The Internal Clitoris

melodiousmsm

Consider this: In over five million years of human evolution, only one organ has come to exist for the sole purpose of providing pleasure – the clitoris.  It is not required for reproduction.  It doesn’t have a urethra running through it like the penis, and thus, does not urinate.  Its sole function – its singular, wonderful purpose – is to make a woman feel good!!

Sadly, it is precisely because the clitoris has no function apart from female pleasure that science has neglected to study it as intricately as the penis.  In my last post I wrote about Princess Marie Boneparte and her revolutionary work on the female orgasm.  There was however, one piece of pertinent information she was lacking that science had not yet discovered: the true size and scope of the clitoris.

Try asking the next person you encounter to tell you where the clitoris is located.  Having posed this question to others many times myself, I’ll guess that the majority of answers you receive will sound something like, “It’s that small bulb at the top of my lips,” or, “That’s the button up under the hood.”  Although these responses aren’t exactly wrong, the interesting truth is that the majority of the clitoris is actually within the pelvis – that is, it’s far more internal than external. Even most of the women I coach, women who are generally worldly and well-informed about their own bodies, react with a combination of fascination and confusion when I explain that their clitoris extends deep within them.

The scientific name for the external “little button” or “bulb” is glans.  Not to be confused with glands, glans simply refers to a small circular mass.  This little structure contains approximately 8,000 sensory nerve fibers; more than anywhere else in the human body and nearly twice the amount found on the head of a penis!  From reading her work, it’s clear that Marie Bonepart mistakenly thought that the clitoris was completely comprised of the glans; and because it is super sensitive and all anyone can see of the organ, her confusion is mirrored by most women today.  The fact is, though, that most of the clitoris is subterranean, consisting of two corpora cavernosa (corpus cavernosum when referring to the structure as a whole), two crura (crus when referring to the structure as a whole), and the clitoral vestibules or bulbs.

The glans is connected to the body or shaft of the internal clitoris, which is made up of two corpora cavernosa.  When erect, the corpora cavernosa encompass the vagina on either side, as if they were wrapping around it giving it a big hug!

Sketch of an erect clitoris

The corpus cavernosum also extends further, bifurcating again to form the two crura.  These two legs extend up to 9cm, pointing toward the thighs when at rest, and stretching back toward the spine when erect.  To picture them at rest, imagine the crura as a wishbone, coming together at the body of the clitoris where they attach to the pubic symphysis.

Near each of the crura on either side of the vaginal opening are the clitoral vestibules.  These are internally under the labia majora.  When they become engorged with blood they actually cuff the vaginal opening causing the vulva to expand outward.  Get these puppies excited, and you’ve got a hungrier, tighter-feeling vaginal opening in which to explore!

What does all this mean?  Well, for starters, we can finally end that age-old debate of vaginal vs. clitoral orgasms.

In 1953, Kinsey wrote: “The vagina walls are quite insensitive in the great majority of females … There is no evidence that the vagina is ever the sole source of arousal, or even the primary source of erotic arousal in any female.”

Then in 1970, Germaine Greer published The Female Eunuch, which scoffed at Kinsey’s theory.  She wrote, “It is nonsense to say that a woman feels nothing when a man is moving his penis inside her vagina.  The orgasm is qualitatively different when the vagina can undulate around the penis instead of a vacancy.”

Interestingly, they’re both right.  The vagina is not the sole source of arousal, though to stimulate the inner clitoris you can greatly do so by manipulating, displacing, and exploring the vagina with a penis or other apparatus.

Sketch of an erect clitoris

Many women can bring themselves to orgasm without ever inserting anything inside of themselves.  They are causing their internal clitoris to become erect and likely stimulating their glans, bulbs, and crura by rubbing themselves on the outside.  The corpus cavernousum is the additional erectile tissue encompassing the vagina, and greatly erogenous when stimulated internally.

Let’s also remember, female orgasm is not solely about the clitoris and vagina either.  It is far more complex and also involves the workings of multiple nerves, tissues, muscles, reflexes, and mental effort.  Some women can think themselves to orgasm.  Others can orgasm simply by flexing their pelvic muscles.  Considering all the components involved plus the variability of human beings and their anatomies, it’s extremely important to remember no two people are the same. What works for one woman may not work for another.  In other words, it’s all custom under the hood.

What really blows my mind is the plethora of misinformation that exists in textbooks, professional medical guides, and on the internet.  Take for example, in one of my undergraduate textbooks titled Understanding Human Sexuality, the clitoris is depicted merely as just the glans.  The sad fact is it wasn’t until the 1990’s that researchers began using MRI to study the internal structure of the clitoris.  By then, the intricate details of the penis were already well known.

Urologist Helen O’Connell of the Royal Melbourne Hospital set out to better understand the microscopic nerve supply to the clitoris using MRI, something that had already been done for men with regard to their sexual function in the 70s.  In 1998 she published her findings, informing the medical world of the true scope and size of the clitoris.  Yet ironically that same year, men in America began popping Viagra to cure erectile dysfunction.

Sketch of a clitoris at rest

In 2005 The American Urological Association published one of Dr. O’Connell’s reports on clitoral anatomy.  The report itself even states, “The anatomy of the clitoris has not been stable with time as would be expected.  To a major extent its study has been dominated by social factors … Some recent anatomy textbooks omit a description of the clitoris.  By comparison, pages are devoted to penile anatomy.”  The report also mentions how seemingly impossible it is to understand the internal structure of the clitoris with just one diagram.  Several are required to truly get a comprehensive understanding of it.

Alas it wasn’t until as recent as 2009, French researchers Dr. Odile Buisson and Dr. Pierre Foldès gave the medical world it’s first complete 3-D sonography of the stimulated clitoris.  They did this work for three years without any proper funding.  Thanks to them, we now understand how the erectile tissue of the clitoris engorges and surrounds the vagina – a complete breakthrough that explains how what we once considered to be a vaginal orgasm is actually an internal clitoral orgasm.

The internal erect clitoris

Dr. Foldès has been performing surgery on women who have suffered from clitoral mutilation, restoring pleasure to over 3,000 circumcised patients.  He also gets passionate about the lack of study with regards to the clitoris:

“When I returned to France to treat genital mutilation, I was amazed that they were never tried. The medical literature tells us the truth about our contempt for women. For three centuries, there are thousands of references to penile surgery, nothing on the clitoris, except for some cancers or dermatology -and nothing to restore its sensitivity. The very existence of an organ of pleasure is denied, medically. Today, if you look at the anatomy books that all surgeons have, you will find two pages above. There is a real intellectual excision.

The internal erect clitoris

So there you have it.  As if all the repression, cultural influences, guilt, childhood imprints, and fear of being our true selves center stage in society weren’t enough, we also have the politics of medicine keeping us in the dark.  The great news is that researchers like Dr. Buisson, Dr. Foldès, and Dr. O’Connell are paving the way for greater knowledge … and greater pleasure!

Hope springs … internal!

Now for something a little less serious and more fun!  Here is a video of artist and sex educator, Betty Dodson, drawing the internal clitoris.  Note: the glans are accidentally labeled “glands” in the video, but remember the proper term is glans!!  Enjoy!

-Ms. M

 

Have a question or comment?  Email me here: AdviceFromMsM@gmail.com

Be sure to follow me, Ms. M. on Facebook and Twitter.

  1. V December 13, 2011 at 4:14 am #

    Best article ever. It has explained a LOT. E-mailing this to my husband. :) We’ve got some things to discuss. lol

    • Carroll January 14, 2012 at 5:55 am #

      Considering e-mailing this to my hubby. Not sure it’d do any good though. :(

      • Bill January 17, 2012 at 1:50 pm #

        It couldn’t hurt

      • John January 17, 2012 at 3:52 pm #

        You’ll be surprised…

      • Claire January 2, 2013 at 5:48 am #

        It’s none of my business, but I’m gonna say this anyway: if your husband doesn’t care enough about your pleasure and feelings to read this and learn as much as he can about making sex pleasurable for you too, is he even worth it? You’re better than that. Don’t put up with your sexual needs being second to his convenience.

        • melodiousmsm January 16, 2013 at 3:27 pm #

          Right on!! You tell go girl!

        • Amber March 1, 2013 at 4:31 am #

          I agree. I’d rather be alone and in a relationship with my hand.

        • Jesse May 14, 2013 at 1:50 pm #

          As a guy in a stable, committed, relationship, I agree with Claire. He expects you to please him I’m sure… if he’s not willing to do the same for you, then you have a very lopsided relationship that would probably best be addressed by therapy.

    • Neil Lumby January 19, 2012 at 6:22 pm #

      Discuss? All this knowledge and it’s just a discussion! lol

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  9. jm December 28, 2011 at 3:46 am #

    I was trying to explain this to a female friend of mine the other day. Now I shall send her this. Doesn’t hurt to have a bit of refresher myself. Us dudes should probably have a poster of this on our walls. Thanks!

