By: Spinifex intern, Jacalyn

Just another step closer to the ‘perfect’ vagina as the product 18 Again was launched recently, targeting the Indian community. A vaginal tightening cream, 18 Again allows you to feel like a virgin again and act as a tool for female ‘empowerment’. A tight vagina is just another to add to the list of items made to lower a woman’s self-esteem in the name of patriarchal purity.

This is not the first vaginal product to attempt to rejuvenate and beautify our lady parts, especially for Indian women. Lightening creams were sold in India with an advertisement suggesting all marital problems would no longer exist if only you had a lighter vagina. The strapline for the lightening cream says it all; “Life for women will now be fresher, cleaner and more importantly fairer and more intimate”.

Companies have an uncanny talent for preying on women by telling us what is beautiful. For Indian women they must be fair skinned (the lighter the better!) in an attempt to look like Western Caucasian. How ironic that us Australian women are being told bronzed, sun kissed skin is beautiful with numerous tanning creams and sprays. It seems the way to beautiful nowadays is paved by changing our vaginas as much as possible; pubic hair dyes, creams to restore the pinkness and even bedazzle jewels (termed as vajazzling) applied after a wax.

Companies like Dove who are apparently spokespersons for real beauty; including women of all sizes and ethnicity in their campaign, are just as guilty as the numerous other companies that make sure every woman knows natural is not beautiful. Moneymakers such as these achieve in keeping the patriarchal preference of the perceived ‘perfect woman’ alive. A beautiful, dolled up, sexualised virgin. All women should be plucked, tucked, tanned or lightened with ‘natural make-up’, anti-aging creams, moisturisers, wax, razors and skinny legs that should go on forever. With all this pruning or ‘empowering’ how can we find the time to vacuum in our pretty dresses and stilettos and make sandwiches for our men?

I must agree with writer Ruby Hamad who claims ‘18 Again is another manifestation of empowerment-as-sex-object.’ Having a vagina that is light, tight and bedazzled enough to resemble a disco ball will by no means ‘empower’ women. All these products, despite their miraculous claims, will achieve is cashing in on women’s insecurities and ensure we are never quite comfortable in our own skin.