Shortly after, I came across a PDF health leaflet that disrespectfully referred to the vagina as ‘a front hole’. The carnivals were ― and are ― loaded with games of chance, heavily favored on the side of the concessionaires who run, and lure and can cheat the carnival rubes out of hard earned quarters (at least back when a quarter meant something). I had my cervix removed, the surrounding kind of tissue area and the top third of my vagina and, thank God, didn’t need further treatment, like chemotherapy. I feel like I’ve been a creative warrior for women, helping them reclaim their bodies and their stories – and I’m fiercely protective of them. Studies have found that the labia majora (outer lips) length varies from approximately 6 to 12cm, and labia minora (inner lips) length varies from 2 to more than 10cm,” he explains.

After meeting someone who essentially grew up on the carnival grounds I thought I should take a look at the life of the showgirls in the carnival.I don’t beat myself up, but it’s interesting that I still have that split-second thought that it’s not a porn-perfect fanny. I knew there was going to be swelling but it looked like a huge hamburger and I couldn’t even put my legs together. But there’s a world of difference between how you see vulvas in porn – and how you see them in real life. It was through my involvement with the women’s movement in the 1970s that l found my voice and the strength to confront patriarchy.

I started to re-evaluate what womanhood could look like for me, outside of my biological capabilities. Very often women aren’t empowered in the process of giving birth and I wanted to try and encourage them, give them more self-confidence.In reality, my labia were probably quite small pieces of skin, but to me they felt like big elephant ears.