Privates, pee-pees, and coochies: Gender and genital labeling for/with young children

Abstract

Second-wave feminists argued that early bodily knowledge was necessary for women’s sexual health and well-being. Using survey data from over 600 mothers, we ask if, decades after the sexual revolution and the height of second-wave feminism, mothers now use anatomically accurate names for genitals with boys and girls? We also ask how children participate in genital labeling with mothers. We found about equal proportions of mothers used anatomical names with boys as with girls. Further, mothers used more common childish names with boys while using ‘privates’ or vague terms more with girls. Children were also active participants in the naming of their genitals as they altered mothers’ words through mispronunciations, (mis)interpretations and adoption of words acquired elsewhere.