She also kept watch at the entrance to the inner world. With the help of her neighbors—the labia, the clitoris, the cervix, and the uterus—she maintained a delicate balance of moisture, acidity, and friendly microbes. These tiny helpers fought off uninvited guests, keeping the inner landscape healthy and strong.
And so Sam began: Long ago, in the land of the body, there was a guardian called the . She was not a secret, nor a shame—she was a pathway, a protector, and a place of passage.
“Because for a long time,” Sam said, “bodies with vaginas were controlled and silenced. Shame was a tool of power. But you—you can break that cycle. Use correct words. Ask questions. See a doctor when something feels wrong. Never let anyone make you feel dirty for having a healthy body.”