    • Patrick September 16, 2012 at 12:43 am #

      Maybe it would be considered pornographic by some prude .

  10. Nisha Moon December 28, 2011 at 4:29 am #

    Very well written and accurate information. More information such as this needs to be made available to the public. I would love to use this page as a link from my blog.

    I noticed in your article that you mentioned a few times about penis power, the penis getting far more attention than a woman’s body. This is so true but for many readers who may not be connecting to that very hard truth, I wanted to just add that we live in a patriarchal society and that lends itself to the focus on male dominated subjects and that includes medicine! Women are the last to be thought about concerning research, how our bodies work or even correctly and positively payed attention too during medical procedures, examinations, surgery’s. Out of all the Major nations in this world we in the US (Doctors) recommend women get their uterus’ taken out of their bodies with no real medical reason to do so! Women who suffer from minor and sometimes major illness do not need to have their uterus’ removed but these male Dr’s are telling them they should and will lie and say that it has no bearing on their sexual pleasure. Well, that is a lie, the uterus is a key player in achieving sexual fulfillment. They are robbing us of our POWER. However, having exposed this lie that is NOT to say that women who have had this done can not embrace this area of themselves and grasp back their power and create again sexually, they can! It’s just another path down a multifaceted road of feminine energy that allows for our sexual prowess to be re-birthed!

    More and more research is being done to understand the woman’s body but more needs to be done.

    Thanks for the article.

    Be well… and rock on!

    Nisha Moon

    • Beverly Davies January 8, 2012 at 6:23 pm #

      I so agree with you , i had a hysterectomy for cancer, i have nothing left, sex is nonexistent, no sense doing any thing that doesn’t work any way, male doctors need an up bringing,

    • Michael Hanes January 17, 2012 at 8:05 pm #

      Hi Nisha,

      What you are saying sounds unfair to me. Breast cancer is the most researched of all cancers. More generally, feminism, at least in the US, is quickly becoming dated. Women have been more successful than men in their educational outcomes and salary level (yes, it’s true!) Women are also healthier, and consume a disproportionate share of health resources. An average woman today is more educated and successful than a man. Women are still underrepresented at the highest level of achievement, but there are many objective reasons for this. Had their been any systematic discrimination of women, it would show as a discrepancy in salary and education.

      Michael

      • Kathryn January 23, 2012 at 10:28 pm #

        Unfortunately, you’re wrong. Women are still paid less on average than men, although the gap is smaller than it used to be. Women are underrepresented in graduate-level education to this day. Women are much more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted than men. And the lack of women at the top levels of many fields (such as politics or the military) reflect the current and historical oppression of women.

      • Stella Jane January 24, 2012 at 1:29 pm #

        “It would show up as SALARY????” Women earn 70% on the dollar in the USA MUCH less anywhere else.
        You are a male and obviously don’t get this….still telling all of the women here that YOU the MALE know
        more than we do. THAT’s the patriarchal attitude.

        • Isaac October 17, 2012 at 12:08 am #

          This is why so many males have an issue with “feminists”.

          Disagreeing with a woman does not make one some sort of misogynist pig, any more than disagree with someone of a different race makes someone a racist. The truth of matter is always more complicated than the sound bites. Of , course there is still a pay gap, and that is a problem. Some of it is from blatant discrimination and those people found to be guilty of pay discrimination should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, but much more of it is of a more insidious type of discrimination. Women disproportionately leave the workforce to raise children. Most do so of their own accord, but also, because of societal pressure on a woman to “be a good mother” by taking care of her kids, and societal pressure on men to “be a good father” by supporting the family when the woman leaves the work force. This leaves women years behind their male colleagues and accounts for a vast majority of the pay discrepancy. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/business/economy/motherhood-still-a-cause-of-pay-inequality.html?_r=0

          Michael saying the feminism in the US has become become dated is not the same as saying that it has become obsolete. There is still a lot to be done in terms of gender equality, but it seems like mainstream feminist thought is still fixated on the pay discrepancy as a largely discrimination issue.

          I am male, and want to consider myself a feminist, but like many of my male colleagues feel threatened by a feminist ideology that emphasizes the victimization of women by a male dominated society. As far as I can see, many american feminists perpetuate a male dominated society by measuring female success by how well they have infiltrated traditionally male roles. Perhaps I’m just bitter that there is no masculinist society advocating for paternity leave, male elementary school teachers, the dignity of stay at home fathers, and condemning women for assuming that I can fix that leaky faucet. I don’t mean to downplay the discrimination women have suffered, and continue to suffer to this day, but to explain that when folks like Michael say that feminism is outdated, it is less to say that there is no progress to be made by women in terms of gender equality than it is to say that we are all victims of a society that tells women they are bad mothers if they are dedicated to their careers, and tells men they are lazy if they decide to be the primary caregiver for their children. I sincerely hope I have not offended any of you and that I’ve shed some light on why well intentioned men like Michael and I chaff at some of the rhetoric in these comments.

        • SCOTT March 14, 2013 at 9:36 am #

          i don’t understand why women would want equality with men. It would mean giving up the advantages they have. They live longer have more choices in how they want to live there lives. The difference in the statistic in earnings is more than made up in the added costs men need to assume. Also women in general put great value on a mans earnings before entertaining a relationship.

      • Susi Matthews January 24, 2012 at 3:42 pm #

        Michael,
        I don’t know what wishful-thinking planet you live on but it certainly isn’t the same one I occupy.
        Here’s some statistics to show you that your salary level statement is flawed.
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male%E2%80%93female_income_disparity_in_the_United_States
        http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/censusandstatistics/a/paygapgrows.htm
        http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1983185,00.html

        I can’t quickly find refutation of your thought that more resources go to women’s health care than men’s but I seriously doubt it. According simply to how much more easily men can get viagra than women can get birth control, I’d say you’re easily wrong there as well. I suspect part of the statistics you may be looking at are explained by that fact that more women are generally *willing* to consult a doctor than men are. And yes, that is a generalization but one that is held up by research.

        There can be no doubt whatsoever in any reasonable mind that we live in a patriarchal society.

      • Ashleigh February 2, 2012 at 12:31 am #

        Michael,

        Feminism firstly is not dated in the least. And the discrepancy you mention regarding salary and education deserves more than a sentence of elaboration. There is a HUGE discrepancy in pay between men in women across careers. If you don’t believe, check out Feminist Philosophers blog about academic female philosophers getting paid a good $20-30,000+ under what male academic philosophers make. Likewise, check out the newly signed Lily Ledbetter act and check out how she was screwed out of thousands of dollars over her years at Goodyear because she was a woman. And although education is becoming accessible on the whole, it is also becoming more costly and this significantly shifts that accessibility to the more wealthy.
        A really really important thing to remember when asserting that women are receiving better salaries and achieving more success than they did say in the 50′s is that WHITE women on the whole are achieving these things. Unfortunately minorities, especially minority women, suffer from the same debilitating factors as they always have; the improvements have not been nearly as significant as for white women. Statistics demonstrate this what with minorities having shorter life spans on the whole, less income, less education and less access to it, etc.
        Your brief mention of women being underrepresented at the “highest level of achievement” (whatever that is exactly) as being the result of “objective reasons” is blatantly false. For instance, if a woman wants to gain tenure as a professor, she is much less likely because of the discrimination that stems from maternity leave. It is often assumed that a female professor will require maternity leave later on in her career and even if she does, it is seen more as a detriment than as a right. The other side of this is that many male professors who seek maternity leave are discriminated against as well because of the perception that fathers cannot possibly be stay-at-home parents, that this is a requirement solely of the mother. This type of discrimination that befalls many female academics does not possess “objective reason;” it is plain sexism.
        Lastly, and very very crucial to a proper discussion of feminism, is the understanding that just like so many other subjects and theories out there, you need to understand that there are many faces of feminism. Just as there are many different people, there are many different perspectives that play into analyzing what is feminism and notably what it means to be a feminist. Unfortunately the majority of the American population see stereotypes that supposedly describe who is a feminist and what that means, these being extremely negative and very incorrect. For a good general discussion of feminism and its many faces and uses, I suggest reading “Feminism is for Everybody” by bell hooks. This book is written for the general lay person and is not overly scholarly. Michael, I feel that if you want to better yourself and the women you love around you, digging a little deeper into feminism beyond what the media rants and raves about will suit you better.
        Thanks, and love,
        Ashleigh

        • demerne February 5, 2012 at 10:40 pm #

          Thank you for an excellent rebuttal! Saying that misogyny is over because there are powerful/successful women is like saying that racism is over because we have a black president! It’s crazy, but people still act as if feminism is somehow “dated” when there are so many aspects of society that are blatantly sexist.

        • Keith June 5, 2012 at 11:49 pm #

          You females are all right and righteous! We males are all stupid and subversive! So sorry we are in your way ladies! Pardon us.

