Have you ever been so curious that...

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-01-2006
Have you ever been so curious that...
11
Fri, 01-20-2006 - 6:55pm

Everyone knows that there is a certain mystique about vaginas. Robin Williams once said that men spend 9 months trying to get out of the womb and spend the rest of their lives trying to get back in. So true! And perhaps the biggest mystique is vaginal scent. Some men like it and some don't (personally I love it). But most men are so curious about it that, if given the opportunity to smell the panties of a woman they're attracted to, they'd do it. So it makes me wonder how women feel about that.

Also, men with multiple partners have had the opportunity to sample various scents so they know what scents are more common than others. But how does a woman know how her scent compares to other women? Do you have an idea based on what boyfriends have told you? Or have any of you ever been so curious about how your scent compares to others that you have smelled the panties of another woman?

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Avatar for katmandoo2001
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Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 01-20-2006 - 8:50pm

Well, I can honestly say that no, I'm not a panty sniffer and haven't thought about how my scent compares to other women's. Don't much care since it really makes no difference to me or my DH.

Tell me....is this similar to men being jock sniffers? LOL!

I think it's a little strange to think that a man might sniff panties, mine or some other woman's, but it does make sense since there are powerful pheromones there to attract men.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-23-2004
Sat, 01-21-2006 - 10:12am

No, I have no curiosity to compare my scent with other women's scents.


bounxh0a-1.gif picture by dillbyrd

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Registered: 04-23-2004
Sat, 01-21-2006 - 10:17am

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bounxh0a-1.gif picture by dillbyrd

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-24-2005
Sun, 01-22-2006 - 12:46am

First of all, scent is the LEAST mystifying thing about the vagina I can think of, and the most iconic. Any man or woman who's had sufficient muff-diving experience could be blindfolded, hands tied behind his or her back, have their face buried in a woman's nether regions and would clearly know what they're lucky enough to be up against (or at the very least, have a damn good suspicion).

I appreciate my lovers for whomever and whatever they are. I couldn't imagine myself or any other man or woman having the time, interest or very idea to 'compare' feminine odors, nor any conceivable reason why anyone ever would. Most people are just too damn busy enjoying themselves to think, period. The only exception that comes to mind (and that's because I have a very strange one) is in the case of someone who's never been 'down there' before and is simply curious. But even that seems, shall we say politely...just a tad...askew?

Then again, what goes on at those slumber parties? Ya think?

There was an episode of the Stern show once where they lined up 3 or 4 women in g-string bikinis, one of them apparently being a vegan, and had a guy who claimed to be able to tell the vegan from the carnivores by 'sniffing' their genitals. If I remember correctly, it was a miserable failure.




Edited 1/22/2006 1:45 am ET by e_steubing
Avatar for katmandoo2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 5:51pm
That's what I've always heard the "ultimate sports fan or fanatic" referred to....jock sniffer!
Avatar for katmandoo2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 5:57pm

Okay, the fish reference was offensive and totally unnecessary.

That type of mysognistic "joke" is the very reason why some women don't want a man's head between their legs and feel uncomfortable with their natural scent!!

At the heart, these types of jokes are hurtful and mysoginistic, so why perpetuate them?




Edited 1/23/2006 6:00 pm ET by katmandoo2001
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Registered: 12-24-2005
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 6:53pm

I apologize if it offended you. I just thought it was a cute joke and that's all.

A joke is not misogynistic; a person is. And I think that anyone who knows me from the few weeks I've been posting on here will tell you that I'm about as far away from a misogynist as they come. Truly. I'm not certain exactly what my wording was in that particular statement of my post, but I'm pretty sure I alluded to the fact that any lover of women would consider themselves quite lucky to have his or her face 'pushed up' against that scent. So the negativity that you attached to it was obviously not provided by me.

Christianne Northrup was actually the first person from whom I learned of the scientific basis of the 'scent.' It happens that the same exact chemical that make fish smell the way they do, is present in women's vaginas. She laughed at it. The audience packed with women laughed at it. And then they let it go. It's all about INtent, not CONtent. It's nice if we can laugh lightheartedly at our unique human characteristics, instead of attaching shame to them. But I can certainly understand doing that in a society that reinforces the impossible standards of 'perfection.'

So once again, I'm sorry if this came off as offensive. I promise you it was not meant to be.

Best.




Edited 1/23/2006 6:56 pm ET by e_steubing
Avatar for katmandoo2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 10:53pm

I didn't say that YOU were personally misogynistic though, I said that jokes such as that are rooted in misogyny and perpetuate an attitude that harms women's feelings about their own bodies. I think we can be pretty sure that the original author of that and other jokes like it, DID have some issues with women, whether you do or not.

Just as one may believe that a harmless, offhand comment or joke about race, weight, etc. should be understood as a "joke" just because one SAYS that one is not racist or biased against overweight people, it's a lame excuse, all the same. The end result is still the same, too, isn't it?

And I'm quite sure that many women in that audience you mentioned, were embarrassed and ashamed, while they squirmed in nervous laughter. I've been privy to such jokes. People often laugh when they're embarrassed or humiliated. And no, not because they agree or think it's actually funny.

And btw, my DH read your explanation about using the joke and felt the same as I did. "Cute?" No, offensive and inappropriate, particularly on a primarily female website.

I accept your apology though.




Edited 1/24/2006 12:58 am ET by katmandoo2001
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Registered: 12-24-2005
Tue, 01-24-2006 - 2:35am

I think what we're getting down to here are essentially individual levels of sensitivity as opposed to anything that is empirically offensive or inoffensive. Like your husband, my female housemate read the post, but laughed loudly and didn't see it as offensive in the least. Does she have any self-respect? Plenty. Is she a sensitive individual? Just as much as the next person.

>>And I'm quite sure that many women in that audience you mentioned, were embarrassed and ashamed, while they squirmed in nervous laughter.<<

How can you be quite sure about what other people are thinking or feeling if they haven't told you? People have a wide variety of reactions, but I don't assume their reactions to be aligned with mine simply because I feel strongly about a certain personal belief, or because we share the same gender. Everyone's a unique individual unto themselves.

No one's going to win this debate, because -- as I said before -- it's about individual sensitivities and not rights or wrongs.

So I guess the best thing to do would be to agree to disagree and move on.

Best.

Avatar for katmandoo2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 01-24-2006 - 11:55am

This IS about differing sensibilities.

But as I said....a laugh doesn't always indicate enjoyment or agreement either, so of course, you also can't be so sure that I'm wrong in my assessment of the audience reaction.

And because one cannot be certain of any individual reaction....than when a joke like that is of questionable taste, then perhaps it's best to err on the side of diplomacy and not share it at all.

Best to you as well.

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