College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2026-05-28 08:02:06
Major
Biomedical Science
Honors Course
Senior Honors Program in Biology (BIOL 499)
Number of Credits
3
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2026
Abstract
The fight for female equality in the historically male dominated medical field is an ongoing battle. This project focuses primarily on the underrepresentation of female genitalia in undergraduate academic textbooks. A dissected pelvis of a female cadaver was initially examined. Pictures were obtained with scale bars to accurately depict size of the structures included. Underrepresented structures such as the clitoris and the broad ligament were closely examined along with the reproductive system as a whole. The pictures compiled along with further research were used to design a portfolio of diagrams and a survey to be later administered. The survey was created to be given to undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The data obtained, in theory, will support the necessity for textbook revisions of visual representations showing female genital systems and advocate for biological equality in undergraduate curriculums. Additionally, data was acquired by analyzing 16 commonly used textbooks varying in currency of editions and levels of undergraduate education. Text and visual diagrams of both female and male systems were compared in a number of different categories. Results obtained supported the hypothesis that female genitalia are underrepresented in comparison to male genitalia in undergraduate biology texts. There lacks equal attention to the extent of structure and function in both written information and specifically visual diagrams.
Research Sponsor
Brian Bagatto
First Reader
Jordan M. Renna
Second Reader
Rachel Olson
Honors Faculty Advisor
Brian Bagatto
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Community Engaged Scholarship
No
Recommended Citation
Krohn, Clara E., "Redrawing Anatomy: Addressing Female Genital Underrepresentation in Educational Texts" (2026). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 2240.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/2240