          • R.B. Kool July 1, 2012 at 3:42 pm #

            You sound like a monkey

        • Lukas Thiessen August 10, 2012 at 3:47 pm #

          Awesome! (Yes, i’m a man, and no, i’m not being sarcastic.)

      • sam March 5, 2012 at 8:49 am #

        in australia, twice as much money is spent by the national cancer institute on breast cancer research as prostate cancer. in the UK, breast cancer receives slightly more than 10x more funding than prostate cancer. similar figures for this exist for most of the developed world. the reason why susi cant find counter evidence to this is probably because it doesnt exist.
        i don’t know if getting viagra is easier or not than getting female birth control. i do know that i have never had trouble nor do i know anyone who has ever had trouble getting female birth control.
        men’s life expectancy in the uk is 5 years lower than it is for woman. not sure about other countries. but very possibly due to men being higher risk takers and being less inclined to go to the doctor for regular checkups etc.

        woman are unfortunately more prone to sexual harassment and assault than men. they are also more likely to report harassment/assault if it occurs, however. it is in practice difficult to claim a broad statement such as “Women are much more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted than men”. it may very well be true. but any figures that are brought up as evidence will be flawed.

        “Lastly, and very very crucial to a proper discussion of feminism, is the understanding that just like so many other subjects and theories out there, you need to understand that there are many faces of feminism.”
        very true. unfortunately there just are sooooo many people (women and men) out there who bring what could be a noble group of people down to a shameful level of hypocrisy

        sam

      • Wolfgang Nebmaier March 29, 2012 at 10:47 pm #

        Breast cancer is the most researched of all cancers.
        = if that is true, it means that it is the most lucrative cancer for the medical research industry.

        What do you mean by “feminism, at least in the US, is quickly becoming dated”

        If “Women have been more successful than men in their educational outcomes” perhaps the reason is that they were more diligent in their studies and perhaps are better students. Maybe women are even smarter. Period.

        If “Women are . . healthier”, perhaps it is that women take care of themselves better, that men who forever want Mommie to take care of them.

        And perhaps the “consume a disproportionate share of health resources” is better translated into “women are a more lucrative ‘health’ care market than men.” Women are snaged into the meds web as early as pre-puberty. Men enter the picture noticeably only decades late.

        And finally, please share what the “many objective reasons for “ women’s underrepresentation at the highest level of achievement are.

      • Melody Heilmann May 27, 2012 at 12:00 am #

        Hello Michael,
        Women do not make as much money as men. That has been covered here by others in response to your remarks.
        Research for womens health care is also far behind research for men.
        There have been treatments for mens prostate problems for decades now. Prostatic cancer w/ early detection is very curable with a low mortality rate.
        There is no good, accurate test for ovarian cancer to this day and many women continue to die daily. It is often asymptomatic until it has metastisised, making the need for an accurate, early detection test that much more crucial. Womens health does not seem to be as important as mens in many cases by researchers. Little is known about HRT and heart disease in women with conflicting treatments and research adding to the confusion felt by many. age. Hopefully this will soon change.

  11. Trom Bone December 29, 2011 at 6:28 pm #

    Wonderful article, but I disagree with the premise that the clitoris “exist for the sole purpose of providing pleasure,” because pleasure is a necessity for a woman to *want* to have sex. Pleasure is probably THE prime motivator for seeking sex.

    • Lori Koonce January 11, 2012 at 11:31 pm #

      Trom

      You seem to be missing the point.. The penis has the urethera, which allows it to piss. It has parts to keep the pissing and the ejaculation from happening at the same time as well. So it has a dual purpose.

      Can you give me any other medically valid reason for the clitoris to exist?

      • Ashleigh February 2, 2012 at 12:35 am #

        Just curious Lori by what you mean by “medically valid reason.”

    • Carroll January 14, 2012 at 5:58 am #

      The largest sex organ in the body…..one’s brain.

      • Patrick September 16, 2012 at 2:20 am #

        What about skin? It is the biggest organ so they say.

        I knew Nisha Moon’s comment would lead to a women v men shitfight.. Folks we are different get over it; it is not a competition, cooperation is much better.

    • Bill Knight February 11, 2012 at 9:48 pm #

      I am watching “Why Sex is Fun” on the Discovery Channel this evening. The subject is the female orgasm, and has a lot of this new info on the clitoris. The clitoris’ one function is to cause orgasm, orgasm in women seems to cause a pumping action that moves sperm on to the fallopian tubes. In fact the majority of sperm is routed to whichever tube is nearest the egg that is about to be (or has recently been) released from the ovaries.

      • Amy February 15, 2012 at 10:44 am #

        I saw that too Bill. Made sense to me. Pleasure and purpose!

  12. Male December 30, 2011 at 2:20 am #

    Quite the feminist spin to the article, but overall a quite informative read. Well Done

    • Male January 8, 2012 at 9:48 pm #

      It’s not feminist, it’s facts of history. There is no remarkable feminist spin whatsoever, she is simply stating how progressed penile anatomy research was in comparison to clitoral. The truth about patriarchy is just unsettling.

      • Carroll January 14, 2012 at 6:00 am #

        Your comment, Male, just adds to how I feel about patriarchy generally. Patriarchy….socially and within religion, is what’s wrong with our society in the first place. Unless I’m unenlightened about your assessment, I’m reading that you believe that WHAT truth about patriarch, is “just unsettling.” In what way?/

        • Ashleigh February 2, 2012 at 12:45 am #

          I like this discussion of patriarchy but let’s get a good working definition, shall we?

          Patriarchy: patriarchy |ˈpātrēˌärkē|
          noun ( pl. -archies)
          a system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line.
          • a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
          • a society or community organized in this way.

          In feminism, this term is typically used to describe a system in which men are the dominate group. This means that the system itself exists primarily for their benefit (not negating that other groups can still obtain some benefits but not most of them) and is set up in order to maintain the status quo of men being the dominate group. This system requires that there are intricate working sub-systems (e.g. racism, agism, classism to name a few) that operate to govern all groups within the patriarchal system to maintain that system. This is a hegemonic system that depends upon separation and categorization of people into perceived and reinforced groups, such as women, men, minorities, etc. As evident from the group labels, these groupings can be based upon sex, gender, race, age, class/income status, sexual orientation, etc. What is important to remember is that even if a person does not personally ascribe to a group label, that person can still be grouped according to an outside perception and treated as such.

          A really good read that will aid in understanding power dynamics is Michel Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish.”

          • Ken February 26, 2012 at 4:30 am #

            Awesome! So glad you broke it down with a definition.
            Dissembling is much more difficult when terms are clearly defined.

  13. Neurogasm December 30, 2011 at 3:49 am #

    This explains so much…

  14. Sandra December 31, 2011 at 12:33 am #

    Wow, this is really very interesting!! Do you have any sources, particularly for the pictures? I’d like to read more about this.

  15. Jessi Ellegood January 4, 2012 at 11:36 am #

    Bookmarked! Thanks for an amazing post, will read your others posts.

  16. PS January 7, 2012 at 3:55 am #

    I found this fascinating and informative. Especially loved Betty’s video. However, I’m curious that there is no mention of the G-spot. How does it tie in to these explanations? I’ve read before that the G-spot may be the internal portion of the clitoris — is that what this is getting at?

    • Howard January 9, 2012 at 2:47 pm #

      I noticed that there was no mention of the G spot, too. I would like to know more about that. Tantric teachings say that the g spot is your minus pole and that the clit is the plus pole of your sexuality. i.e. g spot sexual feeling is receptive and clitoral is outwards oriented. Interesting debate

      • Stella Jane January 24, 2012 at 1:44 pm #

        As an older woman who has been to “California” and “tantric” events, I must say I never could understand WHAT people were talking about the G-spot. It did NOT seem a SPOT to me, and a lot of the TANTRIC teachers seemed aloof to me, in essense saying “WE know more about your body, are sexier…” and that’s why you are here so give us $$$.
        There was also MUCH study done there in “workshops” about the three kinds of fluid ejaculates that women have. No mention of any of these in print/medicine that I know of, but one woman taught quite a few to do the GUSHING one, just by this explanation: When a person is becoming sexually involved, their body gives the mind little bits of excitement from its perceptions. The mind accepts /rejects these and adds them up until orgasm occurs. Got it? OKAY. So when a woman is doing that, she can ALSO notice which pieces the MAN is getting / adding to his excitement and which he is missing!!! When HIS excitement becomes a good match for HERS, fluid can flow repeatedly in gushes from the vagina, essentially welcoming the man to enter. Not talking about the slippery gel formed vaginally during the ovulatory part of the mooncycle. This is MUCH more copious, liquid and sweet smelling.

      • Stace March 5, 2012 at 2:11 am #

        See what I stated to PS about that.

