Thank you, Jude. As always, it is wonderful to share another woman's experience of seeing her own cervix. We learned at our first meeting that everything about our bodies is beautiful and of interest to the rest of us. I remember seeing my first menstruating cervix. I don't know what I thought I would see;maybe just a big bloody, smelly bunch of mush. That's certainly how it sometimes felt when I menstruated. Instead I saw a beautiful cervix with a thin red line of bright, red blood flowing slowly down into a small pool of bright red blood. That's when I realized that the disagreeable odor that I associated with menstrual blood was due to the meeting of the air with the blood and not a characteristic of the blood itself. I've never felt the same way about menstruation. Thanks again. Carol

I've never really blogged before but i really wanted to share how much your stories moved me! I was actually teary. I have very little time right now to share my cervix stories but i can say that they are running through my head right now and im grinning ear to ear knowing that other women have great, inspiring, moving, and emotional cervix stories too... I know im not alone!

All this time I have seen so many womens cervix by assisting a nurse pactitioner or doctor. Every cervix being the same but in a unique way differant. I have had two wonderful girls and the doctor never offerd me to see my cervix. So finally about a month ago I did my pap and the nurse pactitioner offerd me to see my cervix and I did. It was nice that I finally got to see my cervix. I really want to say think to WHS for offering that opertunity to every women.

Before I moved to college, seeing my cervix was the last thing on my mind. I never really saw the importance of looking down there. In fact, I never really took the time to look down there at all. My vagina was a place that was easily forgotten and hardly understood. I moved away from home at eighteen and at that point was still trying to understand what my own inner sense of woman-pride meant. I didn't understand that I was a young feminist in the making; I felt ashamed that some of my ideas seemed radical in comparison to those around me. By a simple twist of fate, I entered into a class appropriately titled "FEMSEX." In order to enroll in this class, I had to write an intent essay. In this essay, which was more of a letter, I explained that I wanted to get to know myself more. I wanted to understand what I chose not to for so long. Apparently, the instructor found this intriguing and I was hurdled into a world of women-centered talk. It was amazing! We talked about everything from the clitoris to gender. I never knew that other women wanted to know about these topics too! At the final chapter of our reader, the instructor announced that our last project was to get to know ourselves better. She wanted us to perform self-help. She wanted me to see my cervix. Now, I lived in the dorms... so this was not easy. I panicked and figured I would just skip out on the experience, but for some reason, I was still intrigued. Finally, I found time when my roommates were gone. I laid on my back and inserted the speculum, which was significantly more comfortable because I was in control of its handle. The flashlight was steady as I looked deep into myself. I looked at something I had chosen to believe was forgettable. At this moment I realized that this cervix, this pink doughnut, defined me. It made me what I am so proud to be. I am a woman and there is no forgetting that.

I am so excited for the upcoming Self Help Giveaway, honoring Dido Hasper, the amazing woman who founded WHS. I encourage any woman reading this to take advantage of this wonderful day and visit the clinic or call our phone counselors. I have been feeling very jazzed and vocal about self-help ever since my experience a few months ago at a conference on the east coast. I had the privilege to assist in leading a self-help workshop, where 48 women were introduced to self-help for the first time. I am a self-helper, but it was my first time participating in self-help as a group. It was powerful seeing the wonder and discovery and the "WOW!" on everyone's faces as first they viewed my cervix and then viewed their own. What I loved the most is one after one, a woman would realize her vagina and cervix and everything was right there in her eyesight, and in that moment her vagina stopped being this mysterious cavern and became her own!! The connection and demystification that self-help creates and brings to light is unique! We must all keep championing this powerful tool of liberation!!

Wow, I cant believe how so many people are so excited and moved to see their own cervix. I have my appointment tomorrow to do a check up of everything and I am excited and anxiouse to experience that as well.

I recently just stumbled upon this site while job searching and thought I would check out what everyone was talking about. I have always had a great fascination with our bodies and it is great to see that lots of other women do too! I actually worried that I had some sort of issue for the longest time because I had mistaken my cervix for a tumor or something. Can you believe it? I am 23 and had no idea what I was feeling up there! I was so relieved and embarassed at the same time when my doctor informed me, but I feel like it was amazing that I didn't know my own body. I still need to actually get up there and really demystify because it still does seem so mysterious to me and I certainly explore more than most women I know.

Hi Jill, Thank you for sharing your story about learning about your cervix. There are so many women who have had similar experiences thinking that their cervix, or some other part of their anatomy was abnormal. The de-mystification of our bodies is what self-help is all about. I am so glad that you found our website, and found it helpful. If you are interested in actually seeing your cervix, look under the self-help section of our website. You will find instructions, pictures of cervices, a place to purchase a self-help kit, and other women's stories. You can also go to one of clinics (see clinic locations) and obtain a self-help kit, many health services, and more information.