Oda / Odette / Miku

Vulvicryptic variations (VCVs) are congenital variations in vulvovaginal genitalia, outside of what is considered typical for a body with a vulva, which are profoundly under-researched, under-diagnosed, or entirely unknown / undescribed. The term is meant to help provide language and community to people with sex trait variations that have little to no resources, from perisex or intersex sources.

These variations are very hard to find information on, and what exists tends to be focused on young children and surgical procedures. Doctors may have never heard of these variations, and different doctors may see and approach these variations wildly differently because of the lack of consensus. This is often due to intermisogyny / intersexist medical misogyny (IMM). People with VCVs may have experienced CIMI (coerced intersex medical interventions) such as being pressured to have a hymenectomy, labioplasty, undergo vaginal dilation, or be put on birth control or other hormonal treatments with the goal of diminishing their sex variant traits.

All VCVs can fall under the intersex umbrella, because they are congenital variations in sex characteristics outside of what is seen as typical for a "female." But people with VCVs can choose personally whether or not they identify as intersex. Similarly, VCV is an optional label & people may or may not want to refer to their variations with this term; whether or not someone's variation counts as a VCV is a personal choice.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of examples of variations that fall under the vulvicryptic variation umbrella:

Vulvar hypospadias (including persistent urogenital sinus) and epispadias (the urethra being lower/higher than typical respectively; PUGS is also total hypospadias, when the urethra is within the vaginal canal)

Urethral duplication / triplication (multiple urethras; can be typically placed, hypospadiac, and/or epispadiac)

Hymenal hypertrophy (thick, protruding, possibly inflexible hymen) also called a sleeve or redundant hymen

Atypical hymen variations like imperforate, microperforate, cribiform, and septate

Labial fusion (either the minora or (less often) the majora are fused together; this can be anywhere from covering the bottom half of the vaginal opening, to covering up most or all of the vulva. the labia minora can also fuse with the labia majora)

Labial hypertrophy (larger than typical labia)

Labial hypoplasia (smaller than typical labia)

Clitoral hypoplasia / atresia / vulvar aphallia (smaller than typical clitoris or no clitoris)

Vulvar aposthia (lack of a clitoral hood/foreskin)

Vaginal hypoplasia (smaller than typical vaginal canal)

Vaginal septum (the vagina is separated into two canals)

Uterine variations like bicornate/didelphys (two uteri)

It isn't uncommon for people to have multiple VCVs. In particular, it has been noticed that many people with hypospadias also have a hypertrophic hymen, and frequently also labial fusion and other clitoral/labial variations. Right now, this particular constellation of traits is called H-VCV (hypospadiac vulvicryptic variation) but other names, like crypostreum, have been suggested!

Could you guys check out my blog @crayontopia please 💕💕 It's my objectum blog specifically about crayons, but I might also post techum stuff on there sometimes too

Imma be real with yall the fear around leopard seals is just because they aren't widely considered cute. Other types of seals are predators too, and we can be pretty nasty predators at that. We have sharp teeth for a reason. In fact I've seen people on the internet say stuff like "how do you expect me to believe that's a predator" yeah unfortunately nature doesn't care about human beliefs like "if it's cute and chonky it can't possibly hunt and eat other things and it's also my fren that I can totally run up and touch!!!! seal finger??? what's that???"*

I'm not saying you can't find leopard seals scary looking or find other seals adorable (Imo leopard seals are really goofy and unserious looking from every angle, and even I personally find my seal brethren cute) but I AM saying if leopard seals were cuter people wouldn't be like "OMG THIS SEAL IS AN INSANE SERIAL KILLER PSYCHO**!!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS LITERALLY THE MOST TERRIFYING SEAL IN EXISTENCE!!!!!"

(*I am specifically talking about wild seals here. Some centers and zoos will allow visitors to pet and feed their seals. I have no issue with this. Also, harbor seals are known to approach divers, and even touch them, in which case it's okay to allow them to touch you, you don't have to move out of the way. Just don't make any sudden movements or touch them yourself. The encounter is on the seal's terms)

"do you wanna watch an animal documentary"

"omg thats so funny.. hey do you wanna watch an animal documentary"

"damn thats crazy, that kind of reminds me of this animal documentary"