The vagina. It has more nicknames than just about any other body part, and when you say it out loud there are some people who will still look at you like you’re insane. I once had a health teacher who made the entire class yell “penis” and “vagina” to break the ice before we started our sex ed unit. Say it with me everybody, vagina!

In the spirit of that teacher, I’ve put together some crazy facts about the vagina. We already brought you ten facts this summer, so here are ten MORE things you probably didn’t know about your special lady parts.

initiating the gallery...

Garnet is a student at Columbia University in New York City. When she’s not dancing or writing, she can be found exploring the city, and let’s be honest, spending way too much time on the internet. Follow her @garnethenderson.

I write a lot about the things we can do to improve our sex lives, but what better time to make the conscious decision to improve our sexy encounters than the start of a brand-spankin’-new year? So here is, ladies, gents and everyone in between: my thoroughly thought-out list of sexy resolutions for 2011 – just a little something to kick start your awesome, sex-positive, and sexually fulfilled new year!

Quit faking it. If for some reason you’re still faking your orgasms, now is the time to knock it off, and start aiming for the real thing. Faking it accomplishes nothing (your pleasure > your partner’s ego), and I think all of my readers deserve some full-blown 100% orgasms. If you need some help getting there, check out the next couple of resolutions I’ve got for y’all….

Invest in a good sex toy. Whether you’re doin’ it alone or with a partner, there’s something to be said for investing in a good sexy aide. While they’re a little pricier than some other toys, I’ve heard nothing but good things about the We Vibe and pretty much all of the glass products from Love Style. And hey, if you’re into being green, you can even buy environmentally friendly sex toys now! Environmentally friendly and orgasm inducing – does it get any better?

Find your G-spot. While it’s arguable that this magic spot even exists, you owe it to yourself and your sexual pleasure to make the effort and go exploring. Either by yourself or with your partner, 2011 is the time to really try to figure out what you like. It’s nearly impossible to instruct another to do what you like if you don’t know what that is yourself.

Take some time. Instead of leaving sex and/or masturbation to the very end of your to-do list this year, make a conscious effort to spend some time alone or with your partner and enjoy your sexuality. Set aside an evening – or at least a few hours – every week where phones and laptops are shut off, and the focus is shifted to you and/or your partner, even if you’re kissing or doing a little solo meditation. I know that with work, school, and trying to remain social, this task isn’t easy – but it’ll be worth it.

Shake the heteronormativity. For those of us that fit into what the media tells us is the “norm” – white, straight, middle-class – it’s important to remember that there are a lot of people out there that don’t fit that very tight mold. Whether we’re writers, filmmakers, or just big into talking, remembering that not everyone is straight and white will help to make those who don’t fit into that stereotype to feel a lot more comfortable and welcome.  Using words like “partner” instead of “boyfriend” and “girlfriend,” and trying not to automatically make the assumption that not everyone is heterosexual and cisgendered, we make just a little step in the direction of inclusivity.

Skip the taboo. I’ve come to the realization recently that people only keep secret things that they’re ashamed of. While I don’t think it’s necessary to shout the intricacies of our sex lives from the rooftops, I think being honest about our sexual behavior and not being ashamed of our choices is a big step towards creating a more sex-positive culture. And who wouldn’t want to live in a society where sex is seen as something to embrace, instead of something to hide?

Quit the slut-shaming. One of my new year’s resolutions is to take sex-negative terms like “slut” and “whore” out of my vocabulary. By using those words to describe someone’s outfit or behaviour, we’re only contributing to sex negativity and making people feel guilty about their choices. To quote Tina Fey in Mean Girls, “calling each other sluts and whores just makes it okay for guys to call you sluts and whores.” Well said, Ms. Fey.

Learn. No matter how much you think you know about sex, there is always more to learn. Visit an expo, attend a seminar, or read some books – as with anything, knowledge is power, and the more you know, the greater your sex life will continue to be. I’m always shocked to learn that women my age still don’t know some really basic things about sex (like how the pill works), and it’s that kind of lack of knowledge that puts people at higher risk for the not-so-great aspects of sexuality.  Not to mention that ignorance breeds fear, and having an idea of what’s going on with your body is always a good idea.

Have a fun, safe and sexy new year, my lovely readers! What are your sexy resolutions for 2011?

Are you looking to invite that hot guy over for a sexy sleepover?  Make sure your oral technique blows his mind so he comes back for seconds and thirds.  After all, studies show that sex makes you smarter.

Or perhaps your relationship has hit a rut.  What happens when you want it all the time and he wants it…not so much?  Make sure you make the most of sexy time by making it feel better for you (some solo experimentation required).  If you’re shedding tears of pain instead of joy after the dismount, see what the sexperts have to say.  Maybe you should give up the hunt for the elusive G-Spot and focus on finding your PS-Spot instead.

