For some Brits, these are the kind of nicknames they’d rather keep secret.
But a surprisingly large proportion of Britons opt for more specific phrases when referring to their private parts, a new survey reveals.
According to a survey of 2,000 Britons, four in ten women prefer “down there” to vagina and a fifth prefer “vajayjay”.
Men fared no better: one in four admitted to using “knob” instead of penis. One in ten even nicknamed it “perilla.”
However, more than half believed the country’s understanding of sexual health would be better if we all used correct anatomical names, according to the survey, carried out by Superdrug and sexual health charity Brook.
This comes after a YouGov poll showed that almost half of Brits don’t even know where the vagina is – and it’s not just men who don’t know.
It was revealed that almost half of women could not label the vagina.
And about half of both sexes didn’t know where the lips were.
Understanding the female body will help men and women when it comes to sex and relationships, getting pregnant and avoiding pregnancy, according to the Family Planning Association (FPA).
Now, in a bid to help people stand up for their own sexual health rather than tiptoe around this taboo, Superdrug has urged people to talk more openly about their bodies and sexual health.
The Reclaim the Name campaign’s survey found that more than a third (39 per cent) of Britons felt poor sex education had negatively impacted their understanding of sex.
Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds (65 percent) suggested that using the correct anatomical names (vulva and penis) would reduce stigma and shame around sexual health and pleasure.
According to the survey of 2,000 Britons, four in ten women prefer “down there” to “vagina” and a fifth, “vajayjay”. Men fared no better: one in four admitted to using “knob” instead of “penis”. One in ten even nicknamed it “schlong”.
Simon Comins, commercial director at Superdrug, said: ‘Our research shows there is still a lot of stigma around having open and honest conversations about such important issues.
‘We hope that this campaign and the actions we are taking, including piloting high street sexual health advice clinics and removing VAT on key sexual health products, will help break down these barriers and help people feel more comfortable taking control of their sexual health.’
Rebecca Shutt, Brooks’ Deputy Director of Education and Wellbeing, added: “We know that stigma is one of the biggest barriers to people accessing sexual health services.
‘If people feel too uncomfortable or ashamed to talk about their bodies, then they won’t have the confidence to seek support when they need it.
‘That’s why sexual health literacy is so important.
‘Knowing the correct anatomical terms for body parts gives people the tools they need to communicate effectively with health care professionals.
‘It can also help them foster more open and honest conversations about sex, consent and pleasure with their partners.’
Sex, and intimacy in general, has been linked to a number of health benefits, including improving heart health, reducing stress, and even boosting mental health.
But recent trends show that prudish Brits aren’t having as much sex as they used to.
According to a survey of 2,000 adults by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) earlier this year, men and women typically romp just 46 times a year – or once every eight days.
Research published this week also found that nationally, only 55 percent of Britons reported having sex at least once a week – 59 percent of men and 51 percent of women.
Londoners were well above the national average: 67 percent said they enjoyed a romantic encounter at least once a week.