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Are my Genitals Normal?

Photo of Dr Katherine Hertlein
Reviewed by Dr Katherine Hertlein,
created by Blueheart
created by Josh Green
created by Sophie Browness
Date published:
3/7/2021
Last updated:
7/25/2022
Photo of Dr Katherine Hertlein
Reviewed by Dr Laura Vowels,
created by Blueheart
created by Josh Green
created by Sophie Browness
Date published:
3/7/2021
Last updated:
7/25/2022

SURPRISE! Everybody is different and it's OK.

If you ever think your genitals look weird, don't worry they do all look kind of weird. If you ever think 'hey actually they look kind of good today' you're right too. They do.

Whatever our sex, we all have the same parts that do the same jobs; they're just laid out a little different.  

It’s good to know ourselves, and it’s also good to know everybody else. Knowing the human body and all its variations allow us to know when we’re healthy, and when we might not be. It teaches us to be able to communicate to doctors better, and with partners on where we want them to touch, and where we don’t. Finally, to know that what we may have spent a lifetime thinking is weird is actually totally normal. So let’s learn about the body.

Are my genitals normal?

Genitals come in all colours, shades, lengths, sizes, and hairiness, we’re all the same, but we’re also different and beautiful in our own way. It’s uncommon to see the reality of the body online or in the media: pimply bums, uneven labia, variety of penis shape and size, body hair, stretch marks, freckles (which are all 100% normal by the way). What you see out there, is not the reality for most people. It’s what a few people have decided to show you.

They do look kind of weird though right?

We're not going to force you to Love Your Labia or Parade For Your Penis...although they do sound kind of nice, and if you do, that's just great. What's great to do is just learn learn learn. Take another look at what you think 'normal' is, and why you think it. Whether any of your preconceptions that have been fed to you have made you feel low about your body, and whether you can let go of the ones that aren't serving you.

Gender is a spectrum, but so is sex...sort of.

Just as every vulva or penis is different, there is also infinite variety in between those ‘standard’ configurations. 

Some people are born with genitals that are not obviously ‘male’ or ‘female’, and that can come in many forms. Some may have more on the ‘standard male’ side, some more on the ‘female’. There are so many parts to our genitals and each has the potential to develop differently when we are growing in the womb. And it’s much more common than you’d think. The same amount of people in the world as the number of those who are born with red hair. 

Genitals in porn

In Porn especially, it’s become very common to see genitals that have had plastic surgery, make-up and retouching to make them look a certain way, giving us a skewed view of what ours should or should not look like. There's a lot that many film stars don't want you to know about, but think of it like it being filmed with an Instagram beautifying filter on.

Remember your genitals are pretty amazing, and the best thing you can do for yourself is getting to know you and your body. 

The same goes for variety in sensation

Any part of your body covered with skin and nerve endings has the potential to create sensation or pleasure. But it’s different for everybody. The combinations, different places and ways we can touch our genitals are endless. This also changes by time of day, with life changes, with mood, basically with most things. Some people just won’t like to be touched on their genitals at all, and that’s fine too. We’re all different and that’s just fine and dandy.

Now let’s end by saying that this (though we're very very clever) should not be the be-all and end-all of your education. These subjects have hundreds if not thousands of books written about them. So, by all means, do not see this as an exhaustive round-up of information. It’s a taster of the basics with a few interesting things to think about along the way, and hopefully a gateway for you to read up and explore more.

If you notice a change in your genitals that you're not sure about, seek medical advice from your doctor, and don't worry - they've seen it all before.

*Be sure to look for reputable sources, not your Aunt Doris who says you go blind if you masturbate, or those websites that claim to grow penis size by four thousand per cent. 

If you enjoyed learning these little facts and feel ready to get back in touch with sex again, check out the Blueheart app here.

Get back in touch with your body
After just 2 weeks, Blueheart users reported to feel 14% better about their bodies, 19% better about themselves and 30% less distressed about the issue.
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