Getting familiar

Every year I go for my annual gyn exam, and every year my doctor walks in and introduces herself to me as if it was our first time meeting. This year was different as I opted for a “Hope” appointment where I skipped the dreaded stirrup pelvic exam and instead talked about my medical history, got my blood pressure checked, and then renewed my prescription.

This year was even more different when after the introduction she said I looked familiar. Yet, my vagina was fully clothed. I only become familiar when I’m clothed? Is that good or bad? Perhaps, it would be slightly more uncomfortable if while my doctor was sitting between my legs she then said I looked familiar. We then would ponder what that means.

There is another much more important point to consider. How familiar are we with our own vaginas, vulvas, whatever? If women were shown pictures of genitalia would they be able to pick out their own? It is probably time to start friendly introductions to our own bodies until each part can be familiar. I say familiar because frequent reintroductions are important. After all we are always changing.