The female orgasm is often misunderstood, and more often than not by women. Freud didn’t do us any favours with his hypothesis around internal v.s external orgasms, which dominated much of the rhetoric around the female orgasm in the 20th century. I’m here to tell you there’s nothing taboo about the female orgasm, and everyone should be educated on the topic. Whether you’re an expert or totally in the dark, this article is for you.
The female orgasm is often misunderstood, and more often than not by women. Freud didn’t do us any favours with his hypothesis around internal v.s external orgasms, which dominated much of the rhetoric around the female orgasm in the 20th century. I’m here to tell you there’s nothing taboo about the female orgasm, and everyone should be educated on the topic. Whether you’re an expert or totally in the dark, this article is for you.
Pop culture and pornography often lead us to believe that the female orgasm is something that can be achieved with penetrative sex only. But research is showing that the female orgasm is mostly achieved when combined with clitoral stimulation, or solely clitoral stimulation. So, let’s dive in and look at all the factors involved and uncover the inner workings of the female orgasm.
Different types of orgasms
There are two main types of orgasms - internal (vaginal) orgasm or external (clitoral) orgasm. Some women achieve only one kind of orgasm, and some manage both while some can’t orgasm at all.
An internal orgasm is an orgasm that occurs from stimulation of the vagina, usually during vaginal intercourse (more about that in the G-spot section).
External orgasms are orgasms achieved by clitoral stimulation when using either a sex toy or your hands.
Some women have been known to reach orgasms with nipple stimulation, or when getting their hair cut, watching a racy movie or even while sleeping. However, this is the exception rather than the rule, but it highlights the fact that orgasms can be, in part, psychological.
The Clitoris
The clitoris a.k.a. Bean, Boy in the Boat, Nub, Pearl, Sweet Spot, Sugar Plum, Love Bud, Happy Button and many many more, has three major components. But believe it or not, there is still an ongoing argument among medical professionals about what makes up the entire clitoris and what doesn’t! But for argument’s sake, we’ll go with the most recent and what we consider the most accurate breakdown of the organ.
- The Glans Clitoris - the only visible part of the organ which usually makes up a fifth or less of the entire clitoral structure.
- The Two Crura - these extend from the glans clitoris deep into the vulva tissue on both sides.
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The Two Bulbs of the Vestibule - don’t let the name fool you, there aren’t two other sugar plums hidden in the vulva wall. The vestibule bulbs extend either side of the vaginal orifice and can be an exceedingly erogenous zone.
This is where it gets interesting. The entire clitoris reaches an average of 7 centimetres in length (often longer) into the vagina, and the glans make up only 4-7 millimetres of the whole, which is why there’s even an internal and external argument, to begin with.
The scary thing is that doctors just weren’t that interested in the clitoris and until 2009, we were entirely in the dark about the organ. The first published article on the importance of the clitoral structures was published by urologist Helen O’Connell and her colleagues in 1998, which was ignored for roughly 15 years. Thanks to MRI scans and 3-D printing in 2016, we were able to see the first visual representation of what the organ looks like:
Not what you were expecting? Told you we have a lot of depth girls!
Which leads us to the G-Spot.
The G-Spot
The elusive G-spot was discovered” in 1950 by Ernst Grafenberg, a German gynaecologist, but the existence of the g-spot is still hotly debated today. From personal experience, I believe the below to be factually correct and accurate.
The G-spot is located roughly 2-3cm (can be more like 6cm) on the upper front wall from the vagina entrance. This is believed to be where the nerves come together from the extended clitoris Illustrated above. If you feel the upper wall roughly that depth you’ll notice a “bump” slightly dropping off left and right with movement. The area is easier to find as you get more aroused, and blood flow increases.
This is by no means a roadmap to your G-Spot but a good starting point for further exploration. Keep in mind that you might get a “full bladder” sensation at first, but as the blood starts to circulate, you’ll quickly find the spot that works for you. The key is to put yourself in a relaxed state somewhere you can go “exploring” without being disturbed. Get comfortable with yourself, and the rest will follow.
Read The Inner Workings of The Female Orgasm Part 2