      • tnfsinger March 6, 2012 at 5:03 am #

        This article is fascinating and explains a LOT. If you are asking about the G Spot, it is pretty obvious. Just look at the diagram again. Yes, it IS stimulating the internal clitoris. Also, if you notice, though this article doesn’t mention it, there appears to be part of the clitoris that extends parallel to the anus. Very informative.

    • Stace March 5, 2012 at 2:10 am #

      Yes, the article is saying that G-Spot orgasms are clitoral orgasms. A G-Spot orgasm is a vaginal orgasm after all; that’s what most researchers are talking about when they mention/discuss vaginal orgasms. There’s also reliable information about all of this on Wikipedia (from reliable sources in their references sections).

    • Britt May 23, 2012 at 2:22 pm #

      The “g-spot” is not just one spot. It is where the vaginal wall and the clitoris hit each…they press up against each other and make the woman orgasm. This happens most the time at the front wall of the vagina where it’s easiest to meet the internal clitoris. Everyone here should watch the documentary…”Why Sex is Fun.” It will talk more about the internal clitoris and the myths about the “g spot”

      • Some other guy June 15, 2012 at 3:50 pm #

        Britt,
        You raise an interesting point- the “front wall of the vagina” is often regarded as the most accessable point for the internal clitoris (or “g-spot”). However, looking at the sonogram photo: “internal erect clitoris”, one would observe that the internal clitiris is seemingly at it’s furthest from the vagina at this point. The most notable obstruction would have to be the urethra.

        To be sure, I’m not disagreeing with you (and in fact, based on my own meanderings with the fairer sex, I would agree with you) however I can’t seem to reconcile the distance between these two organs. Has anyone thought about this? Perhaps it is caginal stimulation had caused the bladder itself to contact the internal clitoris? Just a thought… Don’t beat me up if that’s moronic ;)

        • Some other guy June 15, 2012 at 3:59 pm #

          My mistake! I didn’t look closely enough… Clitoris envelops the Urethra. Thought it merely straddled it. Disregard!

  17. smieszne reklamy January 7, 2012 at 12:09 pm #

    Greatly written post, keep it going!

  18. Zb January 8, 2012 at 5:44 am #

    Great article! Arguably, every sense organ could be described as having evolved for the purpose of seeking pleasure — that is, safety, food, shelter, and sex. It depends how narrowly you choose to define pleasure, I guess! The clitoris does seem to be highly specialized, but I’d be surprised if we didn’t find other evolutionary “goals” for the clit. Given how science has ignored it for so long, it seems likely with further study that we’ll find reasons in addition to sexual pleasure for the existence of the clitoris.

    • Rhea January 17, 2012 at 2:24 am #

      Evolutionary goal: to encourage reproduction.

  19. Jools January 8, 2012 at 6:02 am #

    Thanks to the “design” of the clitoris women who have suffered FGM are able to have surgery and restore sensitivity.

  20. NICOLE GOKA January 8, 2012 at 1:26 pm #

    THANK WELL EXPLAIN :)

  21. Carol January 8, 2012 at 7:09 pm #

    I learnt most of what you said in my Women’s Studies but I never understood the physical structure of the clitoris before this so thank you so much for the diagrams!

  22. Susan January 8, 2012 at 10:01 pm #

    What I want to know is, how is that stimulation of my nipples is felt in my clitoris?

    • Paul Blair January 21, 2012 at 2:00 pm #

      You are of one body. Mind and body are one. (that goes for both sexes)

    • Stella Jane January 24, 2012 at 1:50 pm #

      GOOD QUESTION!!!! Any woman who has nursed has felt her uterus contract due to the stimulation of the nipples. Some women actually orgasm during nursing…. The entire concept of orgasm is, in my opinion, the body’s way of lubricating and re-sensitizing the entire body so it can RELAX and HEAL. But how exactly it does that, good question…..

      • Sourire January 25, 2012 at 10:08 pm #

        Hi Stella Jane,

        One major reason why uterine contractions occur during breastfeeding is due to the release of oxytocin. Oxytocin is a smooth muscle stimulation hormone, and it acts primarily on the smooth muscles of the uterus and the mammary glands. I’d encourage you to look up more about oxytocin, its a fascinating hormone :)

    • Stace March 5, 2012 at 2:15 am #

      Susan, the Wikipedia article on orgasm has information about that.

  23. Anne January 9, 2012 at 1:00 am #

    Great article! I was just wondering if you know any books or websites giving tips on how to properly stimulate the entire clitoris to achieve orgasm? Thanks!

    • KickinGuyat59 January 17, 2012 at 5:45 pm #

      That is the main question, though amazingly incredibly ignored. It is fascinating to know the anatomy, but putting the knowledge to good use to learn how to really please your partner would be that secret knowledge we all are looking for. I hope the author answers the question, Anne!

      • Stace March 5, 2012 at 2:19 am #

        All women are different, as the author says, but most women are able to orgasm by rubbing (fingers or otherwise) or oral stimulation against their clitoris.

  24. Davis R Joseph January 9, 2012 at 10:35 pm #

    Quite an enlightening blog. My wish is that these revelations about our humanity would not generate “sex wars”. In a world of far less technology (which has done well to equalize the sexes), I assure your readers that, had the woman been, typically, the physically stronger of the two, men today would have had the same “neglect” complaints today. Our complexities are not so easily understood by the majority and so we should expect a steep learning curve… Now we know better!

  25. Eve Minax January 10, 2012 at 1:59 am #

    Wonderful! and I adore Betty. A living Icon:)

  26. Sandy January 10, 2012 at 4:10 am #

    Great article. I’ve always known that there was something “behind my clit” which responded wildly to pressure and manipulation, but I had no idea it encompassed quite so large an area. Betty Dodson’s video presentation also made this extremely easy to follow and visualize. I’m bookmarking this site and going to look for other articles by the writer.

    I hate to be the one to do this, but the error nettled me all the way through: It’s Princess Marie BONAPARTE (not Bonepart); she was a great-great-niece of Napoleon.

  27. dragonqueen January 10, 2012 at 2:49 pm #

    Unfortunately the anatomy books in Med Schools still don’t reflect his new knowledge. The faulty anatomy was taught to my daughter during Gross Anatomy during her first year as a medical student not long ago as it was to me in the 1980ies. Helen O’Connell’s groundbreaking work is neglected and not easy to get hold of.

  28. James January 10, 2012 at 10:56 pm #

    “hopefully nice LITTLE inner lips”???? I can’t believe she said this. Way to make every woman who has large inner labia feel inadequate. Personally I LOVE big lips. Labiaplasty is a such an unfortunate practice perpetuated by ignorant attitudes towards a woman’s vulva. Just sayin.

    • some guy January 16, 2012 at 8:25 pm #

      I can’t believe she said that either… because she didn’t…
      she said “hopefully nice FULL ones, they’re my favorite”
      …i think your bias is showing?

  29. Gayatri January 11, 2012 at 2:53 am #

    I find it completely weird how feminist ‘spins’ are seen as potentially obfuscating figuring out fact, rather than (as it has done in this case) facilitating getting closer to the truth, or pointing out where society has missed it.

  30. Gayatri January 11, 2012 at 3:04 am #

    Also, check out Nancy Tuana’s paper ‘Coming to Understand: Orgasm and the Epistemology of Ignorance’. I think you’ll find it interesting.

  31. Odessa Bennett January 11, 2012 at 10:59 pm #

    Thanks you so much for sharing! What an enlightening article! Also love the video.

  32. Lynne Goodman January 14, 2012 at 12:47 am #

    Interesting, the shape of the clitoris is the same as the shape of the symbol for woman!!!!

  33. alizard January 16, 2012 at 9:14 am #

    Now that we know where it really is, how can we use that information to make it possible to stimulate it best?

  34. Amused One January 16, 2012 at 8:55 pm #

    As a long-time fan of the clitoris and all of its splendor, I cannot begin to express how ecstatic I am to discover this. I continue to be fascinated by the female body, love to learn more, and look forward to putting what I learn to use.

    Huzzah!

  35. Thomas Zychowski January 17, 2012 at 1:09 am #

    Well this will make allot of woman happy!

    • Stella Jane January 24, 2012 at 1:56 pm #

      YAY for saying that! It’s the most important part. The reward of being sensitive enough to do everything that a woman does well.
      Amen and Ahhhwomen.

  36. curious george January 17, 2012 at 7:01 am #

    Hi, how does g-spot fit into the picture in light of this new research?

    • Stace March 5, 2012 at 2:24 am #

      Since the G-Spot is a “vaginal orgasm,” it is a part of the clitoris, according to most researchers.

  37. Maren January 17, 2012 at 3:24 pm #

    And a lot of men too! Generally, if she’s not happy in the bedroom, he won’t be nearly as often as he’d otherwise wish.

  38. ioldanach January 17, 2012 at 11:39 pm #

    This is an excellent, fascinating article, thanks! I’m curious about the positions of the inner ends of the clitoris as compared to the rectum. That would be an interesting addition to the images.

