This Woman Is Drawing Attention To A Misunderstood Body Part — With Sidewalk Art

Do you know what the clitoris looks like? This is actually a trick question, because many people know about the head of the clitoris — that little “pleasure button” at the top of the vulva — but don’t know what the full clitoris looks like. If you’re one of those people who is just learning about how magnificent the clit truly is, though, don’t feel bad! Scientists didn’t even know the full shape of it until 1998. And, plus, 24-year-old Laura Kingsley started Clitorosity for people just like you.

“After giving talks to hundreds of people on my college campus on the clitoris and sexual communication, I realized how surprised the majority of the people were when they saw an anatomical clitoris diagram for the first time,” Kingsley tells Bustle. “Clitorosity was born from a dream of a collaborative and creative way to spark more of these conversations and spread awareness about the full structure of the clitoris.”

So what is Clitorosity? The simplest way to explain it is combination public art and education project. Specifically, Kingsley and her clit crew create large scale chalk drawings of the full shape of the clitoris, in order to “spark conversations, spread awareness and foster community around the world.” Their goal is to get the word out about the true shape of clitoris (which you can see in the image below) and get people talking about the body’s capacity for pleasure.

And while Kingsley is based in New York City, Clitorosity is an international project.

“While we travel to bring the message to many locations, it’s integral to Clitorosity’s mission to work with people who know the city, speak the language and understand the culture,” Kingsley says. “We have collaborated with over 100 amazing people to determine what is relevant and meaningful to draw in their communities. Together, we’ve brainstormed locations and designs, translated messages and sayings, brushed up on our sidewalk chalk skills, and chatted with strangers on the streets about our drawings. So far, we’ve drawn over 100 clitorises in 18 states and five countries.”

Those clitorises are as varied as the places they’re drawn. The Clitorosity Instagram shows a clit in Washington Square Park in New York, one in front of a red phone booth in Brighton in the UK, and even in front of a corn field in Michigan. They’re also hella punny — the corn field one, for example, has an upside down clit colored to look like an ear of corn with the words “A Maizeing Anatomy” under it.

As it turns out, after education about anatomy, having fun is one of the main goals of Clitorosity.

“One of my favorite things has been making new friends and collaborating on new drawings, clitoris designs and messages,” Kingsley says. “I have been able to work with people who I would have otherwise never met, to create new designs and messages, get our hands dirty with chalk, and talk about what this all means to us.”

Kingsley says one of her favorite examples of that collaboration in action happened in Queens, New York.

“A recent example of this was drawing at the Unisphere in Queens, NY, with a woman who grew up in the area,” Kingsley says. “She came prepared with a design and phrase that spoke to her relationship to the location, the clitoris, and the world around her. And working together to make her vision come to life was so special for both of us.”

So, look: Don't feel bad if you didn't know about the full shape of the clitoris before this. It's not very well known. But if you want to join the Clitorosity movement, follow them on Instagram and reach out if you're interested in collaborating.