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The Netherlands is adopting a new term for the labia, as campaigners seek to replace language they say is outdated and linked to shame.
Leading Dutch dictionary Dikke van Dale said last month that it would include “vulvalippen” in its next online update alongside the traditional term “schaamlippen”, which can be translated as “shame lips” or “pubic lips”, according to the BBC.
Campaigners have long called for changes to terminology used to discuss women’s bodies, sexuality and health. They argue that language can influence how people view themselves and their bodies.
Campaigners seek more neutral medical language
“Language shapes how we see ourselves,” said Shari Klein, one of the founders of the Schaamteloos campaign, which challenges words containing “schaam”, or “shame”.
“It’s crucial people have a more neutral, anatomically correct word – not a word that links to shame, whether consciously or subconsciously,” she said.
Esther Van der Valk, a member of Dutch feminist group Dolle Mina, said the campaign was also connected to sex positivity and efforts to reduce body shaming.
The campaigners now want doctors and public officials to use “vulvalippen” in information leaflets and during medical consultations.
Ton den Boon, an editor at Dikke van Dale, said the new term was being used more often in the media, biology textbooks, medical leaflets and veterinary medicine, making its inclusion in the dictionary appropriate.
However, it remains unclear how quickly the term will be adopted in everyday use. Other Dutch words, including terms for pubic hair, the pubic bone and pubic lice, also contain the element associated with shame.
Similar language reforms in Europe
The Dutch campaign follows similar efforts in Germany. In 2018, journalists Gunda Windmüller and Mithu Sanyal launched a petition to replace “Shamlippen” with “Vulvalippen”.
Windmüller said the initiative was inspired by a gynaecologist who described the shame some women experienced when discussing their bodies or undergoing medical examinations. Although German dictionaries have not yet adopted “Vulvalippen”, Windmüller has encountered the word in conversations, school textbooks and women’s magazines.
Sweden introduced a new term for the hymen after a 2009 campaign by the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education. The traditional word “mödomshinna” suggested a “virginity membrane” and was considered anatomically inaccurate.
The replacement term, “slidkrans”, translates as “vaginal corona” and reflects the fact that the hymen is generally a ring or folds of tissue rather than a seal that breaks once.
Sonja Ghaderi of the association said the new term could help challenge myths used to control women’s sexuality and freedom. She added that “slidkrans” was used particularly by healthcare professionals and youth clinics, although misinformation about the hymen remained widespread.
Debate extends beyond reproductive anatomy
In the United Kingdom, feminist podcast host Nicola Denson-Elliott has petitioned to replace “hysterectomy” with “uterectomy”. She argues that the existing term has linguistic links to “hysteria”, a historical concept associated with supposed emotional excess in women.
Linguistics researcher Dr Beth Malory said proposed changes should be carefully assessed to ensure that new terms were clear and not ambiguous. She suggested that, in some cases, simply describing a procedure or condition more directly could be preferable.
Malory has also researched language used around pregnancy and loss. One term she examined was “incompetent cervix”, used when cervical shortening can raise the risk of pregnancy loss or premature birth.
Obstetrician Dr Brooke Vandermolen said such terminology could make women feel blamed for a medical problem. She has moved away from phrases such as “failure to progress” when describing labour that is not advancing as expected.
“Language is incredibly important and the words we choose can show recognition and make people feel validated and seen,” she said.
The Royal College of Midwives issued guidance in 2022 recommending alternative phrases, but Vandermolen said some traditional terms continued to be used and could cause distress.