  39. Myself January 18, 2012 at 1:13 am #

    WOW TNX 4THE INFO!! SO INTERESTING… I DIDNT KNOW I HAD SUCH A BIG CLIT INSIDE ME :)

  40. Ckunts4Proffit January 18, 2012 at 10:45 pm #

    Ok what if its your relationship problems not his lack of vaginal knowledge or the current ‘males are dumb’ culture in western Civ…

    PS i love pussies and they love me back

  41. Bruce Cain January 19, 2012 at 12:51 am #

    This reminds me of the Socratic dialog where these “philosophers” are arguing about how many teeth are in the mouth of an ass. Finally one of the debators simply says. “why don’t we just go out and count them.”

    And that is exactly what this definative work does. It allows us to see it as it is. Zen sex for dummies..

    I have been fortunate to enjoy a life playing in a band at a young age, growing up in the eye of hippiedom (14 in 1968), experienceing a myraid of sensual experience (sex, lsd, mescaline, cannabis, mushrooms, music) and fortunately finding myself in a loving marraiage — 35 years and counting. So though I might be close to death at 58 (not really to my knowledge) I have had ample time to fill my head up with quite a bit of experiential carnal knowledge.

    And though I’ve intuitively figured out to make most of these contraptions “optimise” I was under the impression that vaginal orgams, for instance, were the result of indirectly related nerve endings. I never thought it was really “all” clitoris.

    So I suppose, from now on I will have to think of the clitoris as a “hot iceburg” . . . where most of the mass lies under the surface. Of course the concept is inverse in so many respects. When you rub a regular iceburg it melts. When you rub a ‘hot iceburg” properly it tends to engorge and hopefully cum to life: grinding away till the wee hours of the night. LOL.

    LOL. Great article. And this is why we need to preserve a free, unemcombered internet.

  42. in bed with married women January 19, 2012 at 3:42 pm #

    I completely loved this. Re-blogged, giving you a link. How could I have gone so friggin’ long without knowing this?!?!?

  43. woman, 50 January 19, 2012 at 10:22 pm #

    Copied my teenagers; awesome article; thanks…

  44. H January 20, 2012 at 2:56 am #

    Well that explains a LOT. So great to see the things myself and my partners have discovered being legitimized and explained like this!

  45. meat50 January 22, 2012 at 4:10 am #

    Thank you for all this knowledge!

  46. RSP January 23, 2012 at 9:13 am #

    What a revalation! Having for years derived pleasure from feeling my partners arousal and organism but not really having a visual of the internal pleasure points this article is wounderous

  47. Pinkie B. January 24, 2012 at 1:36 pm #

    OMFG! This is amazing, and it explains so much! I want every woman in the world to see this!

  48. Sam January 25, 2012 at 3:12 pm #

    This is all a shock to me, and it makes so much sense now. But I was curious, if the clitoris wraps around the vagina is it possible for it to get damaged while a women is giving birth? And if so could it lose sensitivity permanently?

    • Stace March 5, 2012 at 2:32 am #

      Sam, only the clitoral legs extend that far; it’s not the main body of the clitoris wrapping around the vagina, so the clitoris will not be damaged. Neither will the clitoral legs, for that matter. Think about it, have you heard of damage to the clitoris in this way thus far? Besides that, the vagina contains relatively few nerve endings, which makes child birth significantly less painful than it would be otherwise.

  49. Obman January 30, 2012 at 5:52 am #

    I guess the internal clitors may extend more than described in this article. Some people say that they have extreme orgasm with uterus sex. Uterosex is quite controversial, but if it is true, then the internal clitoris should extend near around the uterus.

  50. Raquel January 30, 2012 at 6:06 pm #

    This is great and very informative! It’s sad to think people still practice female circumcision…

  51. Gommy February 9, 2012 at 12:39 am #

    I think then, that the mysterious g-spot must actually be part of the clitoris. If I’m understanding the images correctly, it should be at the center of the clitoris. If the entire clit is like a starfish with five extensions, the the g-spot ought to be the center of it.

  52. Tiffany February 10, 2012 at 1:06 pm #

    This is a good article. Orgasms are as important as food in my opinion and not a lot of information is dedicated to the female orgasm. I love the female orgasm!

  53. Catherine Poloynis February 14, 2012 at 10:56 pm #

    This is a great article. I read Kinsey’s book decades ago, which verified what I already suspected about the mythology of vaginal orgasm being the ‘right’ way. This 3-D sonography explains the multiple loci of stimulation and response. I can’t believe no one has figured this out before now…a profound demonstration of how sexism permeates society. Thank you for the education.

  54. Mr. Brown February 19, 2012 at 4:46 am #

    This leads me to believe women either love anal (done right), or haven’t tried it yet

  55. Shawn Roop February 23, 2012 at 12:19 pm #

    Interesting reading, both article and posts. Being a teacher of Tantra, its interesting because the body of a woman is home to internal mystery. The place where creation and the universe lives. The internal nature clitoris meets with this idea. The crus is where the power of a womans sexuality feeds her internal masculine and feminine, sending energy deep within giving a more complete feeling toward all aspects of life.

    Also in a post, I hear that biggest sex organ is the mind. I know modern sex study offers this. But can any human disagree with the pure fact the skin is the largest sex organ? The mind is tiny next to the pure pleasure the skin offers. But, maybe thats because my personal journey is to explore spiritual sex and all it offers and stay embodied rather then be in fantasy, not
    that there is anything wrong with fantasy. =)

  56. Ele March 9, 2012 at 7:51 am #

    blossom of life

  57. Tara Gasta March 11, 2012 at 11:41 am #

    Thank you so much for this article, drawings, and the video! I’ve known about the internal clitoris for a couple of years, and the video by the artist, Betty, drawing it is awesome. I’ve passed this link on to several female friends, and now let’s get it to the men.

  58. Morgan March 15, 2012 at 6:16 pm #

    I am wondering one thing that is a little… out there. It is a tad disgusting for some to consider, but i am wondering if the internal part of the clitoris could possibly be accessed through anal intercourse? It is an interesting question at the very least.

  59. AWOL Gina March 17, 2012 at 7:37 pm #

    Loved this article & the concluding video is priceless. I’ve recently learned more about the female prostrate gland, another part of the female anatomy that men & scientists have known existed but denied it, didn’t study it & often made the women who ejaculate from it believe they were urinating freaks instead. If only our genitals had been covered in such depth at the males. I do my part in getting the information out there, helping to educate both men and women, about their sexuality & genitalia. I have a suspicion that men did not research the female parts out of envy for how much more involved & responsive the female genitalia are.
    Also knew there were very sensitive areas that were not located at the glans at all, that felt like clitoral stimulation & orgasms, so I’m happy to see my thoughts confirmed. I’ll be back for more & I shared this out all over. Thanks! :)
    Gina

  60. Geoff March 21, 2012 at 4:19 am #

    Fascinating read … thank you :-)

  61. Paula March 22, 2012 at 7:38 pm #

    Wonderful! It’s about time this information became more widely discussed. Understanding that the clitoris is in effect a penis, only mostly internal, helps both men and women too understand how to stimulate it more effectively. And helps us to understand why most women need direct stimulation of the head or frenulum of their clitoris, best achieved by their own fingers, in order to orgasm during intercourse. Expecting a woman to orgasm through intercourse alone is like expecting a man to orgasm by only stimulating the base of his penis. It might happen for some men but would take a long time for most just as it does for most women. Most men need adequate stimulation of both the base and head of the penis and ditto women. And yet how often do you see this discussed or see sexual images of women with their fingers on their clitoris’s while they are being penetrated?
    Maybe we need some new terminology to better describe female genitals? Medically it’s becoming known as “the Clitorourethrovaginal Complex”. A bit of long-winded I agree! How about “the Clitorovagina”? That may help us all to understand the interconnectedness of what is still considered to be 2 separate sexual entities. (the clitoris and the vagina)
    For those who want to read more about this fascinating subject the Wikipedia entry for “the clitoris” is a good place to start. Or try http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1283096/ for the MRI report of Dr. Helen O’Connell’s research. A book called “The Clitoral Truth” by Rebecca Chaulker is great. As are any writings by Shere Hite.

    • Paula March 22, 2012 at 7:42 pm #

      that should have been – A bit long-winded I agree. Not – a bit of long-winded.

    • PCD December 17, 2012 at 4:52 pm #

      “Expecting a woman to orgasm through intercourse alone is like expecting a man to orgasm by only stimulating the base of his penis.”

      Some women do orgasm through intercourse alone. And, if fact, some men, including me, can orgasm by only stimulating the base of the penis. I’ve only recently discovered this wonderful fact. The orgasm does not include full ejaculation but feels better and more intense than a typical ejaculatory orgasm, can be full body, can last for several minutes and does not introduce a refractory period (multiple, mind blowing, body shaking orgasms are easy). My best guess is that it’s actually stimulating the internal part of the penis which is the same tissue as the clitoris). Sometimes the feeling is immediate, sometimes it takes a couple minutes of stimulation for the good feelings to kick in. Try it, he’ll like it.

