Smile Makers is dedicated to normalising how we see female sexuality in society. We believe there shouldn’t be any shame around our natural bodies and how, as consenting adults, we explore our pleasure.
That being said, many women do feel a lot of shame when it comes to their bodies and our vulvas are the target of endless products and procedures that, in a thinly veiled way, are telling us that they are ugly and abnormal. With this message comes taboo and hiding.
If you feel a little negative about your vulva, rest assured that you aren’t alone.
Unfortunately, almost 50% of women who missed their PAP smear in 2018 in the UK, did so because they felt embarrassed about their vulva’s appearance. That appointment could have been life saving for many women who end up with a fatal form of cervical cancer.
It is vital for the health and wellbeing of our community (many of whom we know have vulvas) that we do our part in creating a world that is more vulva positive!
Smile Makers is so pleased to share that we are getting a little artistic with our approach to vulva pride by collaborating with the Queen of body and sex positivity, Pink Bits!Pink Bits is inspired by and celebrates people & bodies in all their glory - “illustrating the bits and shapes we're told to hide.”
Pink Bits: Body positivity through art.
Based in Sydney, Australia, Graphic Designer and Illustrator, Christine Emily Yahya started illustrating Pink Bits in October 2016 sharing her art with the world via Instagram and merch.
“Pink Bits strives to create illustrations that represent as many individuals as possible and provide representation for the daily realities, diverse bodies and art for those who are not commonly featured in our media-dense society.”
Christine shared with us that the core mission of Pink Bits is to draw as many bodies as possible. Being a naturally sex-positive person, most of these drawings are of scenes depicting nudity, menstruation and masturbation.
What is most striking about her work is that she draws in fun, bright colours with soft lines and the subjects often have happy expressions in casual settings. Pink Bits is a testament to effortlessly normalising pleasure. Showing the world that we don’t need to dim the lights to create an accurate and joyful depiction of sex and that the female body isn’t something to fetishise but to celebrate, in all its forms.
Pink Bits does this best by sharing images of people with rounded breasts and a penis. Reminding us that gender and sex can not be assumed and that we all exist on a wonderful spectrum; rather than in or outside of an invisible margin that we have been to told to accept as normal and not normal.
Again, when she draws characters with period blood stains on their underwear while masturbating. Reminding us that periods aren’t dirty, they are natural, and that self pleasure too is natural and can be healing for our bodies.
And once more when she depicted differently abled bodies in sexual or affectionate acts. Reminding us that everyone is deserving of touch, pleasure and love.
