The shape of things to come: 3D printed clitoris the future of sex ed?

A sociomedical researcher has designed a 3D printed clitoris which will be used in French sex education classes from September.

According to The Guardian, Fillod was working with V.Ideaux, the firm behind an anti-sexist web TV series, on a sex education video when she realised that the clitoris is never presented properly in school textbooks.

As a result she approached the Fab Lab, part of the Cité des Sciences et de L’Industrie in Paris to help her make her concept a reality. The Fab Lab specialises in providing the equipment and services to help designers and artists bring their work from concept to prototype and development.

It’s a hot topic in France, not least since the Haut Conseil à l’Egalité, a government body monitoring gender equality in public life, published the findings of a report into sex education in the country.

The report’s insights point to high levels of sexism in the way lessons are delivered. Officially, teachers are supposed to impart teachings including that boys are “focused on genital sexuality”, while girls “attach more importance to love”.

Fillod is quoted in The Guardian: “It’s important that women have a mental image of what is actually happening in their body when they’re stimulated.

“In understanding the key role of the clitoris, a woman can stop feeling shame, or [that she’s] abnormal if penile-vaginal intercourse doesn’t do the trick for her – given the anatomical data, that is the case for most women.”

“It’s also vital to know that the equivalent of a penis in a woman is not a vagina, it’s her clitoris.

“Women get erections when they’re excited, only you can’t see them because most of the clitoris is internal. I wanted to show that men and women are not fundamentally different.”

She hopes that her model will demonstrate that women and men are fundamentally very similar in terms of their sexual anatomy – and that with this knowledge, women will better be able to understand their sexual responses.

“France has the reputation for being sexually sophisticated, but often it’s about male sexuality.

“Understanding that they have an erectile system just like men, I think women will start to experiment more. They will understand that pleasure is not some magic that only a partner knows how to give.”