Pussypedia Statement

Artwork by María Conejo

Pussypedia is a free, online, bilingual encyclopedia of the vagina with a built-in 3D vagina model. It’s a portal of rigorously vetted resources and original articles about all things vagina—including trans-spectrum vagina—written in accessible language.

We wanted Pussypedia to change the conversation about vaginas and the people that have them. And in order to change the conversation, sometimes you need to change the words you use to have it. We are reappropriating “pussy” because we love that word. The word “vagina” anatomically only refers to the vaginal canal. But usually when we use it, we’re trying to refer to a whole bunch of parts. The word falls short. Plus, the word “vagina” comes from the word “sheath”—that thing you keep a sword in. Why should we call our pussies “that thing you put a penis in?” We’re not into the idea that the pussy exists as an object of service to the penis. “People with pussies” refers to people with many combinations of anatomical features. We know not everyone shares all the same features. So we’re giving “pussy” an expanded definition that makes room for the diversity of human sexual and anatomical expression. We don’t use “women” or “females” because there are lots of people that not do not consider themselves “women” or “females” but do have pussies. There are also women who were not born with or do not have pussies. Hence: “people with pussies!”

—Zoe Mendelson, Jackie Jahn, María Conejo, creators, Pussypedia

Artwork by María Conejo

@pwordpedia