The Vulvalution: Threads of Womanhood

Creativity, Conversation and Change

Every vulva is different — and every stitch tells a story.

The Vulvalution: Threads of Womanhood is a community art installation led by Soroptimist International Glamorgan as part of the EmpowerHer wellbeing event. It invites women, girls, and allies to take part in an act of craftivism – creating vulvas to celebrate body diversity, challenge stigma, and open up honest conversation about women’s health.

After the event, the completed installation will be gifted to the Gynaecology Department at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, developed in collaboration with one of the department’s consultants. It will serve as a lasting reminder that every vulva is valid and that women’s health deserves both respect and visibility.

Why The Vulvalution?

Across the world, women and girls still face silence, shame, and misunderstanding about their own anatomy. Many don’t learn the correct words for vulva and labia, and unrealistic airbrushed and AI generated images online create pressure to look a certain way, reinforcing a narrow idea of what’s ‘normal’.

This lack of accurate representation can lead to body anxiety and embarrassment which affects confidence, relationships and even avoidance of essential medical care. Some women delay seeking help for issues such as pain, itching, or swelling because they feel embarrassed. Others worry about appearance – a concern reflected in the rising rates of labiaplasty.

Educational initiatives like Australia’s Labia Library and the work of the Vagina Museum in London have helped to show the natural diversity of vulvas — differences in size, colour, shape and symmetry that are all entirely valid.

By creating and displaying textile vulvas, we hope to normalise the full range of real bodies — helping women to feel informed, confident, and proud rather than uncertain or ashamed.

The Vulvalution uses three guiding threads: Creativity, Conversation and Change.

Creativity

Creativity allows us to approach sensitive topics in a safe and expressive way. Knitting, crocheting, felting, or stitching together fabric becomes a gentle yet powerful act of expression. It transforms private experiences into public art, connecting generations through shared purpose and collective action.

Each handmade piece contributes to a shared message: that women’s bodies, in all their forms, are unique, resilient and worthy of celebration.

Conversation

Conversation breaks the silence, it is where change begins.

Talking about vulvas, labia, and gynaecological health helps to dissolve myths and replace embarrassment with understanding.

When people create side by side, conversation naturally begins. This project can lead to topics about puberty, pregnancy, menopause, healthcare experiences, and body image. These conversations build understanding and reduce stigma.

They also create space for important educational messages: the difference between the vulva and vagina, the normal variation in labia, and when to seek medical help for discomfort or changes. By speaking openly, we challenge shame and empower girls and women to care for their bodies without embarrassment.

Change

Change happens when creativity and conversation unite.
A single stitched vulva may seem small, but together they form a tapestry of activism — a visible reminder that learning, expression, and solidarity can shift culture.

By gifting the final installation to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, The Vulvalution creates an enduring piece of visual education and comfort for patients and visitors. It invites ongoing dialogue about women’s health and body image, helping future generations to see the vulva not as a source of shame but as part of everyday anatomy.

How to Take Part

You don’t need to be an artist — just willing to get creative!

• Make a textile vulva in any size, shape, or colour.
• Use fabric scraps, felt, yarn, wool, embroidery, crochet, or mixed media.
• Keep designs respectful and inclusive — the aim is to represent diversity, not anatomy in detail.
• Add patterns, texture, or embellishments that reflect individuality and strength.

Finished pieces can be brought to the event or sent to SI Glamorgan c/o Ammonite Yarns (7 Llantrisant Rd, Pontyclun, CF72 9DP) ahead of the EmpowerHer event.

For further enquires: Soroptimist.Glamorgan@gmail.com

Join the Movement

This project is about more than art. It’s about understanding, expression, and collective empowerment. It’s about reclaiming confidence in our bodies and replacing shame with curiosity and care.

Through Creativity, Conversation and Change, we can help shape a world where women and girls grow up knowing their bodies are normal, worthy, and celebrated.

Let’s stitch that change — one thread, one story, one conversation at a time.

There are lots of free pattern options, but here are some to get you started:

https://ribblr.com/pattern/the-hoochie-koochie-keychain-pattern-Crochet/

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vulva-life-sized

https://tinycatpants.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/make-your-own-crochet-cooter/

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knitted-vulva

https://www.scribd.com/document/642718971/Vulva-instructions-1-pdf

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vulva-life-sized?set=&_rfoff=1

https://www.drhannahwebb.com/read-all-posts/2016/12/16/how-to-make-your-own-vulva

#TheVulvalution #ThreadsOfWomanhood #EmpowerHer #SIGlamorgan #Craftivism #BodyPositivity #AllVulvasAreNormal #WomensHealth #SoroptimistInternational