Vaginal modification has been around for hundreds of years, and it’s no surprise that it’s still around with so many myths surrounding sex and the vagina’s role in it. One of the most common myths is the idea that the vagina becomes looser the more sex the woman has. Another common myth is the idea that the husband stitch is effective for increasing sexual pleasure. Both myths are false, and both maintain a dangerous narrative, intentional or not. The idea that a woman has certain roles and duties she must follow in order to keep her body sexually pleasing for her partner plays a part in controlling women’s body. Keep in mind woman is referred to as the sex, not the gender, because everyone that has a vagina doesn’t always identify as a woman. That being said, there is nothing wrong with vaginal modification if it’s what the woman wants, as it’s her body, however it’s sometimes done without her permission. Or it’s done with her permission, but when she’s uneducated or misinformed about the subject. It’s important that women know the difference between myth and fact in regards to her body. However, sex and genitalia are a touchy subject to Americans, and it’s difficult to find accurate information on the subject.

The rumor that the tightness of the vagina is determined by sex is a very untrue. The vagina is actually a lot stronger than many think. According to Annamarya Scaccia, an award-winning journalist, the “vagina may become slightly looser as you age or have children, but overall, the muscles expand and retract just like an accordion or a rubber band.” The muscles in the vagina are actually very durable, and compared to a baby, penises are small. They have little to do with the vagina becoming loose. Age, and childbirth does; “in an aging vagina, there is a loss of tone and tightness due to slackness in the pelvic floor and of vaginal muscles after childbirth,” states a study done by the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health. While there are certain limitations to the vagina, sex isn’t the thing that will doom the effectiveness of the it. With that said, the tightness of the vagina shouldn’t really affect the stability or passion in a relationship. If the partner is placing the happiness of the relationship on their amount of pleasure during sex, chances are the relationship isn’t steady or healthy. If women are being pressured to physically change their bodies for the pleasure of their partner, then the relationship needs to be closely examined as to why the partner thinks their sexual desires are more important.

Sometimes women aren’t given the choice when it comes to vaginal modification. The husband stitch is sometimes done without the woman’s knowledge or consent, and as people should know a woman’s consent is an important factor in regards to what happens to her body. After childbirth the new mother is exhausted, and sometimes still under the effects of an epidural injection. They rely on medical professionals to take care of their bodies after the physical stress of labor. Vagina tears are common after birth, and it’s the medical professional’s job to sew up the tear. Sometimes during the process the medical professional will intentionally sew it just a little too much so that the vagina will be tighter for her partner’s pleasure. However, the vaginal opening isn’t the main muscles that give pleasure during sex, in reality it’s the pelvic floor muscles, which are inside the vagina. The North American Menopause Society states that a healthy pelvic floor can “increase strength and awareness of the muscles involved in pleasurable sexual sensations.” So the husband stitch is actually doing very little in regards to pleasure, and instead the extra stitch just makes sex uncomfortable or even painful for the woman.   

    Bodies change during long term relationships, that’s how life works. However, a need by any gender to maintain an unhealthy or unrealistic amount of attractiveness or sexiness can be detrimental to the relationship. Love between two romantic partners should not be determined by sexual pleasure. Not that sex isn’t important to mainstream relationships, but sometimes putting to much importance on sex to the point of pressuring the other partner into doing things they don’t want to, or making them feel guilty to how their body ages isn’t healthy. In the end the vagina belongs to the person that has it. It’s their choice on what to do with it. If they want a husband stitch or a vaginal modification, that’s their decision, but they should be educated on the matter just as any other medical decisions.