Photographer Laura Dodsworth has turned her lens to vulvas for her latest project, Womanhood, following earlier series on breasts and penises. The project features portraits of 100 women and gender non-conforming people, accompanied by their personal stories, aiming to combat the shame and lack of knowledge surrounding female anatomy.
Dodsworth was initially reluctant to photograph vulvas but felt compelled after reading about female genital mutilation, young girls seeking labiaplasty, and inaccurate language in health leaflets. She noted that vulvas are rarely seen outside of porn and childbirth, partly due to their position on the body, making them less visible than penises.
Many participants saw their vulvas in detail for the first time during the shoot. Dodsworth described the experience as different from her previous projects: 'Men were revealing themselves to a woman; women were revealing themselves to themselves.' Some women were shaking and asked if they were normal.
The project also highlights broader issues, such as low cervical smear test rates in England and rising labiaplasty procedures. Dodsworth herself posed for a portrait, finding it liberating and noting that her episiotomy scar looked tiny on screen compared to how it felt.
While the project includes diverse ages and sexual orientations, Dodsworth acknowledged a lack of participants of colour, attributing it partly to cultural taboos. The stories cover a range of life experiences, moving beyond the vulva as merely a site of sexual activity.
