What Annoyed the Internet this Week?
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In the spirit of International Women’s Day, this instalment of What Annoyed the Internet will focus on a vaginal product that has enraged, confused and amused women across the world: the ‘Jamu stick’.
On the website, the creators claim that the Jamu stick is a part of Indonesian culture and that it helps women to take care of their husbands.
“Take {SIC} care of a husband is a very important life challenge for Indonesian women, and primarily involves a very carefully concern for sexuality as such, including proper intimate hygiene. A healthy, clean, tight, fragrant vagina is the key to a happy sexual life and a happy marriage”
They also claim that use of the Jamu stick will improve self confidence and relieve period cramps. All of this is completely unsupported by science.
Anyone that knows even a little about the female anatomy will know that an exfoliating stick will do absolutely nothing to improve vaginal hygiene or create a ‘healthy, clean, tight, fragrant vagina’.
Your body already has all it needs to clean and regulate your vagina. Discharge and natural odour is not something that any woman should feel like they need to get rid of.
This product isn’t just completely useless, it’s potentially dangerous. Contrary to what the Jamu marketing team say, the vagina doesn’t have ‘skin’, it’s a mucous membrane and therefore cannot have ‘dead skin cells’. By using a callous object inside your vagina, you will most likely do more damage than anything else.
The social media attention to this product comes only a week or two after the Me and my Vulva project in which photographer Laura Dodsworth put together a series of images and stories with the hope of eliminating the shame and embarrassment some women feel about their bodies.
So for anyone that was impressed by the snazzy graphics and drivel about magical herbs on the Jamu stick website, please take it from us: you do not need to exfoliate your vagina and any partner who complains about discharge, natural odour and tightness needs to be thrown in the bin.