# Girls-- When did you first see yourself-- down there? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 7, 2005, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447 "2005-07-07T13:01:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/21 "2005-07-08T00:14:51Z")
I was young… probably less than 6 years old. It was my mom the one who showed me how to use the mirror to look at it. But I haven’t looked at it since I was about 8 years old, and I’m now 22. I barely remember how it looked. I try to look as much as I can without the mirror, though… ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/22 "2005-07-08T00:39:56Z")
I’ve looked once in my early- to mid-teens, although it wasn’t the best time to take a good look as I was trying to put in a tampon (Didn’t manage it, BTW, those things still freak me out a bit). ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/23 "2005-07-08T00:51:47Z")
First looked, with a mirror, pretty young age, 7 or 8, “Howbout That!” Next, more careful look, at 12, “Uh, I dunno about a baby coming outta that…” 19, doing acid, having my period “Oh, Lord, what the hell is going on here??? This is a really messed up system! Blood everywhere. And it’s gooshy, red, and smells strange. Oh, wow, every human being on Earth comes from this same place! We all live in a blood nest. Silence. How does anyone deal with this??? This mirror is only a reflecting tool. --looking closer-- ha ha! This is really amazing when you look at it!” Later, had a good photographer friend make some photos of my nether bits. Very beautiful! Every gal should know this part of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/24 "2005-07-08T00:55:02Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Girly bits are actually under us. Imagine trying to look at your asshole without a mirror. Yeah, but your bits aren’t as far back as an asshole. > [@WhyNot](#): > > Can you see the bottom of your scrotum? Sure. But I imagine it’s a bit more malleable than most vulvae. But I’m by no means arguing with y’all, seeing as you’re the ones holding onto the equipment in question. I’m just here to learn. Flexibility and weight aside, can some of you women (not counting gymnasts, contortionists and acrobats) gander at their bits without using a mirror? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/25 "2005-07-08T01:33:10Z")
The question is really, what are you talking about? Clitoris & hood? Check, most people can see that. Maybe not the bottom of it, though. Labia? Sure…not very well. Inside? Nope. How do you look at the bottom of your foot? You turn it upside down. Picture it as exactly the same idea, except your torso is simply not that flexible. To really get an idea of shape, color, size, asymmetry or symmetry, sickness/health, you have to use a mirror. It’s just the way it is. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/26 "2005-07-08T01:34:42Z")
> [@Happy Lendervedder](#): > > Flexibility and weight aside, can some of you women (not counting gymnasts, contortionists and acrobats) gander at their bits without using a mirror? Depends on what you mean by “bits”. Clitoris and the top/front parts of the outer/inner labia, sure. Vaginal opening? Not really. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/27 "2005-07-09T15:33:37Z")
Hmmm, I was maybe, oh, 17 or 18. I just took out a make up mirror and peeped on a whim. Quite frankly, I find female genitalia rather goofy looking. (Of course, the same could be said about male genitalia). The phrase “chewed up bubble gum wad” comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/28 "2005-07-09T15:46:34Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Hmmm, I was maybe, oh, 17 or 18. I just took out a make up mirror and peeped on a whim. Quite frankly, I find female genitalia rather goofy looking. (Of course, the same could be said about male genitalia). I disagree. I think the female genitalia is far more beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/29 "2005-07-09T16:22:03Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > My daughter, a talented, smart and well read 18 year old recently admitted to me that until quite recently she wasn’t _quite_ sure how many holes she had down there. Her brother and her best friend (also a boy) had to explain it to her. “Well, I’ve never actually _seen_ it.” To be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a good enough look to count holes…have you? The first time it ever occured to me to find a mirror and look was in middle school. I wondered if it looked much like the pictures in my health book. Sort of. There’s something creepy wrong about the pictures, though, the word “flayed” comes to mind… ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/30 "2005-07-09T16:23:23Z")
Male genitalia is all sloppy and hanging and swinging and getting into elastic leg bands and caught in zippers. Female genitalia is all folded and neatly packed away. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/31 "2005-07-09T17:05:04Z")
Don’t believe I ever have, actually. I remember being told to in our 5th grade ‘sex ed’ class and couldn’t for the life of me understand _why_. Nothings going to disappear if I don’t look at it, right? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/32 "2005-07-10T02:32:20Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I disagree. I think the female genitalia is far more beautiful. Oh, I’m not saying that female genitalia is worse looking than male. They’re both rather comical, if you think about it. And both have their pros and cons (we females don’t have to worry about getting our parts caught in zippers, but males can pee just about anywhere). ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/33 "2005-07-10T03:06:57Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > …but males can pee just about anywhere). But now, thanks to the marvels of madern technology, [so can we!](http://whizzy4you.com/) Weee! (Or should that be “Wee!”) 😃 No, I haven’t tried it. I’m a hippie, not a masochist. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/34 "2005-07-10T03:10:30Z")
I dunno. Of all the things that have displeased me about having woman parts, not being able to pee standing up is kind of low on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/35 "2005-07-10T03:16:05Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Oh, I’m not saying that female genitalia is worse looking than male. They’re both rather comical, if you think about it. And both have their pros and cons (we females don’t have to worry about getting our parts caught in zippers, but males can pee just about anywhere). Not on the electric fence, let me tell you. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/36 "2005-07-10T04:02:44Z")
> [@Harimad-sol](#): > > I dunno. Of all the things that have displeased me about having woman parts, not being able to pee standing up is kind of low on the list. It’s not so much standing up, as being able to take a pee in the woods without squating down and worrying about falling over or peeing on your leg. ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/37 "2005-07-10T04:52:25Z")
I don’t remember. I look at them all the time without a mirror in the bath. I have a generally warm and friendly acquaintance with my genitalia. They’re nice. I feel comfortable that between look and touch I’d realize if something were going awry. I know I _have_ looked with a mirror a couple of times but I don’t recall when or why. Wasn’t exactly a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/38 "2005-07-10T10:40:28Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It’s not so much standing up, as being able to take a pee in the woods without squating down and worrying about falling over or peeing on your leg. It’s not so much the peeing on your leg as the risk of poison ivy on your vulva and ass that gets me in a tither. Not to mention mosquito bites and ticks! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![bang\_ouch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@bang\_ouch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bang_ouch)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/39 "2005-07-10T13:27:59Z")
I think I always knew there was more than one hole down there, but never \*understood \* that till I checked it out with a mirror, when I was about 8. I do regular mirror updates at least every 6 months or so. Just to make sure everything’s still in place. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447/40 "2005-07-10T14:03:29Z")
I was three or four. I had horrible allergies (turned out to be all sorts of soaps I was allergic to… no bubble baths for me) and I had to apply my own anti-itch medication so I could learn to do it without help. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/girls-when-did-you-first-see-yourself-down-there/311447.md?page=3)