What is the difference between the male and female reproductive systems? How do these differences develop? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both men\u2019s and women\u2019s genitalia have the same origins, stemming from the same embryonic tissue. However, these organs ultimately develop in unique ways, take distinct shapes, and serve different functions depending on a person\u2019s sex. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s explore the differences between male and female anatomy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
In her book Come as You Are<\/em>, Emily Nagoski asserts that we can better understand the identical origins but different functions of men\u2019s and women\u2019s homologous genitalia by examining the differences between male and female anatomy. Although she provides various comparisons, we\u2019ll limit our discussion to just two crucial sets of organs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Nagoski, the clitoris is the anatomical source of female sexual pleasure. The visible part is right below where the inner labia or \u201clips\u201d of the vulva (i.e. external parts of the female genitalia) meet, although it extends far inside a woman\u2019s body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Shortform note: The fact that Nagoski points out the true size and shape of the clitoris is important, as many people don\u2019t realize just how far it extends into the body<\/a>. In fact, it took until 1981 for any health body to create an anatomically correct diagram of the clitoris, and many school textbooks don\u2019t even mention this organ, let alone explain its true size and shape. This persistent misinformation and misconception support her argument for the need for a biological understanding of female genitalia.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The male equivalent of the clitoris is the penis, <\/strong>Nagoski notes. Just like the clitoris, the penis is the sexual pleasure center and is positioned front and center on the body. However, whereas only the head of the clitoris is visible outside of a woman\u2019s body, the head and half the length of the entire penis is visible outside of a man\u2019s body. Nagoski argues that their differences in appearance have everything to do with their differences in function. Whereas the clitoris is only responsible for sensation, the penis is responsible for sensation, penetration, ejaculation, and urination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Shortform note: Nagoski doesn\u2019t elaborate on why these differences in function lead to differences in appearance. The penis must extend further than the clitoris as it must be long enough to penetrate and ejaculate into the vaginal canal, which is inside a woman\u2019s body.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nagoski explains that the outer labia, or \u201clips,” are fleshy and hairy folds of skin around the vaginal opening. (Shortform note: The function of the outer labia is to protect the vagina\u2014and therefore internal organs connected to the vagina like the ovaries, urethra, and clitoris\u2014from damage.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The male counterpart of the outer labia is the scrotum<\/strong>, which is the fleshy and hairy bag of skin hanging below the penis that holds the testicles. Nagoski notes that upon close inspection, you can see the seam on the scrotum where it would have split into outer labia had the embryo been female. (Shortform note: Just as the outer labia serve to protect some of the most vital sexual organs, the scrotum acts as a layer of protection for the testicles, which are the organs that produce sperm.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n (Shortform note: Why must the scrotum extend further out from the body than the outer labia? Nagoski doesn\u2019t explore this, but it\u2019s because the scrotum must keep the testicles cooler than the internal body temperature to produce sperm. On the other hand, the ovaries\u2014which are the female equivalent of the testicles and produce eggs and hormones\u2014don\u2019t require the same environmental conditions to function. Because of this, they\u2019re located inside the body rather than externally with the outer labia.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nagoski tells us that just as men and women have similar parts organized in different ways, female genitalia, too, can vary a lot from woman to woman<\/strong>. In particular, she notes that the size, shape, and even color of everything from the clitoris to the labia can differ greatly depending on the person. Understanding this from a biological perspective can help women realize that whatever the unique appearance of their genitalia, they\u2019re normal and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Shortform note: While Nagoski specifically mentions women here, men have a lot of genital variation too. For instance, the penis and scrotum can differ in size, shape, and color in much the same way as female genitalia. What\u2019s more, men also face feelings of shame about the appearance of their genitals<\/a>\u2014for instance, the size of their penis\u2014that stem from a toxic and pervasive standard for what it means to be masculine<\/a>.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is the difference between the male and female reproductive systems? How do these differences develop? Both men\u2019s and women\u2019s genitalia have the same origins, stemming from the same embryonic tissue. However, these organs ultimately develop in unique ways, take distinct shapes, and serve different functions depending on a person\u2019s sex. Let\u2019s explore the differences between male and female anatomy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":37225,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[548],"class_list":["post-56293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","tag-come-as-you-are","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nClitoris vs. Penis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Outer Labia vs. Scrotum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Variation in Female Genitalia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n