Woops.

But now it’s Friday and I’ve got nothing to do except sleep, watch Jersey Shore reruns and dance to the best of ’09 jams in my apartment all weekend long. But first, let’s take a look back on the week that was:

- Obviously, we dealt with the billions of (annoying) people shoving their resolutions down our throats.

- We jumped for joy at the return of our favorite TV shows and our BFFs from the Babysitter’s Club.

- We questioned the existence of our G-spot, then realized (during a particularly wonderful late night tryst, perhaps?) that it is most definitely still there.

- We learned how badly our snacking habits and H&M are affecting Mother Earth.

- We figured out how to effectively ruin a relationship and questioned the rules that govern one.

- We defended breast implants.

- We learned how to be our best selves in 2010 (after the first week, of course).

- We started saving money so we could afford to fist pump with our favorite MTV Guidos.

It’s no wonder I’m sitting here chugging coffee like it’s my job; we had quite the busy week.

It's in there - don't worry.

As you may recall, we recently reported on a study conducted by British scientists that suggested the g-spot may not actually exist. As a woman who knows and loves my g-spot (a lot a lot), I was skeptical about the study. And it appears I wasn’t the only one.

The study found that “while 56% of women overall claimed to have a g-spot, they tended to be younger and more sexually active.” OK, the majority of women believe they have a g-spot, especially young, sexually active women, so where did the study get the idea that it doesn’t exist?

The researchers concluded that the g-spot was a matter of subjective opinion because when they asked pairs of twins whether or not they had a g-spot, identical twins were no more likely to both have a g-spot than fraternal. Now, twin studies are often used to examine heritability of certain traits – and that usually makes sense – but I just don’t buy it for this study. We’re talking about orgasms here, not diabetes. Women who share the same genes can still have incredibly different life experiences and sexual partners. And we can’t assume a woman doesn’t have a g-spot just because she doesn’t think she does. I didn’t think I had one until I found mine!

I did some further research and found a study that claimed to prove the existance of the g-spot. In 2008, doctors at the University of L’Aquila in Italy “used ultrasound to scan nine women who had experienced vaginal orgasms and 11 women who said they had not. In the first group of women, the tissue between the vagina and the urethra was found to be substantially thicker than in the other women.” This definitely sounds a lot more promising for the case of the g-spot – probably because actual science was involved and it wasn’t a subjective questionnaire – but the numbers are small. Other researchers have also questioned whether the spot found in the study is a distinct structure or just the internal part of the clitoris.

So is there a scientifically proven g-spot or not?

If there’s one thing to be learned from all these studies it’s that all women are different and it doesn’t really matter what science tells us.  Whether you’re having vaginal or clitoral orgasms, or both, just be happy to have an orgasm at all. Because whatever science says, we can all agree that all orgasms rock.

Stop searching. It's not there.

If 2010 has taught me anything so far it’s that eating greasy Thai noodles for four days straight will make you fatter. And if this year has taught me two things, it’s also that infamous and elusive G-spot is a sham.

Pause.
What?!

Yes, it’s true. A recent study of about 1,800 women has concluded that the G-spot is one big, fat lie.

Upon first reading this study I was shocked, appalled, cursing Cosmo and their 500 tips per month on maximizing something that doesn’t exist… and subconsciously reaching toward my nether regions. From Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, and the Coach purse you purchased at a kiosk, how many lies can one woman take?

But the more I thought about it, I realized how reassuring it was to know that all that time I spend in bed looking at my watch waiting for the Big O that never comes (no pun intended) has never actually been my fault. Or the fault of the man lying there with me.

While this study is somewhat disheartening (like that moment when you realized the Tooth Fairy was actually the rotund man you call “dad”) and definitely under a lot of scrutiny, to me it’s nothing but good news. Finally there is an answer to too many women’s concerns. Finally we can stop wasting our time highlighting key passages in the latest Cosmo as we go on yet another monthly scavenger hunt for our g-spot! Finally we can tell that “friend” of ours to focus on the pleasure parts we know exist and take a one way ticket to O-Town (and I’m not talking about the boy band) sans the Mapquest directions.

This study may be bad news for some (mostly whoever is writing books like these), but not so much for the rest of us. After all, knowing Santa wasn’t real didn’t stop the presents from coming, right?

Brit and LiLo hanging out? God help us all.

Dance Dance Revolution for lazy people.

OMG, they ARE dating!!

Let’s talk about the G-spot. With old people.

Woman’s shelter being shut down…for not allowing men.

Dorm room gardening!

