[WHIP CRACKING, COUGH].

Queef, Q-U-E-E-F, comes from the English-Scottish term quiff meaning “puff of air”. Queef!

It refers to a puff of air that comes out of the vagina, (because air that goes in the vagina has to come out). When it does, just like a whoopee cushion, expression sounds like a fart. It's actually more like a whistle though because it's not a buildup of intestinal gas, it's air. [QUEEFING SOUND].

The air comes from outside the body and is drawn in or pushed into the vagina. This could happen while dancing, stretching, sitting down, standing up, masturbating, having sex, getting a pelvic exam,. And or not moving at all -- somehow air gets inside and when it comes out it vibrates across the labia and makes noise. [QUEEFING SOUNDS].

I can feel when air is being thrust into me. It's usually when the object of insertion -- finger, toy, tongue, and or penis, doesn't have a tight seal. It can also happen if the object of insertion goes in at a diagonal and pushes air in, OR comes all the way out, right back in, all the way out, right back in.

When this happens I stop, gently remove everything, give my vagina some space, and push so the air comes out. [QUEEFING SOUNDS]. What I don't want to happen is an accumulation of air that gets trapped and starts to hurt. I don't want an embolism caused by air moving into my veins or arteries that blocks blood flow.

So I queef and then return to business, this time clenching my pelvic floor muscles to make my vagina resist any air that an object of insertion might try to push in. (People who do Kegels do tend to spontaneously queef less than people who don't.) I don't apologize for queefing. I didn't do anything wrong. I might ignore it depending on the situation.

But more likely I take the great moment to model sex positivity. Like, “My vagina just whistled” or “Queefing!” Mostly I sigh, like thank goodness that buildup of air is no longer making things uncomfortable and we can get back to awesome sex or whatever I'm doing. You might say sorry, act like nothing happened, laugh it off, or hide in embarrassment.

It's okay to respond however you see fit in the moment, just know that you're not actually bad. Queefing is normal, but, there is abnormal queefing. Sexinfo Online, a sex ed website by the University of California Santa Barbara explains, “Queefing is strictly an audible noise that escapes from the vagina during intercourse or exercise, but if this noise is accompanied by unpleasant smells, pain, discharge, increased frequency of urination, or any other unusual symptoms, talk to your doctor about other potential causes of vaginal flatulence.” The are three main causes of concern: pelvic organ prolapse, where one or more organs drop downward into the vagina; bacterial vaginosis, an infection in the vagina from atypical bacteria; and vaginal fistulas, a hole or holes in the vaginal wall that open to the urinary tract and or digestive system like the colon.

This would be why an otherwise odorless queef has a smell. [QUEEF, SNIFFS AIR] No smell. Even if your queefs are a signal that something is wrong, you don't have to hold onto any shame. Queefing is natural.

Queef proudly! Maybe you queef because you pushed a baby out of your vagina and your body is shaped differently now. Yeah!

Maybe you queef because you got turned on and your vagina took an excited gulp of air that it has to burp out. Yeah, queefing, yeah! During sex vaginas can do what's called tenting.

They elongate and create more space for an object of insertion. After sex, when the body goes back to a resting state the space becomes smaller and that can mean a queef. This isn't weird, it's just body doing its thing.

Which some can do on command, intentionally drawing air in with their pubococcygeus muscles to queef as entertainment, music making, or just to delight in their bodies. Queef freely! No shame.

Stay curious. Many thanks to all of the sexpla(i)nauts at patreon.com/sexplanations who make it possible for me to educate about all the sex topics that should be covered in school but usually aren't. Many people are frightened and ashamed of queefing, and having a resource like Sexplanations to talk away that fear is powerful.

So thank you! [QUEEFING SOUNDS] [LINDSEY LAUGHING]. I'm like trying to make a vagina with my mouth, and it's very difficult.