Today is a very special fanny-versary. On this day in 2019, the Vagina Museum opened its doors to the public with our first exhibition, Muff Busters: Vagina Myths and How to Fight Them.
We were nervous and excited, all at once. Would people come? Was there a demand for a physical space dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy? Were we ready to unveil ourselves to the world?
Before opening, we'd trained up our volunteers with a programme of pre-opening events (pic taken by vulvateer @KiRhymesWithPie)... but what would happen when we fully opened?
We discovered, very quickly, that there was an INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR ALL THINGS MUFF. In our opening weekend there were queues all the way around our corner of the Stables Market. (pic taken by vulvateer Amy)
Look at the very first exhibition tour that took place!!! (pic taken by vulvateer @SharneMc)
We were getting more than 2000 people through the doors each day (pic taken by vulvateer @KiRhymesWithPie)
Did the world want a Vagina Museum? HECK YEAH IT DID! In the four months before the pandemic, 120,000 people came to visit our free exhibition. The only limit was how many people we could physically fit in our premises!
2020 didn't exactly play out how we'd hoped, and 2021 was a little weird too. We had to move out of our first home in September this year but we're still bursting with optimism: that flame of enthusiasm for the Vagina Museum still burns bright!
On 16th November 2019 alone, we proved the world needed and wanted a bricks and mortar museum space dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy, and we continue to prove it every day.
You've seen what we can do. But we need your help to survive, thrive and create a new space for you to come and visit. A donation of just £3 per month gives us a reliable income in uncertain times. Can you help support this little grassroots museum? vaginamuseum.co.uk/support/donate
One more video from opening weekend, just because it's cool: our educational, interactive anatomy diagram, shot by vulvateer and duty (booty?) manager @eve_burns_

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More from @vagina_museum

5 Nov
In the entire Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise there are fewer than 20 deaths by chainsaw.

But did you know that chainsaws saved many lives in the 18th and 19th centuries when they were invented as an obstetric surgical tool?
Chainsaws were invented in the late 18th century, roughly simultaneously by two different Scottish physicians: John Aiken, who invented one for an obstetric procedure, and James Jeffray who invented the same device for use in removing diseased bone. We'll be talking about Aiken.
In 1785 when Aiken published his textbook Principles of Midwifery, or Puerperal Medicine, obstructed labour - where the baby can't pass through the bones of the pelvis - was highly dangerous and frequently lethal. There were three options available for treatment. None were great.
Read 13 tweets
27 Oct
On this day in 1967, the Abortion Act received royal assent, legalising terminations of pregnancy under certain grounds. At the time the Act was passed, there were around 60 deaths per year from illegal "backstreet" abortions, and many more serious injuries and complications.
The Abortion Act 1967 establishes circumstances under which abortion is permitted. It has only ever applied in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and has never been in effect in Northern Ireland.
However, abortion remains regulated under criminal law in GB - what the Abortion Act 1967 does is establish circumstances for lawful abortion care, while a Victorian law, the Offences Against The Person Act of 1861 still applies to abortions outside of these circumstances.
Read 8 tweets
26 Oct
Today is #IntersexAwarenessDay! About 1-2% of people are intersex - their sex characteristics such as reproductive glands, genitals, hormones or chromosomes don't fit into the two boxes commonly used to describe sex. Image
Intersex is an umbrella term which describes a huge range of natural variations in people's bodies - you can download our free activity to explore intersex variations and how they're more common than you might think! vaginamuseum.co.uk/learning/resou…
Intersex refers to biological characteristics and is different to gender identity or sexual orientation - you can be a heterosexual intersex woman, a lesbian intersex enby, a bi intersex man, for example.
Read 9 tweets
25 Oct
As Halloween approaches, we're going to take you on a broomstick ride. Hop on board! Don't mind if the seat's a little sticky. We're going to take you on a wild journey involving witches, drugs and masturbation.
We'll start with a disclaimer: most history surrounding witches was written by people who didn't like witches very much, and could have entirely made it up. However, if it's made up, they invented something cool af.
There are references to a "flying ointment" used by witches. Various recipes have been listed, including animal entrails, fat from murdered children, "horrible worms", parsley, and, most relevant to this story, some herbs which have hallucinogenic properties.
Read 14 tweets
20 Oct
On this day in 1960, R v Penguin Books Ltd began: the "Lady Chatterley Trial". This prosecution under the Obscene Publications Act opened with a statement from the prosecutor so out-of-touch it drew laughter in the courtroom.
Mervyn Griffith-Jones asked, "Would you approve of your young sons, young daughters—because girls can read as well as boys—reading this book? Is it a book you would have lying around your own house? Is it a book that you would even wish your wife or your servants to read?"
Lady Chatterley's Lover was written by DH Lawrence in 1928, but it was not legal to publish. In 1960, Penguin Books decided to print an unexpurgated edition of the novel, which was immediately prosecuted under the new obscenity laws.
Read 16 tweets
12 Oct
are you ready?
Our story begins with a cholera pandemic which started in the 1820s. There had been many before, and many after, but this one had Europe paranoid. This one, rather than being confined to faraway corners of their empires, had found its way to Europe.
The concern spread across the Atlantic, and an American preacher called Sylvester Graham was worried. He joined the Temperance movement and began preaching on health.
Read 17 tweets

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