Meet Gabriella Scaringe. She's a 23-year-old living in New York City. And recently, she had a TikTok about labia shapes go viral.
In the TikTok (seen below), Gabriella answered a question about what she meant when she described her labia as an "outie" in a previous TikTok.
In the video, which now has over 1 million likes on TikTok, Gabriella explains that all labia shapes and sizes are different, and while it's difficult to classify all of these into just two categories — innies and outies — for the purpose of this TikTok, it works, and that she personally identifies as an "outie."
She then describes the differences between these two and denotes that an innie is generally characterized by the fact that the outer labia (or lips) protrude more than the inner part of your labia.
She goes on to say, "A good example of an innie would be Barbie, or a seashell, maybe a little bit puffy! It’s cute!"
However, Gabriella notes that she personally identifies as an "outie," which she then describes as meaning that her inner parts protrude a little bit more than her outer parts.
She also notes that, historically, "outies" have received a bad rap, even being compared to an Arby's sandwich.
The comments section was flooded with people commiserating about their own shame they've felt in association with their own labia designs:
"My 'Innies vs Outies' video concept originated from another video I posted about the funny ways my vagina has been described by other people. I mentioned I had an 'outie' in the video, which sparked a lot of people asking what an 'outie' even was. I realized, 'oh do people not know that every vulva looks totally different?'" Gabriella told BuzzFeed.
"I was sexually abused by a family member growing up, therefore I’ve been very aware of my vagina and all its unique properties from a young age. With that came a lot of shame and a feeling of abnormality. And I know there’s plenty of vulva owners out there who have experienced abuse, which has triggered hatred for their genitals as well. As if dealing with the misogynistic ideals of what society says a vagina is supposed to look like isn’t enough, right?"
Gabriella went on to tell BuzzFeed, "So many vulva owners, specifically young girls, have reached out to me saying that my video changed their life. No one talks about these things to people growing up (or at least not in a positive way). I hope my viewers can understand that the best way to develop confidence is by not basing their self-worth on what other people think of them. I hope I can act as some people’s big sister, assuring anyone in any way that their vaginas are just how they are supposed to be (whether you’re an 'innie', an 'outie', or anything in-between!)"
To get more amazing lessons from Gabriella, be sure to follow her on TikTok or Instagram and check out her line of underwear — made for every labia owner!