Sex organ

The sex organs, which scientists call the genitalia or genitals, are the parts of the body that allow sexual reproduction (the making of children) to take place. They are also for urination (peeing), to remove waste products from the body. While all animals have sex organs, this article is about the sex organs of human beings.

The genitals include both organs that can be seen on the outside of the body (the primary genitalia or external genitalia), as well as internal organs (the secondary genitalia or internal genitalia). Sometimes, however, the words genitalia or genitals are used to refer only to the external sex organs. The sex organs are informally referred to as the private parts or privates.

The genitals are the main parts of the human body that make men and women different. Some parts of the genitals are outside the body, while other parts are inside. In a man, his external genitals are the penis and the scrotum (a bag that contains the testicles). Inside his body the testicles produce sperm and a substance called testosterone which makes a person grow into a man and feel like a man. Other glands produce a fluid called semen. The part of a woman's genitals that is outside her body is called the vulva. Inside her body is the vagina, which holds the penis during sexual intercourse; the uterus (womb), in which a baby grows when the woman is pregnant; the ovaries, which produce ova (egg cells) and a substance called estrogen (also spelled oestrogen) which makes a girl grow into a woman and to feel like a woman; and the Fallopian tubes, which connect the ovaries to the uterus.

Many human societies believe that genitals should be hidden. For this reason, people call them private parts. This attitude has resulted in public indecency laws which make it a crime for genitals to be left uncovered in public except in special places such as nude beaches or nudist colonies.