Editorials

What Annoyed the Internet This Week?

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15 February 2019

By Bronwen

On a scale of one to a cis male explaining what a vagina is to a female gynaecologist, how much of a mansplainer are you?

This week, the Internet was annoyed by Twitter user @paulbullen, who has since switched his account to private after he created one hell of a media storm.

It all started when the Guardian tweeted the link to ‘Me and my vulva‘, an article which tells the story of photographer Laura Dodsworth, and her quest to normalise vulvas that are not the conventional ones seen in pornography, in order to eliminate the shame and embarrassment some women feel about their bodies.

Replying to the Guardian, Bullen tweeted: ‘The correct word is vagina.’

He was shortly corrected by numerous others but rather than accept the possibility that he, a man, could be wrong, he continued to argue with hundreds of vulva-havers in this epic mansplaining rant:

I know right: WTF.

Well if Bullen felt satisfied with himself in that moment, he was soon to be the centre of public ridicule as the entire Internet became awed at his level of condescension and stubbornness.

If there’s anyone who claims that mansplaining isn’t thing, you need only show them this Twitter thread.

In seriousness, I hope that the ridiculousness of Paul Bullen’s comments haven’t overshadowed the original article which is a necessary insight into the body shaming that is causing girls as young as nine to ask doctors for labiaplasty. After all, we need to strive for body confidence. I recommend everyone reads it:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/feb/09/me-and-my-vulva-100-women-reveal-all-photographs

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