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"\n\tAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\t\n\n\n\nVajayjay. Cooch. Cooter. Box. Tra la la.The list of nicknames for our lady parts (there's another!) is endless, but according to Dr.Logan Levkoff, PhD, these cutesy euphemisms are hurting our sexual confidence, and our ongoing education about our bodies.\"The problem with slang terms is they make it sound as if these parts are shameful, or that we shouldn't feel good about them, says Dr. Levkoff, sexologist and author of Third Base Ain't What It Used To Be. \"And that's the last thing we want, at any age.\" Dr. Levkoff is a staunch believer in teaching children\u2014right from birth\u2014that anatomical body parts should be called what they are: penis, vagina, vulva, etc. In fact, one of Dr. Levkoff's biggest pet peeves is the lack of distinction between \"vagina\"\u2014the canal that connects our uterus to the outside world\u2014and \"vulva\"\u2014the external genitalia. She points out that many women, of all ages, are referring to their vulva as \"vajayja,\" a nickname for their internal organ.\"The term 'vajayjay' is not only just silly, it's factually incorrect,\" says Dr.Levkoff. Here's looking at you, Oprah, and, once upon a time, the cast of Grey's Anatomy.Slang like \"lady parts\" and \"vajay\" also signal a lack of respect for women's most intimate parts\u2014the same we use to do vitally important things like have sex, and conceive and deliver our kids. \"If we want women to speak up about their bodies, then they need to use these terms because they're just too important,\" says Dr. Levkoff. \"You wouldn't call your elbow some ridiculous slang name.\"What of wangs, dicks, and peckers? Yes, there are penile slang terms, but the word \"penis\" has never been as avoided, or shrouded in slang, as \"vagina.\" Dr. Levkoff says there is a reason our male counterparts have an easier time with the word 'penis' than we've ever had with the proper terminology. \"We unfortunately operated throughout history with a very significant double standard when it comes to sex, so we give more information to males about genitals and more freedom for them to explore their bodies,\" she explains.  \"There have always been a lot of inequalities,\" Dr. Levkoff continues. \"Not just on how to identify their bodies, but how to speak up and ask for pleasure and protection. If we just have slang or the absence of words, we're not getting to know our bodies, either.\"So call it like it is, guys. Vagina\u2014or bust.Want more stories from Carson? Follow her on Twitter.Photo Credit: lakeforestanatomicals.com"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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