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Her premise was that, in fact, there was only one female orgasm, and it originated from clitoral arousal— be that through indirect or direct stimulation, through fantasy or even intense stress.
Hite’ s work seemed to suggest that any aspiration towards vaginal orgasm as the pinnacle of orgasmic pleasure was misplaced and that, for most women, the reality of sexual pleasure was much more nuanced.
It was beginning to sound like the concept of the vaginal orgasm was as dead as the dodo— but this was not the case. By 1981, women were being encouraged to seek vaginal orgasm by stimulation of their G-spot. Though first used by Addiego in 1981, the term G-spot paid homage to the German gynaecologist Ernst Grafenberg, who first mooted its existence in 1950. 4
The G-spot was described as a highly sensitive area on the anterior vaginal wall, which when stimulated correctly, provided an intense internal orgasm. Although the G-spot has never been identified as a distinct anatomical structure, it seemed
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that the search for the elusive vaginal orgasm was on again. 5
There are still clinicians in many countries who promote to women seeking the Holy Grail of vaginal orgasm a procedure by which cosmetic filler is injected into the anterior vaginal wall( so-called G-spot augmentation).
There also remains a number of predominantly European sexual researchers and therapists who passionately believe in the existence of not a‘ spot’ but a more amorphous‘ G-region’. They suggest that, by targeting this region during intercourse, many women can be trained to have a vaginal orgasm more reliably.
A close-up of the clitoris There are other sexologists who feel training is for animals and that any quest to identify a specific G-spot( or region) is a waste of time. 6 They contend that an understanding of the anatomy of the clitoris provides the true explanation for any discussion of vaginal orgasm. Far from being the tiny external nub that most of us would recognise, anatomists now accept that this merely represents
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the part of the clitoris analogous to the glans and body of the penis. And though smaller than the penis, the clitoris packs quite a neural punch— containing approximately 8000 sensory nerve fibres, or around twice that of its male counterpart. 7
The vagina, by contrast, is relatively insensitive beyond the first few centimetres. However, surrounding the urethra and within the labia is a mass of erectile tissue which corresponds to the corpus spongiosum and corpora cavernosa in the male.
Many researchers refute the existence of the G-spot but accept that the experience
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of a‘ vaginal orgasm’ may result from stimulation of this clitoral erectile tissue surrounding the urethra.
When Harry met Sally Alice’ s partner’ s experience was that all his previous lovers had experienced vaginal orgasm. Looking at the Hite figures, it is more likely that, unless his sample number was very small, at least some of his partners were pretending to experience orgasm when they had in fact not.
In a 2011 qualitative study, looking at female vocalisation during intercourse, nearly 80 % of
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females reported making‘ copulatory vocalisations’ suggesting orgasm even when they had not. 8
Ninety-two per cent of the study participants believed this boosted their partners’ self-esteem and reinforced the relationship.
However, a significant number of women also admitted using the technique to bring the sexual encounter to an end.
In another, 2010, study, 67 % of women admitted they had faked orgasm at least once during intercourse but then so too did 28 % of men. 9 And while in most cases partners fake it for the best of reasons, it does have the downside of reinforcing misconceptions. And it also makes it much harder to alter the sexual script down the track.
So back to Alice Alice had listened to all the available research but remained sceptical, and it was obvious she considered herself as one of the 26 %. So we talked about fantasy, foreplay, positioning and simultaneous clitoral stimulation during intercourse.
We also talked about
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couple counselling with an expert sexual counsellor as a means of guiding expectations. I hoped she wouldn’ t feel she had to fake it for the benefit of her partner and would instead take the opportunity to show him what she found most pleasurable during sex.
Most of all though, I hoped she wouldn’ t lose sight of the fact that good sex is not a competitive sport, with rigid rules and regulations, but an opportunity to share and give erotic pleasure with or without orgasm.
As for exactly where the female orgasm originates, I suspect most women would agree with the gynaecologist and sex researcher Robert Dickinson, who wrote as far back as 1949 that:“ Exalting vaginal orgasm while decrying clitoris satisfaction is found to beget much frustration. Orgasm is orgasm however achieved.” ● Dr Foran is a sexual health physician and co-ordinator of undergraduate and postgraduate courses in women’ s health at the
University of NSW. References on request. The patient’ s name has been changed.
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