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Who says the clitoris is pea-sized? Well, for a very long time, science did. But
sometimes science gets it wrong before it gets it right.
And even when science gets it right, sexism still takes the stage and moves
away the spotlight. It’s time that both men and women learn that a woman’s
pleasure center isn’t a tiny nub: It’s an expansive playground, and we need to
relearn the rules to having fun.
The clitoris, on the other hand, took much longer to discover, let alone
correctly comprehend. It also has the unique distinction of being the only
organ in the human body dedicated solely to pleasure, an amazing fact that
has ironically been left neglected by science and romantic partners alike.
“In order to get funding, researchers must often pitch their projects as
solutions to problems,” she explains. “But the clitoris is not problematic. It is a
pleasure enhancer!”
“We hope that in 10 or 20 years, health researchers will look back and say,
wow, we knew for years how physical exercise and brain exercise improve our
longevity and happiness — why didn’t we get to the clitoris sooner?” adds
Lockhart.
Not only has the clitoris been largely ignored throughout history, information
about it — when given — has often been partial or plainly incorrect. In the
1400s, a guide for finding witches considered the clitoris the “devil’s teat,” and
any woman with one was a witch.
Even in the early 20th century, Freud was convinced a woman’s ability to
orgasm was based on her psychological maturity and that only mentally
healthy women could have vaginal orgasms.
Ignorance surrounding the clitoris isn’t just bad for women. It’s also bad news
for the significant number of women who experience clitoral pain caused by
disease or infection.
Not knowing how to talk about the clitoris — let alone not knowing how a
healthy clitoris functions — harms our quality of life, our health, and even our
chances at equality in general.
The advent of female doctors and researchers has pushed back against the
sexism of science, while general societal changes have made space for open
discussion of the clit.
At the same time, new technology allows us to better see, understand, and
utilize all of the clitoris.
We now know that the tiny, pea-sized body part most people think of as the
clitoris is only the gland — and the tip of the iceberg.
We also know that while “clitoral orgasms” and “vaginal orgasms” were once
seen as different entities, all female orgasms are technically the result of
clitoral stimulation (i.e., different parts of the iceberg).
The clitoris might also be the “woman behind the curtain” when it comes to the
G-spot. A studyTrusted Source using ultrasound found that that magical area
is likely so sensitive because the clitoral root is located right behind the
anterior vaginal wall.
Check out a 3-D model. Unlike the penis, much of the clitoris is internal. You
can either check out pictures in the mini-doc above or print out your own three
3-D model. (The website is in French, but you can use Google Translate to
find the instructions for the 3-D printer.)
Schedule a date with yourself. “There are many different ways to touch a
clitoris … just as we might prefer different combinations of menu items at a
restaurant,” Lockhart says. “Learning and finding words for the particulars of
how you or your lover like to be touched can take the pleasure to a whole new
level.”
Get your partner involved. Even just talking with your partner about these
topics can make you closer and improve your bedroom romps. Once you’re
educated, educate the person or people in your life who happen to have a
relationship with your clit.
Talk to your doctor. Women are turned on by many, many different things,
and can orgasm in many, many different ways. Some women have trouble
reaching orgasm (researchTrusted Source puts the number around 10
percent), while others might have an issue with clitoral health. Both topics are
totally normal to talk to your doctor about.
Lockhart has one last tip as well: “After the first orgasm, many women have a
completely different sensitivity to touch. One wouldn’t have brisket for two
courses in a row. It is well worth one’s time and energy to investigate what
new dishes you or she might enjoy for dessert.”
And health and pleasure come from knowledge, so let’s get learning, inside
and outside the bedroom. We’ve been in the dark for too long. It’s time for
everyone to get clitorate.
Sarah Aswell is a freelance writer who lives in Missoula, Montana, with her
husband and two daughters. Her writing has appeared in publications that
include The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, National Lampoon, and
Reductress.You can reach out to her on Twitter.
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Medically reviewed by Janet Brito, PhD, LCSW, CST on August 8, 2017 — Written