New context, new content—Rethinking genital anatomy in textbooks

Abstract

It has been widely claimed that reductions in allocated teaching time and the widespread implementation of short‐cut teaching methodologies have led to a shortfall in anatomy knowledge among graduating doctors. This decline in knowledge is evident in the failure of anatomy content to prepare graduates for contemporary clinical practice. The implications for postgraduate surgical training are addressed in the numerous extracurricular anatomy courses available to surgical candidates. This paper focuses on genital diversity and its relevance to non‐surgical graduates, thus highlighting another potential impact of this knowledge shortfall on frontline clinic consultations. As the gender revolution and female genital cosmetic surgery industry flourish, nothing in contemporary anatomy textbooks addresses issues of diversification of female genitalia nor gives medical graduates a realistic view of what is normal regarding female genital appearance.

The importance of diverse and accurate descriptions of genital anatomy in textbooks

“…In an era of where diversity is celebrated and an inclusive agenda is spreading throughout the education sector, we echo the call by Hayes and Temple-Smith (2022) and call for an updated and expanded representation of the clitoral structures within anatomy textbooks to increase awareness and knowledge among future medical professionals and the general public alike.…”

“…With great interest we read the manuscript titled 'New context, new content-Rethinking genital anatomy in textbooks' by Hayes and Temple-Smith (2022). The readers are taken on a journey though the history of genital descriptions and imagery in prominent anatomical textbooks throughout the 18th-21st centuries.…”

Clitoral Anatomy in the Feminist Literature: Vagina obscura: An anatomical voyage (2020) and Clitoral Conventions and Transgressions: Graphical representations in anatomy texts, c1900‐1991 (1995)

“…For those recent clinical journal articles (Hayes & Temple‐Smith, 2022; Jackson et al, 2019; Mazloomdoos & Pauls, 2015; O'Connell, 2020; O'Connell & DeLancey, 2005; Pauls, 2015) that have cited the Moore and Clarke article suggesting that anatomical texts downplayed the importance of the clitoris during the early 20th century, they clearly did not know about a larger, much more thorough and replicable study of the same material (Rodriguez, 2016). As noted above, Rodriguez examined more than 250 anatomy and gynecology texts for their representations on the clitoris.…”

Are stereotypes in decline? The portrayal of female anatomy in e‐learning

“…In these chapters, a qualitative bias was most evident; for example, the sperm's contributions to fertilization are described as primary and active, whereas the oocyte is often described as a passive recipient (Metoyer & Rust, 2011). The illustration of female sexual organs, such as the clitoris, labia, or “the slit like hiatus”, was further criticized as unrealistic, socially constructed, and lacking diversity (Beni et al, 2022; Hayes & Temple‐Smith, 2022). Although there are promising articles on this subject such as Puppo and Puppo (2014), anatomical textbooks still do not discuss female erection, female orgasm, or anatomical variations of the female genitalia.…”