A former Shameless teen-collective member tipped me off to this article about a new niche-market women’s spa opening in New York. Here’s the gimmick: it’s a spa for your vagina.

As Radar explains:

Is your vagina lazy and out of shape? You’re in luck: The Times today reports that New York City’s first spa “wholly dedicated to strengthening and grooming a woman’s genital area” is slated to open this month!

It’s called “Phit,” which is a made-up, medical-sounding acronym that means “pelvic health integrated techniques.” The spa’s flagship service is its $150 for a gynecological exam, in which a client contracts her pelvic muscles around a doctor’s fingers in order to determine “whether the muscle tone is weak, moderate, or strong,” but for additional fees you can also get your cooter hooked up to an electrostimulation machine, train with a private Kegels exercise coach, or even undergo “nonsurgical labial conturing” to “restore labial and vulvar contour to a plump firmness.”

(The original New York Times article is here.)

Now, in a world where many are still raised to believe you shouldn’t touch, talk about or (heaven forbid) be fond of your body below the belt, it’s cool to think about women proudly and comfortably approaching vaginal health the way they might approach sit-ups. Too bad it’s in a venue that sells labiaplasty*, vulvar recontouring, vaginal tightening and a dozen other creepy crotch makeovers. (I don’t even want to know what “The ‘Other’ Face Lift” means.) Sounds like this “uniquely feminine Medspa destination” has found just another way to make us feel bad about our bodies and then sell us a cure.

* Speaking of labiaplasty, if you haven’t already read it, check out Zoe Cormier’s insightful article Making The Cut, which ran in the Fall 2005 issue of Shameless.