sizes and ethnicities posed for vaginal close-up photographs. The images were then printed, and handed back to them.
Upon being confronted with the images, the women begin to see their vagina for what it really is: a symbol of power; of beauty.
“It’s not as ‘ugly’ as I thought…”, one woman says, shy giggles muffling her words.
"I've literally been comparing something I see in my underpants to somebody else's... that you see in porn... I guess you watch porn and see 'the perfect vagina.'"
One woman was moved to tears by her image, saying, "It's a part of me that I just push to the back of my brain".
The images of each woman's vagina was then shown to her partner, who was then asked what he thought. The partners had no idea their reactions were being filmed.
"She's had a baby, you know... it's perfect," one partner says.
"It reminds me of how much happiness we've had together."
You can learn more about the project, and watch the full video, here.
And you can learn more about sexual liberation expert Layla Martin, here.
