Byron Bay ‘vulva photographer’ Ellie Sedgwick divides social media over new book

A Byron Bay “vulva portrait photographer” who has taken pictures of hundreds of women has come under fire over her new “body positive” book, which she wants to see in schools.

Byron Bay 'vulva photographer' Ellie Sedgwick. Picture: Facebook.

A Byron Bay “vulva portrait photographer” who has taken pictures of hundreds of women has come under fire over her new book – which she wants to see in schools.

But some are open to the idea and have said the earlier “body positive” education starts, the better.

Ex-preschool teacher-turned full-time vulva photographer Ellie Sedgwick said she is the founder of a movement – ‘comfortable in my skin’ – and has snapped pictures of more than 500 women’s genitalia over seven years.

Her extensive archive has prompted her to release a book – Flip Through My Flaps – she told her social media followers this week.

Ms Sedgwick, who has 89,000 Instagram followers and hosts a popular podcast, said her mantra was “happiness is flappiness”.

Ms Sedgwick is passionate about her craft and wants other women to know they are “beautiful and unique”. Picture: Supplied.

She has been featured in Vogue Magazine, but despite her passionate ideals – not all are as receptive to her creative expression.

On Wednesday, Ms Sedgwick took to a Byron Bay Facebook group to announce the launch of the book and ask women if they wanted to be featured on the front cover.

“We are hoping the book goes into schools for body positivity and diversity education,” she wrote.

Ms Sedgwick with one of her models (left) and some of her work (right). Picture: Facebook.

“And into many people’s hands so the world can see how beautiful and unique we all are.

“There are so many people that have been involved in this journey from the Byron Bay community so hopefully our final shoot can be a success and I can have a front cover to launch this Sunday!”

One man took to the post and asked “did I just read this right?”.

“You are publishing a book of women’s genitalia and you’re hoping the book will be distributed in schools? Can you enlighten me? (I’m a) privileged white male,” he wrote.

“How is that a decent support tool to teach diversity and body positivity … to kids!”

Ms Sedgwick is launching a book of her photography, titled Flip Through My Flaps. Picture: Supplied.

The commenter went on to say he was not “discounting the human body as a platform for art or expression”, but was “genuinely wondering about the need or will to distribute it specifically in schools for education purposes”.

“To be fair I wouldn’t want a coffee-table book about penises either in my children’s school library, even if they’re all equally showing the spectrum of the human kind,” he said.

Another critical Facebook user wrote Ms Sedgwick had “lost the plot”.

The photographer who grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches hit back and shared her own body positivity journey.

“Seven years ago, after two consultations for labiaplasty, I had my third and the surgeon told me I didn’t need the surgery and to go and look at what other (vulvas) look like,” Ms Sedgwick wrote.

“I’m sure he didn’t imagine I would go on to photograph 500 of them but here I am, bringing out a book.”

When contacted by NewsLocal, Ms Sedgwick doubled down on her desire to see the book in schools.

“I would love to see schools build a bespoke curriculum to educate students about vulva diversity as part of their wider sex education. This needs to be delivered by trained sex educators – not your average PE teacher,” she said.

“I encourage vulva owners to embrace positive self-talk...I want people to recognise that society’s beauty standards are always changing and are often unrealistic.

“(The book is designed) to help people feel more comfortable in their skin after experiencing my own vulva insecurities. I wanted to create a resource so that no vulva owner would ever feel different or alone.”

Ms Sedgwick, who grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches, is eager to see younger women grow up feeling proud of their bodies. Picture: Facebook.

Ms Sedgwick said she already gave sex education talks in some high schools and she was keen to take her book in for students to take a look at once published.

She said she did not want “students to feel the way myself and so many others did growing up which was – if you didn’t have a Barbie vulva you weren’t normal”.

A recent News Corp report showed more than half a million Australians have had – or have considered – ‘designer vagina’ surgery, partially due to the influence of mainstream pornography and social media, according to new research.

Respectful relationships and consent advocate Libby Payne weighed in to criticise “damaging” and unrealistic body standards.

Labiaplasty is one of the fastest growing cosmetic procedures and involves the removal or altering of tissues from the labia, the folds of skin that sit on either side of the vaginal opening.

The procedure is known to carry some significant risks.

Ms Sedgwick said she was not “at war with labiaplasty”, but wants people to be educated before going under the knife.

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