Question: What is a vagina wig?

On The L Word Jenny gets a bad review from Curve magazine writer Stacy Merkin. Jenny visits the Curve magazine office and refers to Stacy Merkin as a "vagina wig." What exactly is a vagina wig?

Answer: A vagina wig, also known as a merkin, (hence the Stacy Merkin reference) is exactly as the name implies, a wig worn over the pubic area. According to Wikipedia, merkins were worn by prostitutes beginning in the 1600s after shaving their genitalia to eliminate lice or to disguise the marks of syphilis.