  62. firewater March 24, 2012 at 8:34 am #

    A good text with good informations, but not enough.
    So we don`t know the size of the internal clit if it is flaccid and how much by a sexual arousal. How much do the clitoris enlarge inside by an erection??
    Why there is no interest for such to know?
    Also it would be interesting to know, where exactly women have the most sexual pleasure at the clitoris.
    Is it the glans or the area directly below of the glans? And if it is the glans, is it the front side or the back.side?
    Btw, by us men we have the most nerves inside the foreskin, so we have more nerve.points there, than in the glans. That`s the reason why we have more pleasure directly below the glans – at the back.side – than we have it at the glans.
    By women it seems to be in such a difference to men.

  63. Helen Wojik March 27, 2012 at 4:47 pm #

    I can tell you that swinger men know how to find all of this….www.swingersocial.com

  64. Anna March 31, 2012 at 9:10 pm #

    Wow, this is fascinating…a mew way of visualizing the power of the female body. Thanks!

  65. anonymous American woman April 4, 2012 at 5:32 pm #

    Thank you for a fascinating article that offers me something important to try to discuss with my doctor. I’m a middle-aged woman with a healthy sex life, but never experienced a “vaginal” orgasm and have always felt a bit confused about why other women cared about having something move inside them when all the fun was just outside the door.

    I was also raped as a teenager, including being raped with a knife that left a set of rather nasty deep lacerations that required internal stitching.

    Is it possible that my internal clitoris was severed from the rest, and I’ve been missing something for the last 25 years or so? If so, is it worth considering the possibility of repair now? (I was a virgin at the time of the assault, with almost no sexual experience before that.)

    This is a very interesting line of research, and I hope to see it funded a great deal further!

  66. Paula April 16, 2012 at 5:37 am #

    http://www.luckymojo.com/tkclitorislarger.html

    another link for some interesting info.

  67. Tarzana Movers April 25, 2012 at 3:01 pm #

    Thanks for the info, I’ve been interested in this for quite some time, and it’s great I found your blog

  68. Rosa May 16, 2012 at 1:59 am #

    In response to several comments regarding the possibility of stimulating the inner clitoris with anal sex –

    Yes, this is possible. I have achieved an orgasm this way on many occassions, often without any prior vaginal sex or stimulation of the external clitoral glans. It produces a really intense organsm, more intense than I usually experience during vaginal sex.

    I should point out that for me at least, it only appears to be possible when I am on top and facing my partner (in other words, how you would expect a woman to be conventionally positioned when sitting or lying on top), which makes perfect sense when you consider the angle. However, I can only orgasm during vaginal sex when I’m on top as well, so perhaps we ought not discount the likelihood that this is just how my body is. I feel that this angle may not work if you don’t usually orgasm in the ‘on top’ position. I am also a naturally oversensitive person I think, since I often experience multiple orgasms, and very receptive to touch. But if you achieve orgasmic satisfaction when on top during vaginal sex *and* you are open to the idea of practising anal sex, then trust me, give it a try!

    I would like to say that I don’t practise anal sex anymore because I simply don’t enjoy it in any other position than when I’m on top, and also because my current partner does not want to try it. But each to their own. There’s nothing wrong with exploring your body.

  69. jtserv2005 May 30, 2012 at 11:11 pm #

    Just reading the article about science not knowing what a clitoris looked like until 2009 – I remember reading a sex-ed book in the “back room of our jr high library (where they kept such things back then), and seeing very vivid, detailed female anatomy …and THAT was in 1972, so how is it that the author of that post is under the impression that the clitoris was recently invented?? JT

  70. lorine french June 18, 2012 at 8:26 pm #

    THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! I was always baffled that when I orgasm, it seems like SO MUCH more, and much deeper, is getting aroused than that little nodule on the top of my lips. I’m so happy to find out what it is!

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  78. Marianne August 11, 2012 at 9:12 am #

    Excellent piece, thanks for writing!

    I thought your point about the surgeons working to help women who have undergone genital mutilation was very pertinent.
    The lack of research into female sexuality is shocking, let us hope that some small positive can come out of such a barbaric practice; education people, and helping victims.

    I think, though, there are other parallels that are missing – and in an article about female sex organs, it’s perhaps fair that they are missed.
    Without wanting to sound like a what-about-the-men annoying person, I’ve been researching male genital mutilation alongside female genital mutilation for about 7 years and it’s something that really gets to me.

    There’s very little education and information about the male foreskin; you’ve rightly compared directly the clitoral glans to the glans penis; they are indeed analogous. But, the hood of the clitoris, which is removed in female circumcision (any other alteration to the vulva or vagina would come under female genital mutilation as well, but not circumcision; circumcision means to cut around, and it’s the removal of the foreskin/hood, for either sex) is analogous to the male foreskin. The male foreskin has about 20,000 nerve endings, which are qualitatively different from those in the glans, which are mainly pressure-sensitive and not fine-touch sensitive (like those in the lips or fingertips are, similar to the foreskin nerves).

    This lack of understanding of such a sensitive part of the penis leads so many people to think it’s fine to cut it off. Not so. Just as it is unbelievably wrong to interfere with a woman’s sexual organs, I would love to see an end to people needlessly hacking off the most pleasurable part of a man-to-be’s body.

    What kind of psychological impact does this have? Sex is not as it should be, mother-child bonding is affected, breastfeeding impaired, many self-reported cases of PTSD. And why not? Let’s protect the rights of all children to intact genitals and “sex as nature intended it”.

    Perhaps, when we stop thinking of sex as taboo and failing to educate each other about those parts of our bodies, such horrors won’t be inflicted on children and we’ll have far more well-adjusted adults amongst us.

    Sorry for going slightly off-topic, but I think it’s all relevant; children are very similar, we all develop our vaguely different organs from the same embryonic tissue – I think it’s a travesty that anyone defends anybody’s “right” to take any of that away from someone else. Their body, their choice!
    :)

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  80. jemima101 August 15, 2012 at 4:18 pm #

    A really interesting article, which leads me wondering about squirting/gushing. I know from experience that female ejaculation as some call it, is easiest achieved with internal and clitoral stimulation. Does this relate to how much of the clitoras is internal?

  81. Armando September 8, 2012 at 7:30 pm #

    My girlfriend Debi emailed this article to me and I will make sure I share it with my buddies who are interested in how to best please their women. I think as a man it is very important for a woman to share this kind of information with her man. This article has certainly motivated me to explore some more with her body. Hoping of course to bring her ultimate pleasure! Thanks for sharing Baby Girl.

  82. john September 27, 2012 at 3:19 am #

    women are amzing, love them, and love to please them!!

  83. jeannette hanby October 11, 2012 at 7:47 pm #

    This is just glorious information. I would like – very much – to have a conversation with anyone at this site about what happens to orgasm when the external clitoris is cut off. I’ve done a small study of different tribes in Tanzania, some of who practice “FGM” and others that do not. Trying to find out what happens to sexual excitement and satisfaction is very difficult. I’d really like to know how much is “lost” in feeling when the tip of the clitoris is gone. Perhaps you have some sources that discuss this issue?
    thank you

  84. Amanda DeAngelis October 23, 2012 at 10:39 am #

    WOW! Absolutely awesome! I have been putting a fair amount of effort in to figuring out how some women experience orgasm during childbirth. This understanding of the clitoris is paramount when considering why some women are able to have an orgasm. Let the research continue!

  85. periclitante October 28, 2012 at 11:38 pm #

    Wonderful article.
    However it does not explain why my clitorial orgasms are so much better when I open my legs as wide as possible.
    A big thank you to the researchers.

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  87. Pleasure by Design December 10, 2012 at 10:19 pm #

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  88. Cindy March 16, 2013 at 4:04 am #

    I’d like to thanks Betty Dodson and of course, you, Ms. M to have shared the footage and the drawing. It’s informative, yet interesting and beautiful. I wish i have watched this when I was younger – I used to be shy to my body and did not know how to pleasure myself. Seriously, this clip does help! Thanks for sharing, and caring :)

    • melodiousmsm March 21, 2013 at 6:09 am #

      Thank you, Lovely!! We’re all on this journey of evolution together! xx

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    This is a great job. Keep doing this. Also liked your previous write either…

  90. Anon female, England May 14, 2013 at 5:29 am #

    I discovered this page about 2/3 months ago and things started making a lot more sense to me. I had always managed to achieve orgasm through clitoral stimulation but after reading this I feel I got to know my body a whole lot better and just 2 weeks ago I achieved my first vaginal orgasm through penetration (penile intercourse) alone with no clitoral stimulation. I am 30 years old and have been sexually active since age 16, I have been with my husband for 7 years. I wasn’t sure at first if this was a true vaginal orgasm as it did feel different from a clitoral one, however there is definitely no mistaking it now…I simply can’t get enough of it! It is like something inside me has woken up and I feel like screaming from the roof-tops. This stuff has got to be true, it makes total sense to me now that the clitoris is much bigger than we think. The type of orgasm i was getting through clitoral stimulation alone was short and intense and very much a release and a great feeling just before the release and during, the vaginal one in comparison is totally different and is more of a whole body and mind experience which leaves me completely relaxed, much like a chemical drug.

