The whole versus the sum of some of the parts: toward resolving the apparent controversy of clitoral versus vaginal orgasms

Abstract

BackgroundThe nature of a woman’s orgasm has been a source of scientific, political, and cultural debate for over a century. Since the Victorian era, the pendulum has swung from the vagina to the clitoris, and to some extent back again, with the current debate stuck over whether internal sensory structures exist in the vagina that could account for orgasms based largely on their stimulation, or whether stimulation of the external glans clitoris is always necessary for orgasm.MethodWe review the history of the clitoral versus vaginal orgasm debate as it has evolved with conflicting ideas and data from psychiatry and psychoanalysis, epidemiology, evolutionary theory, feminist political theory, physiology, and finally neuroscience.ResultsA new synthesis is presented that acknowledges the enormous potential women have to experience orgasms from one or more sources of sensory input, including the external clitoral glans, internal region around the “G-spot” that corresponds to the internal clitoral bulbs, the cervix, as well as sensory stimulation of non-genital areas such as the nipples.ConclusionsWith experience, stimulation of one or all of these triggering zones are integrated into a “whole” set of sensory inputs, movements, body positions, autonomic arousal, and partner- and contextual-related cues, that reliably induces pleasure and orgasm during masturbation and copulation. The process of integration is iterative and can change across the lifespan with new experiences of orgasm.

The Problematization of Sexuality among Women Living with HIV and a New Feminist Approach for Understanding and Enhancing Women’s Sexual Lives

“…Others point out that sexual arousal consists of both physiological (e.g., lubrication) and cognitive (e.g., feeling "turned on") elements, with non-concordance between the body and the mind being common among women (Graham et al, 2004). In addition, despite the privileging of intercourse (Peterson & Muehlenhard, 2007b), most cisgender women do not reliably orgasm through penetration alone, with the frequency and intensity varying greatly depending on clitoral stimulation and genital anatomy (Basson, 2000;Pfaus, Quintana, Mac Cionnaith, & Parada, 2016;Wallen & Lloyd, 2011). Importantly, however, feminists also caution against essentialisizing gender differences (Angel, 2013;Spurgas, 2013Spurgas, , 2016-that is, treating such differences as if they were biological or natural as opposed to resulting from dissimilar socialization (i.e., norms about "proper" femininity and masculinity) (Holland et al, 1990;Holland et al, 1994).…”

Clitoris to Urethral Meatus Distance is Not Affected by the Obesity Compared to the Anogenital Distance

“…The distance from clitoris to urethral ori ce (CUMD), as one of genital dimensions of normal women, or as a possible factor associated with sexual function was studied [25,[28][29][30]. Moreover, the CUMD is a part of perineum.…”

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is Associated with the Longer Length from Clitoris to Urethra

“…Sexual pleasure and orgasm during copulation in women depends on many factors, such as past experience, stimulation of one or all of these triggering zones, autonomic arousal, and partner-and contextual-related cues, etc. [25] The clitoral complex in relation to the urethra, vulva, and vagina is the essential sensory triggering zone [25]. A longer CUMD in a woman decreased her likelihood of experiencing orgasm in sexual intercourse, as the longer CUMD may decrease penile-clitoral contact during sexual intercourse or decrease penile stimulation of internal aspects of the clitoris [12].…”