Additionally, Cosmo provides alternate ways to phrase creepy questions about a date’s credit card debt (pg 120), a single girl’s guide to using a camera’s self timer (apparently single girls don’t have friends to take their profile pics for them) and the hottest new accessory fashion house: Oriental Trading. Uh, the economy’s bad but do we have to resort to gummy bracelets?!

On the bright side, Cosmo’s Sexy issue did not disappoint in some arenas (he-llo naughty card game on page 136!): Katie Lee Joel’s recipe for a Mediterranean picnic made me question my aversion to olives, the Cosmo staff confessions had me LOL-ing in a very quiet section of the library, and the “Lose 5lbs in 7 Days” tips may have saved my life in preparation for pre-finals pool parties. And yet, Cosmo just wouldn’t be Cosmo without their well-intended but somewhat whack advice.

This month? The 6 sex lessons us lady folk can learn from the boys…

Lesson 1: You’re Always Doable

Cosmo Says: If you feel too gross to have sex, you will subconsciously tell your man to leave you alone. He then will stop asking you for sex. Also, “once you clothes come off, this is the extent of what a guy is thinking: ‘Boobs!’”

Kari Says: Obvi once breasts are within their field of vision, any man is reduced to monosyllables. All the man generalizing aside though, I can’t imagine a scenario where my boyfriend would “pick up” on “subliminal cues” that I don’t want to have sex at the moment, let alone respect said cues. As long as there’s that possibility, he’s probably going to take his chances. I understand that the point of this article is to get the ladies to enjoy sex just as much as guys do (I was unaware that I wasn’t…), but Dr. Patricia Taylor’s suggestion that I get my man hard to “realize there’s no point in worrying about all that other stuff” seems a little too convenient. There’s a reason why I’m not in the mood–or trust me, I’d be doin’ it.

Lesson 2: Little Things are Big Turn Ons

Cosmo Says: Men are turned on by absolutely anything and everything, so they constantly think about sex. By the time they get home, they’re like 12 hours deep into foreplay. Women? Not so much—we only think about sex during sexy time.

Kari Says: FALSE. Perhaps girls do not get turned on by “a millimeter of skin between your shirt and jeans,” but we’re not completely daydream devoid. What better way to kill time in a lecture without one’s laptop than replaying an AWESOME hook-up in your head? Mmm, memories…

Lesson 3: Your Crotch is Awesome

Cosmo Says: Boys know, love and protect their penises, and girls focus far too much on the clitoris. “And don’t forget to go hunting for your G-Spot,”…again.

Kari Says: Thank goodness you provided another set of detailed instructions for finding my G-Spot Cosmo; I seem to have misplaced my other 7 issues with the same directions. Other than that though, hells yea to female exploration and what not. If men can nurture and name their junk then women are entitled to the “same kind of self-love.” Props for incorporating the phrase “self-love,” and BTW, we already knew our crotches were awesome, thankyouverymuch.

Lesson 4: Practice Makes Perfect

Cosmo Says: Masturbate, masturbate, and masturbate some more to figure out what works best for you.

Kari Says: Orgasms? Yes please. Orgasms that will increase the likelihood of even more orgasms? Keep em comin’ ( no pun intended). The suggestions of methods that Cosmo provides are even helpful…until the final one. I’m sorry Cosmo, but not even in the name of a better sex drive do I see the necessity of “tossing a towel over the padded arm of [my] couch, straddling it, and rocking back and forth, using the weight of my body to adjust the amount of pressure on [my] clitoris.” Something tells me my roommates wouldn’t appreciate this experimentation either.

Lesson 5: Sex is Better at Full Mast

Cosmo Says: The clitoris is the female equivalent of the penis. Foreplay is important to make sure it’s equally “engorged.”

Kari Says: Foreplay is absolutely important. I too see the importance of becoming fully turned on before sex (or else it’s just not fair). Unfortunately, I don’t think that my boyfriend would understand if I insisted that he make sure I was fully erect before we started knocking boots…

Lesson 6: It’s All About Focus

Cosmo Says: Women kick ass at multitasking, unfortunately, this is a bad thing in the bedroom. Men have made an art form of tuning out all that isn’t vitally important to the interest at hand, this is a very very good thing in the bedroom.

Kari Says: Agreed. Cosmo, you are absolutely right; I sometimes catch myself thinking ahead to my next move (naturally one of your patented positions from the Cosmo Sutra—so you’re partially to blame), stressing about the way my stomach looks and, yes, even wanting to open the window to cool things down. This just might be the perfect opportunity to take a page from the guys’ book and practice focusing only on the sensory experience of sex.

Overall, I think that Cosmo does an excellent job of highlighting some of the sexual benefits men reap—a few of our *ahem* talents just may have been overlooked. So yes, Cosmo, in the name of “sexual superiority” I think this advice is pretty damn good…but I’m still not gonna hump my couch.

