What is an “outie” vagina?

On some level, everybody compares themselves to everybody else—it’s possible that ’tis human to do so. But when you add the internet in general and mainstream porn in particular to the mix, our inclination to compare can easily get out of whack. 

For instance, some people—when comparing their vaginas to depictions of other vaginas—worry that their “outie vagina” is somehow abnormal. 

What is an “outie” vagina?

While talk of “innies” and “outies” is typically reserved for cutesy talk about belly buttons, the terminology has been co-opted to describe two different “types” of vaginas—or more accurately, vulvas. While the vagina is completely internal, vulva refers to the external, visible parts of your genitals, including your labia, AKA your lips. 

Although inaccurate, when someone uses the term “outie vagina,” they're simply referring to when the labia minora (inner lips) are longer and protrude from the labia majora (outer lips). An “innie vagina,” then, is when the outer lips are more prominent than the inner lips. 

Outies are 100% normal, pretty common, and gorgeous as they are

Fact: before online porn, people with vulvas didn’t have such ready access to visuals of so many other vulvas. Although today it's easy peasy to gawk at vulvas all day long should you choose to, their representation is far from inclusive or even proportionate to the types of vulvas that exist—you know, in the real world. Much like the body types that get majority representation, the genital shapes and types portrayed are generally very limited—mainstream at best!

But while outies aren’t commonly depicted, they are 100% normal. In fact, outies may actually be the most common type of vagina! According to a 2017 study, about 56% of people with vulvas may have an “outie.” In spite of this, 73.3% of those who reported feeling that their genitals were “abnormal” had outies.

This is all thanks to the vagina shame epidemic, make no mistake. In the world as we know it, it’s common for those with protruding inner labia to feel self-conscious—goddess knows why. It’s probably safe to blame mainstream porn—along with those who can’t distinguish said porn from reality and end up shaming their partners for looking “different."

Fact: vulvas are gorgeous, and no two vulvas look the same.

Vulvas can vary wildly in size, shape, and color. It’s perfectly normal to have inner or outer labia that stick out or are asymmetrical, a larger clitoris, or any number of other unique features. Unless you notice a significant change from your normal, or are experiencing pain or irritation, chances are high that your vulva is normal and delectable just as it is. 

This just in: your self-worth as a person and a sexual being should in no way be affected by the shape of your genitals. 

Does having an “outie” change how sex feels? 

While your outer lips do play an important role in sexual satisfaction, the size of your labia is unlikely to affect the sensations you experience. 

Similarly, having an outie vagina is unlikely to interfere with day-to-day nonsexual activities, like sports. There are rare cases where labial hypertrophy occurs—this is when the labia minora are disproportionately larger, sometimes causing irritation or infection. But more often than not, people simply feel weird or embarrassed about how their vulvas look.

Don’t you dare get a labiaplasty

Sadly, some people feel so weird and embarrassed about how their labia look that they seek out cosmetic labiaplasty—a surgery offered by plastic surgeons to reduce and/or reshape the labia minora. 

Worldwide, the number of labiaplasties performed in 2019 reached 164,667, which corresponded to a 24.1% increase compared to 2018 and a 73.3% rise compared to 2015. According to the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons’ 2017 statistics, requests for labiaplasty increased by 217.2% between 2012 and 2017. Labiaplasty was the 15th most popular plastic surgery procedure among female patients in 2019. All this being said, reports on procedures performed in the private sector are optional, so these figures are a likely a gross underestimate.

If all that isn’t shocking enough, many of those seeking the surgery are under 18 (yup, this is legal), and have yet to fully develop sexually or emotionally.

Clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale, Dr. Mary Jane Minkin, is among those voicing her concern.

“The vast majority of people looking for labiaplasties really don't have anything to worry about,” she says, pointing out that getting one for purely cosmetic reasons can be dangerous. 

“Surgery is surgery. You can get an infection doing any surgery, and, to me, it's sort of silly to risk ending up with real pain for doing a procedure that's totally unnecessary.”

Moral of the story: unless you have a labial condition which poses a threat to your health, there are precisely zero reasons to consider a labiaplasty.

Loving yourself as you are leads to better sex

As with your body more generally, loving your vulva and feeling confident about it go hand in hand. When you love something, you care for it more, which in turn leads to better enjoyment, ya dig? If you're constantly worried about how your vulva looks compared to the “perfect” vulva depicted in mainstream porn, this could affect your sexual health, your self-esteem, and those crucial places where they intersect. In other words, it’s pretty challenging to have a good (nay, great) sex life when you’re hating on your pleasure dome.

If you’re interested in finding ways to become more comfortable with your vulva’s appearance, there are many delicious resources in store for the willing:

- The Labia Library contains anatomy information and a diverse vulva photo gallery, the point being to demonstrate that there is no “right” or “normal" look for a vulva. 

- The Great Wall of Vagina is great for anyone who wants to see a true-to-life diversity of different but normal vulva appearances—think plaster casts of 400+ vulvas‍. 

- The New View Campaign offers non-medicalized info on a variety of normal sexual expressions.

Other ways to learn to love your vulva (and yourself!) include:

- Masturbation. Pleasuring thyself regularly and in a spirit of exploration is a great way to get more comfortable and familiar and receptive (and loving!) with your body.

- Therapy. Talking to a good therapist (possibly a sex therapist) about your feelings may also be a helpful way to feel more comfortable with your vulva's appearance. Some people also find that airing their worries with their partner can help to alleviate unnecessary concern.

Bottom line: if you’ve been wondering whether your labia is normal, but it hadn’t really even occurred to you until recently, it is. If you have a partner who makes you feel weird about your vulva, there’s something wrong with them. If you need a little loving guidance to help you better love all your parts, you’ve come to the right place (see the above suggestions!) And if you’re just curious about whether your vagina’s an innie or an outie, grab a mirror and start exploring, baby. You never know what titillating treasures you may find. <3