Person Who Has a Vagina (PWHV), also known as Individual Who Has a Vagina (IWHV), Person Having Vagina (PHV), Vaginal Person (VAP), Person of Vagina (POV) or Individual of Vagina (IOV), is a term for anyone who has a vagina, regardless of their gender identity.[1]
This includes those who were born with a vagina and those who had gender-affirming surgery to create a vagina. This can apply to most cisgender women, some non-binary individuals, transgender men who are transine or pre-transition, some intersex individuals, transgender women and transfeminine individuals who have had gender-affirming surgery, and some transsex or altersex men.[1]
History
The term was coined by LGBTA Wiki user Cryptocrew on March 13, 2021, possibly through the creation of the page on the LGBTA Wiki. The first terms were POV and IOV, but the alternatives of PWHV, PHV and VAP were coined by Wiki user foreigntoolmaker on September 30, due to some individuals being uncomfortable with the wording.[2][3][1]
The term was created to combat the ideology that having a vagina is what makes someone a woman, as well as to promote gender-neutral language and terms. The term can be used to describe genitalia in medical situations, such as sex education, where describing individuals as "female" can exclude the experiences of intersex and transgender individuals.[1]
Flags & Symbols
The PHWV flag was created by Tumblr user genderstarbucks on March 17, 2024. The dark reddish-pink represents AFAB individuals with vaginas, the violet represents IAFAB individuals with vaginas, the dull purple represents intersex individuals with vaginas, the white represents transgender and gender non-conforming individuals with vaginas, the blue represents trans men and transmasculine individuals with vaginas, the light pink represents trans women and transfeminine individuals with vaginas, and the pink represents cis women and cisfeminine individuals with vaginas.[4]
Related Terms
| Label | Relationship | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Müllerian | Similar | A term that refers to those whose fetal development favored the Müllerian ducts. |
| Person Who Has a Penis | Counterpart | A term for anyone who has a penis, regardless of gender identity. |
| Person Who Has Neither | Counterpart | A term for anyone who does not have a penis or vagina, regardless of gender identity. |
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 ---. “PWHV - LGBTQIA+ Wiki.” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 15 June 2024, lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/PWHV. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.
- ↑ LGBTQIA+ Wiki. “PWHV - LGBTQIA+ Wiki.” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 14 Mar. 2021, lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/PWHV?oldid=73863. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.
- ↑ ---. “PWHV - LGBTQIA+ Wiki.” LGBTQIA+ Wiki, LGBTQIA+ Wiki, 30 Sept. 2021, lgbtqia.wiki/wiki/PWHV?oldid=73875. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.
- ↑ genderstarbucks. “Drafts: 271 | Inbox: 260 (Requests Open but Slow).” Tumblr, 18 Mar. 2024, www.tumblr.com/genderstarbucks/745247654879035392/pwhp-people-who-have-penises-or-iwhp. Accessed 12 Sept. 2024.