Does your vagina care for a mint? Hopefully not.

I just learned of a "internal feminine flavoring" product called Linger. This is a terribly shaming product in which the creating company markets as "A small, naturally sweetened flavoring, free of artificial dyes, which was created to flavor the secretions of a woman when she is sexually aroused." In other words this is a breath mint for the vagina.



This is yet another product that encourages women to be so ashamed of their bodies so they will feel pressured to use such a product. This company is taking advantage of a woman's insecurity. I understand that the fear of a fowl smelling vagina is not an uncommon concern. My intent is not to be insensitive to that fear. I think that it would be helpful for any woman who is concerned about their body to view their concerns as an opportunity to learn about how their body works rather than running to any mention of a remedy that will mask or cure.

If you are a proud (or not so proud) owner of a vagina I would suggest you take the time to learn about how hormone balance and PH levels affect one's vaginal scent. I think that learning about one's body is and can often feel like an act of self empowerment. Doing so may bring forth more confidence than a shameful product that insists you need it in order to feel better about yourself. So, rather than running over the website to make a purchase I hope any concerned readers will opt to understand that vaginas aren't supposed to smell like roses....or mints.
Cleaning oneself with a safe unscented soap and water before acts of intimacy may just do the trick.

I discovered that Mother Jones magazine looked into the origins of Linger and found that that the product is no different from a regular mint as it is made from sugar. Linger is made and distributed by a company called Admints, which also makes and distributes trade show mints. Linger mints have the same ingredients as Admint's sample mints.

According to Mother Jones magazine, the website promotes a story about the supposed woman who discovered this wonder mint. As the story goes, this mysterious woman was supposedly seduced in India by a man was able to console this woman's feelings of self consciousness due to her fear of smelling unpleasant in her vaginal area. A powerful Eastern mint cured her of this issue. When the woman returned to the United States she brought the mint with her.

While the company promises delight from this product it also makes certain to note that the mint is made for "novelty use only." Mother Jones magazine spoke with the education program manager at sex toy shop and online store Good Vibrations and learned that stating the product is simply a novelty item actually protects them from any customer complaints.

My advice is to not allow yourself to be fooled and to take the time to find your own style of self-empowerment. Vaginas have been violated in oh so many different ways and it seems that soulless inventors are finding new ways to add to the list.

I'd like to think that there are many in my camp who agree that a woman's vagina is a complex body part that deserves to be respected as it utilized for intimacy and is often considered to be a private and vulnerable area. Why so many intend on disrespecting it is not surprising but devastating none the less. Let us promote health and wellness not shame and ignorance shall we? Who's in?