Got a question for the Tuffster? Email her at tuffyluv@collegecandy.com to be featured in her weekly column! ASK ASK ASK!!!

Dear Tuffy Luv,

Continuing your theme of lists from last week– what are the different kinds of sex toys?

Thanks!!

BunnyRabbit

Dear BunnyRabbit,

A girl after my own heart. Or other organ. Whatever.

Okay, let’s get down to business. I’m just gonna list the basic types and you can do with that what you will:

Dildos: This is what a girl most easily substitutes for a penis.

Vibrator: The most common, right? This is the one everyone talks about (with good reason). They, like…vibrate. And it’s nice. There are a bunch of different kinds, including:

• Penetrating (goes in)
• G-spot (little ‘n’ easy to use)
• Anal (goes in…the other hole)
• Rabbit (has a vibrating shaft and little rabbit ears for the clitoris)
• Wand (for the clitoris–looks like and is sometimes marketed as a massagey thing)
• Bullet (insert ‘er and enjoy)

Anal Toys: To get your booty on, including:

• Anal beads (balls on a string inserted in your bum)
• Butt plug (stick it in and have fun in the other end)

Nipple Stimulators: To get the nips hard

• Nipple clamps (for those who like a little pain)

Ben Wa Balls: Very specific balls (DON’T JUST USE ANYTHING) that you put inside the hooha that roll around to enhance orgasm.

And, of course, there are always fingers.

Enjoy, girl!

Hearts & Skulls,

Tuffy Luv

This, ladies, is unacceptable. If you’re faking, then not only are you depriving yourself of some much-needed enjoyment, you’re keeping your partner from learning what makes you tick. (The 2000 Orgasm Survey also revealed that 55 percent of heterosexual men thought their girls always reached orgasm. And why shouldn’t they? They’re used to the sound of our LIES.) The only good reason to fake orgasm is that you haven’t yet learned what you like. And we can take care of that problem. Yes, indeed.

Come along, gentle reader, as we browse the aisles of the pro-lady sex store Babeland, and point out the best of their stock. No two people come alike, but, having done substantial research in the Land of Babes, I can safely say that these toys are both popular and well beloved. If you’re looking to figure out your body, these are a good way to start.

HITACHI MAGIC WAND

The Hitachi Magic Wand is the vibrator equivalent of the Ramones: fast, noisy, and very excellent. It’s an extremely intense vibrator, designed to be used on the clitoris. Just point the foam ball towards your crotch and go to town. (If it’s too much when placed directly on your skin, you can use it through a blanket or underwear.)

Its fans say that it can get them off in minutes. For that reason, it’s very popular among folks who are just learning how to come. For many people, it works when nothing else can do the trick.

LUMINA WAND

Ah, the g-spot. For those not in the know, the g-spot is a sensitive knob of tissue on the upper wall of the vagina, near the bladder and behind the pubic bone. It feels kind of like a squishy walnut. That’s not the hottest image in the world, but locating that kernel of goodness can do all sorts of fantastic things for your life.

This is where the Lumina Wand comes in. It’s curved to hit that upper wall, and it’s made of hard acrylic, which is good, because toys with smooth, firm textures are the g-spot’s favorite friends. Slide the curved end inside, and use the handle to rock it up and down. Odds are, something special will start to happen.

When you’ve located your g-spot and figured out what it likes, you can have an entirely new kind of orgasm – which means that you’ll have not one, but two ways to avoid your midterms. You can thank me later.

LAYA

Yes, yes, you’re saying, but I live in a damn dorm room. I can’t have all these various wands strewn about. To which I say: put them in your sock drawer, lady. And get a Laya. It’s a palm-sized adjustable vibrator that’s surprisingly strong, quiet, and easy to hide. It’s also splash-proof, which means that you can sneak it into the shower for extra privacy.

It’s designed primarily to be used on the clit – for which purpose it is quite effective – but some folks report that the hooked shape comes in handy for g-spotting fun.

RABBIT HABIT

See this? This is why some straight guys get nervous about vibrators. It’s a genius design that does, basically, things that no human can manage, unless s/he’s some kind of sex robot from the future. The shaft twirls to hit your g-spot, the pearls stimulate the sensitive area around your vagina, and the bunny vibrates against your clit. It’s a vibrator for all seasons. If it could discuss Germaine Greer, I would marry it.

Bonus point: our wedding pictures would be totally adorable. Whereas some vibrators look like David Cronenberg props or arcane medical instruments, the decidedly non-threatening Rabbit Habit comes at you with a happy little bunny. The only way this could be cuter would be if it were full of rainbow glitter.

What’s that you say? Some models are full of rainbow glitter?

I rest my case.