Vulvas at Play: Co-constructing Knowledge and Awareness about Pelvic-vulvar Pain

This paper presents a case study of action research through the “V-Days project” (“Vulvar Dialogues about Youth and Sexuality”), a multidisciplinary initiative led by a team of the University of Turin. The project aimed to foster dialogue and raise awareness about vulvar and pelvic pain, engaging both the general adult population and students aged 17-20 through participatory and gamified educational activities. The V-Days initiative is rooted in interdisciplinary collaboration, involving experts from sociology, molecular biology, linguistics, psychology, anthropology, geography and health sciences. The project team, supported by university student volunteers, designed and tested a series of board games, the “Vulva Games”, as interactive tools to promote knowledge and challenge taboos surrounding genital and sexual health. These games were first publicly tested during Unight, an international public engagement event, allowing researchers to assess their impact in fostering open discussions. The paper explores the theoretical frameworks underlying the project, combining action research, citizen science, and gamification. It highlights how participatory methodologies can empower individuals by bridging expert and embodied knowledge, fostering a collective understanding of pelvic-vulvar pain conditions like vulvodynia and endometriosis. By integrating bio-medical expertise with lived experiences and activism, V-Days contributes to breaking the stigma surrounding these topics. The results emphasize the role of play-based learning in engaging diverse audiences, demonstrating how gamification can facilitate discussions on sensitive topics and promote an inclusive approach to sexual health education.