    I would like to thank the people who wrote this as I think it is very informative. I would also like to urge women out there who have never experienced this type of orgasm to go get it, you CAN do it..you just haven’t learned how yet! Firstly I think you need to be very much in love with your partner and very much in the mood for sex as well as relaxed and confident. The sex we have been having is very different now, its less ‘in and out’ and more ‘pressure in the right place’ we have been going much deeper and rocking to apply pressure (not friction!) in the right area’s of my abdomen. This completely makes sense when you feel it and look at this picture as we were applying the pressure against the ‘inside clit’ the bit we cant usually see or feel. I somehow in my head thought it would be about friction, like it is with a clitoral orgasm, but it isnt..it’s the pressure. Anyways we have been at it like rabbits ever since and I have come each time this way and I honestly feel like my whole life is perfect now, everyone should try this but I can’t stress enough that I think it has to be with someone you love and trust wholeheartedly and I don’t know if my age has something to do with it, like I say I am 30 now so maybe hitting a peak. In any event, it’s awesome :) So thank you betty for your great drawing and thank you melodiousmsm for this article, I have lived my whole life never knowing that this existed in my own body and finding it has changed everything for the better!

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. The Fabulous Clitoris: More than Meets the Eye - January 3, 2012

    [...] from the museum of sex blog has written an amazing article all about the clitoris.  In it she [...]

  2. Almost Everything You’ll Ever Need To Know About The Clitoris - ROCK 96.7 - January 18, 2012

    [...] you are guaranteed to have a wild night.  To learn more about the internal clitoris go to the Museum of Sex or just get a [...]

  3. Wednesday Reads: After the Strike Round-up…“Vado a bordo, cazzo!” Edition « Sky Dancing - January 18, 2012

    [...] to the official blog of the Museum of Sex in New York City, there is an internal clitoris. Yes, you heard that right. [...]

  4. The Clit: Tip of the Iceberg « Loose Garments - January 22, 2012

    [...] about what this means for you. Read more at Wikipedia, the Museum of Sex Blog and [...]

  5. A couple kewl things having to do with ladyflowers « The Corn Poppy - January 22, 2012

    [...] you know that it wasn’t until 2009 that Medical Experts fully mapped the shape of the clitoris? Somebody got a brilliant idea to use one of those MRI kajiggeys that are all the rage for seein [...]

  6. 15 Fun Facts About Orgasms, Hormones, Birth, Vulvas Other Areas of Interest | Being Pregnant - January 22, 2012

    [...] of the clitoris is above the vaginal opening but did you know that the clitoris actually extends, in the shape of a wishbone, around the vaginal opening? When aroused this area swells and becomes extra [...]

  7. Pool Boy Magazine » Blog Archive » Thank You, Science! - January 24, 2012

    [...] Museum of Sex blog has [...]

  8. The Human Clitoris: A Mystery until 2009 | OutTalker - Sapphic Fanfiction and Original Fiction - January 26, 2012

    [...] (source: MoS) [...]

  9. The Internal Clitoris | Musings With Mia - February 2, 2012

    [...] In The Vagina Monologues Eve Ensler colourfully said, “Why do you need a hand-gun if you’ve got a semi-automatic?” in reference, of course, to the wonderful clitoris – the only organ in the human body with a sole purpose of pleasure. There are many reasons why we have sex and a great deal of literature about how we obtain pleasure and more often than not, the clitoris is a main contributor to female fun. But do we truly understand the anatomy of the clitoris? The answer is, no! Hence I’m writing this blog (information for which was originally posted, here). [...]

  10. 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Sex | Oddit - February 3, 2012

    [...] nerve fibers –more th&#1072n twice th&#1077 number found &#1110n th&#1077 head &#959f a penis.(Link | Photo) Sperm &#1110&#1109 Surprisingly Nutritious At around 15 calories per “serving,” sperm [...]

  11. The clitoral truth | cha-ching.com.au - February 9, 2012

    [...] clitoral truth. Everything you’ve always wanted to know about the clitoris and a great deal more. I think [...]

  12. 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Sex - Chuck Sharing - February 10, 2012

    [...] fact, it has over 8,000 nerve fibers –more than twice the number found in the head of a penis. (Link | [...]

  13. Thursday Round-Up | Femina Invicta - February 11, 2012

    [...] ♥ Read all about it ♥ [...]

  14. Cliteracy | And They Lived… - February 17, 2012

    [...] information reach actual women? Oh, of course; the blog of the Museum of Sex in New York published this article on November 30. 2011. Because the discovery of what is effectively a previously unknown organ in [...]

  15. 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Love and Sex « Xtreamer Magazine - February 20, 2012

    [...] in its excited state in an illustration by the Museum of Sex Blog’s Ms. M, which she drew for this fascinating post on the internal clitoris. Do yourself a favor and go educate [...]

  16. R.I.P. G-Spot (1950-2012) - The Swingers Board - February 26, 2012

    [...] Re: R.I.P. G-Spot (1950-2012) I read an interesting blog post about the clitoris a while back. There is apparently some research out there that shows the clitoris is actually a lot more than just the little exposed part we all know and love. Apparently it extends inwards and encircles the vaginal walls; internal clitoris. Perhaps this is what is stimulated when people are thinking they are stimulating the gspot? The Internal Clitoris [...]

  17. jtotheizzoe: The Internal Clitoris – Fully Exploring the Only… | Marital Indiscretions - March 7, 2012

    [...] The Internal Clitoris – Fully Exploring the Only Organ Evolved Solely For Pleasure [...]

  18. Yesterday was Tuesday...so that means todays Wednesday! - Page 3 - i-Club - March 14, 2012

    [...] Originally Posted by stupidchicken03 all you need to know about keyboards Mechanical Keyboard Guide some weird looking ergo ones at the bottom of post 6… What up with the random info? Here is one for ya stoopidchikon: All you need to know about the internal clitoris: NSFW well maybe The Internal Clitoris [...]

  19. The Magical Disappearing Clitoris « The Sexual Operator - March 21, 2012

    [...] Museum of Sex. http://blog.museumofsex.com/the-internal-clitoris/ Share this:FacebookMoreTwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. from → [...]

  20. The Clitoris: The Final Frontier | Care2 Causes - March 26, 2012

    [...] Text Size: A | A | A | A There are lots of things that science still hasn’t told us. No, not that humans play no role in the climate or that we are not descended from ‘monkeys.’ Did you know that we didn’t know what a clitoris looked like until 2009? [...]

  21. Headlines of the Week – March 30, 2012 « Excerpts From Space - March 30, 2012

    [...] “The Internal Clitoris” – via The Museum of Sex While this article isn’t new, it has been making its rounds in the blogosphere this week. This is another piece of information that I think is really basic knowledge that all women should have about their bodies. And it can’t hurt for men to know too ;) If you’re not much of a reader (hey, what are you doing on this page anyway?!) at the very least, watch the video at the bottom of the article. Prepare to be amazed and sent into a giggle fit like I was upon hearing a middle-aged woman saying the word ‘asshole’ so bluntly. ENJOY! [...]

  22. Sexy Science « DR43N4T0R's Blog - April 4, 2012

    [...] The Internal Clitoris [...]

  23. A Scattered Brain ~ The Hunger Games Obsession, A Colorful 5K & Techy Tidbits For Your Pleasure « CatDeerDog Photography - April 6, 2012

    [...] want to know more information about the clitoris? Yep. CLITORIS. You’re reading that correctly. Bam! I can’t wait to see my spam [...]

  24. if you don’t know what this is you​’re not allowed to fuck me: the human clitoris | clementine motherfuckin cannibal - April 15, 2012

    [...] further reading: museum of sex and scarleteen. Rate this: Share this:ShareTumblrFacebookTwitterEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the [...]

  25. 10 cosas que seguramente no sabías del sexo hace 5 minutos - April 18, 2012

    [...] [...]

  26. Quora - April 23, 2012

    What are some signs that someone is a n00b boyfriend?…

    I agree with “obvious lack of familiarity with female anatomy, sexuality, and health”. For example, some well-meaning heterosexual men believe that they are contributing equally to the cost of birth control by buying condoms. However, the most popula…

  27. O clitóris interno - May 2, 2012

    [...] Fonte: Museum of Sex [...]

