The viral Twitter thread exposes how female reproductive parts are named after men

Dutch physician Regnier de Graaf who is credited with discovering the Graafian follicles (now called ovarian follicles); German physiologist Johannes Peter Müller who discovered Müllerian ducts; and James Douglas credited with discovering the ‘pouch of Douglas’ (a pouch-like organ between formed between the rectum and the uterus), were named in the thread along with many others.

GABRIELE FALLOPPIO (circa 1522-1562)🇮🇹 is the namesake of the Fallopian tubes, the tubes between the ovaries and the uterus. You can also call them the ovarian tubes or uterine tubes. pic.twitter.com/9S3GwZJOuI

— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) November 19, 2022

Bartholin came from a dynasty of scientists, and sometimes the discovery of the gland is mistakenly credited to his grandfather, Caspar Bartholin the Elder, who left medicine to become a theologist.

— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) November 19, 2022

Gräfenberg didn’t actually “discover” the G-spot at all, someone else in this thread has a better claim to first writing it up. He did, however, invent the first widely-used IUD.

— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) November 19, 2022

REGNIER DE GRAAF (1641-1673)🇳🇱 is the namesake of Graafian follicles, the cellular aggregations with the potential to release an egg which make up much of the ovaries. They’re also known as ovarian follicles. pic.twitter.com/QcVyzVpiZy

— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) November 19, 2022

Skene was close friends with John Marion Sims, the so-called “father of modern gynaecology” who undertook human experimentation on enslaved Black women. A keen sculptor, Skene made a bust of his pal. 👀

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Sadly, the history of gynaecology is NOT made up of nice people.

— Vagina Museum (@vagina_museum) November 19, 2022

So far this thread has over 30,000 likes. Interestingly, along with recognising the significant discoveries done by the above-mentioned physicians and doctors, netizens used this thread to talk about female doctors whose contributions have been historically negated.

This detail is IMPORTANT.
Ty. I was like waittaminute We forgot something here.

— Jamara is in good company (@jamaraproducer) November 20, 2022

I remember working at an organisation Helen worked at back around that time and being both shocked and in awe that we were in the 1990s and the clitoris had not been dissected out in its entirety until Helen achieved this. She is a legend!

— DenFitz 🌏😷 denfitz@aus.social (@denifitz90) November 20, 2022

im uncomfy with how my genitals is named by only men…

— elimination ♡︎ fan account (@nastypovv) November 19, 2022

Women were banned from research and medicine until the late 19th century in many countries and in others, even later. If you’re going to have an opinion at least do your research.

— Authoritarian Hotdog (@Oneofthosepeop3) November 20, 2022

The midwives who were practicing patient hygiene before any doctor took up washing his hands rarely get credited, too.

— ◟̽◞̽ Mama Teal Rose 🇦🇺 #Louie #OT5 #Troye (@MamaTealRose) November 20, 2022

People also spoke about how surgeons like J. Marion Sims, regarded as the ‘father of gynaecology’ often indulged in unethical medical practices that involved experimenting on enslaved Black women. The Vagina Museum is a museum dedicated to “vaginas, vulvas and the gynae anatomy”. It is located in London’s Camden Market in UK.