  28. Why the Hate for Evolutionary Psychology? | The AtheFist - May 14, 2012

    [...] This becomes particularly contentious when one gets to the matter of differences between the genders. Hopefully, by this point, nobody would disagree that there are – indeed – biological differences between the sexes. Not just the obvious primary and secondary sexual characteristics but in genetics, hormones, brain structure and a host of other things. Hell, human females are (if I remember correctly) the only animal to have evolved an organ purely for pleasure. [...]

  29. Unmentionables… MENTIONED! Women Even More Complex Than Thought-Previous…In Their Downstairs [~NSFW-ish] | health trekker - May 23, 2012

    [...] AAAAAAAAANNNNNNNND! -PUNCHLINE!!!: [a little artistically NSFW] ::applause and laughter::, tip your waitress, she’s putting herself through school; try the veal… Photo/Video Credits: Maud Adams In Hot Tub, photog not currently known 3D Ghost Image of Female Pelvis + Reproductive Organs, from The Museum of Sex, blog.museumofsex.com “Chibi Cthulhu!”, by Arashi Su Women==Evil, Internet Meme Opening Title Sequence To 13th James Bond Film, by Albert R. Broccoli, Eon Productions, MGM/UA Entertainment Co. Links: • Source: MuseumOfSex-The Interal Clitoris [...]

  30. Unmentionables… MENTIONED! Women Even More Complex Than Thought-Previous…In Their Downstairs [~NSFW-ish] | health trekker - May 23, 2012

    [...] AAAAAAAAANNNNNNNND! -PUNCHLINE!!!: [a little artistically NSFW] ::applause and laughter::, tip your waitress, she’s putting herself through school; try the veal… Photo/Video Credits: Maud Adams In Hot Tub, photog not currently known 3D Ghost Image of Female Pelvis + Reproductive Organs, from The Museum of Sex, blog.museumofsex.com “Chibi Cthulhu!”, by Arashi Su Women==Evil, Internet Meme Opening Title Sequence To 13th James Bond Film, by Albert R. Broccoli, Eon Productions, MGM/UA Entertainment Co. Links: • Source: MuseumOfSex-The Interal Clitoris [...]

  31. 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Love and Sex | googleadoctor - May 24, 2012

    [...] its excited state in an illustration by the Museum of Sex Blog’s Ms. M, which she drew for this fascinating post on the internal clitoris. Do yourself a favor and go educate [...]

  32. Until 2009, the human clitoris was an absolute mystery | googleadoctor - May 24, 2012

    [...] Read more about the mysteries of clitoral anatomy over on The Museum of Sex Blog. [...]

  33. Q&A: Sex Positions for Vulva-Owners - July 3, 2012

    [...] their mons pubis against the body of the person with a cock, stimulating both the external and internal clitoris. Vibrating cockrings are also specifically useful in this position. However, it may take some [...]

  34. The Internal Clitoris | Be My Dream Lover - July 8, 2012

    [...] Via http://blog.museumofsex.com/the-internal-clitoris/   If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it! [...]

  35. Orgasm PostSecret | MonZni’s Blog - July 22, 2012

    [...] than the tiny but powerful little bulb that protrudes near the top of the vulvular region. See http://blog.museumofsex.com/the-internal-clitoris/ for more [...]

  36. The Clitoris, Demystified — The Good Men Project - August 9, 2012

    [...] more on the internal clitoris, you absolutely must read this awesome and informative Museum of Sex blog where Melodiusmsm gives both scientific and practical female glans [...]

  37. Every1LetsTalk – The Clitoris Demystified - August 10, 2012

    [...] more on the internal clitoris, you absolutely must read this awesome and informative Museum of Sex blog where Melodiusmsm gives both scientific and practical female glans [...]

  38. Y la mujer « Respirente's Blog - August 16, 2012

    [...] touch entanglement Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. Tags: anatomía, Clítoris, vagina [...]

  39. How Cosmo Stole the Clitoris, Part Deux | Advice from Ms. M. - October 3, 2012

    [...] published my piece on the Museum of Sex blog November 30th, 2011.  Cosmo published theirs May [...]

  40. Sexually Cliterate: Can You Find Your Own Clitoris? - Cliterati - October 9, 2012

    [...] lies inside the body, as the picture above illustrates (in yellow). The Mosex blog has a fantastic article by Ms M explaining where the clitoris really is so that you can understand your body in more [...]

  41. friday goodies | TyniseNicole - October 26, 2012

    [...] ok, so this link is a little bit out the realm for this blog, but i’m all about sharing knowledge that [...]

  42. 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Sex | MrYoungScholar - November 2, 2012

    [...] By now, most people know about the clitoris and where it is located…or at least, they know about the tip of the organ. While you might think that little bump that drives women crazy is the whole enchilada, as it turns out, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the majority of the clitoris is located within the pelvis and, when erect, it actually wraps around the vagina –making the vagina and sex more pleasurable (for both parties) as the woman gets more excited. So why does everyone think of the clitoris as only the little bump on the outside? Well, for one thing, it’s role as the visible part certainly makes it the most noticeable, but more so, researchers didn’t start to learn about the amazing expanses of the organ until they were able to view it through an MRI machine, something they couldn’t do until the 90′s. It wasn’t until 2009 that the world was introduced to a complete 3D sonogram image of the organ. Of course, the little bump we’re all familiar with is pretty darn important. In fact, it has over 8,000 nerve fibers –more than twice the number found in the head of a penis. (Link | Photo) [...]

  43. The Post! | Arabb Geek! - November 21, 2012

    [...] and internalized than we thought. Therefore, so-called g-spot stimulation may, in fact, simply bedeeper clitoral stimulation. Isn’t that a better answer to the [...]

  44. Qué sabes sobre el clítoris? | - December 1, 2012

    [...] El órgano sexual es representado aquí en su estado excitado, este post fascinante en el clítoris interno .  [...]

  45. ¿Qué sabes sobre el clítoris? | Eroticandsexyshop's Blog - December 2, 2012

    [...] El órgano sexual es representado aquí en su estado excitado, este post fascinante en el clítoris interno . [...]

  46. The Internal Clitoris « GrownUpSexEd - December 10, 2012

    [...] The Internal Clitoris | Museum of Sex Blog. [...]

  47. Snap Madly » A Scattered Brain ~ The Hunger Games Obsession, A Colorful 5K & Techy Tidbits For Your Pleasure - December 10, 2012

    [...] want to know more information about the clitoris? Yep. CLITORIS. You’re reading that correctly. Bam! I can’t wait to see my spam [...]

  48. The Internal Clitoris : The Vagina Times - January 28, 2013

    [...] [Read More] [...]

  49. На 2009-й год клитор всё ещё был тайной для науки | F I Z Z L E - February 13, 2013

    [...] Не совсем. Первые знания о строении клитора были получены в 1990-мгоду, когда группе особо любопытных исследователей пришла, наконец, в голову мысль, что двухмерной картинки из университетских учебников анатомии для серьёзного изучения будет маловато. Они исследовали возбуждённый клитор с помощью магнитно-резонансной томографии (МРТ), а вот в 2009-мбыло, наконец, получено и представлено общественности полноценное трёхмерное изображение, созданное с помощью УЗИ. Бинго! [...]

  50. Prepare to be Amazed by the Clitoris | Vagina Antics Prepare to be Amazed by the Clitoris | Sometimes sweet. Always naughty. - February 25, 2013

    [...] This article blew my mind, and Ms. M might be my newest bedroom hero. She should be yours too! Read: The Internal Clitoris [...]

  51. 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Sex | naijaPOSE - March 20, 2013

    [...] By now, most people know about the clitoris and where it is located…or at least, they know about the tip of the organ. While you might think that little bump that drives women crazy is the whole enchilada, as it turns out, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, the majority of the clitoris is located within the pelvis and, when erect, it actually wraps around the vagina –making the vagina and sex more pleasurable (for both parties) as the woman gets more excited. So why does everyone think of the clitoris as only the little bump on the outside? Well, for one thing, it’s role as the visible part certainly makes it the most noticeable, but more so, researchers didn’t start to learn about the amazing expanses of the organ until they were able to view it through an MRI machine, something they couldn’t do until the 90′s. It wasn’t until 2009 that the world was introduced to a complete 3D sonogram image of the organ. Of course, the little bump we’re all familiar with is pretty darn important. In fact, it has over 8,000 nerve fibers –more than twice the number found in the head of a penis. (Link | Photo) [...]

  52. Are Sex Toys Good For You? - April 17, 2013

    [...] vibrators are one of the best selling ones because they work well for women who want to enjoy clitoral and internal stimulation at the same time, whether they are playing with themselves or with a [...]

  53. How to be a better lover: vaginal orgams and a woman's internal clitoris. - April 20, 2013

    [...] to be doing some reading yesterday and stumbled upon an interesting article I thought I'd share. The Internal Clitoris | Museum of Sex Blog Like many men my initial experience with giving a woman an orgasm has been through external [...]

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