According to experts, the orgasm gap isn’t necessarily rooted in biological differences. Women reach climax less often for entirely different reasons.
It’s widely known that men experience orgasms much more frequently than women, both in casual encounters and long-term relationships. The reasons have been studied often, and many believe biological factors are to blame. However, experts have recently shed light on very different underlying causes.
Male vs. Female Orgasms
Psychologist David Ludden explained on Psychology Today that since male orgasm is tied to ejaculation, researchers long questioned why women are even capable of orgasming. Fortunately, science now understands female reproductive anatomy well enough to no longer consider this a mystery. The penis and clitoris have similar structures – both contain numerous nerve endings, and proper stimulation can lead to orgasm in either case.
Of course, anatomical differences may contribute to the orgasm gap, but they aren’t the full story. Research has pointed to other, deeper reasons in the background.
Why Do Men Orgasm More Often?
Psychologists Verena Klein and Terri Conley from the University of Michigan published an article in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, arguing that the biological explanation doesn’t hold water. There’s nothing about the clitoris to suggest it’s less capable of producing orgasm than the penis; both contain similar nerve endings. Furthermore, women can have multiple orgasms in a short period, whereas men’s capacity is more limited. Considering these facts, women should be climaxing more often – not less.
Excluding biology, they examined whether the orgasm gap between the sexes could be explained by societal attitudes toward sex. They compared it to the wage gap: it’s proven that men are generally paid more for the same work, but this isn’t only due to patriarchal oppression. When researchers asked young men and women what salary they believed they deserved, men consistently expected and demanded more than women. This suggests that women have been conditioned to undervalue themselves – and experts believe something similar underlies the orgasm gap.
Since it’s widely accepted that men orgasm more frequently, women often accept this as fact and put in less effort to reach climax. Men, on the other hand, expect pleasure every time and even consider it a failure if they don’t achieve it. Klein and Conley conducted numerous studies on the topic. One revealed that even women themselves believe men have more of a “right” to orgasm.
Why Do People Think Men Deserve More Pleasure?
In another study, participants were asked why they believe men are more entitled to orgasm than women. Many pointed to societal reasons – for example, that men typically take the initiative, dominate in bed, and that sex is often viewed as ending with male ejaculation. Others blamed biological factors, tying the gap to anatomical differences.
According to experts, some of these explanations reflect internalized social norms, while others reveal a lack of sexual education. There’s no reason to believe that female anatomy limits the ability to experience satisfaction. Klein and Conley highlighted that the orgasm gap is partly the result of gender inequality and social attitudes. But it’s not simply a matter of men being selfish and only caring about their own satisfaction. It’s also about women accepting the notion that men deserve orgasm as something natural and expected – while they themselves do not.
Strive for Variety in Bed
In the bedroom, it’s always worth striving for variety and experimenting a little to achieve the most intense orgasms. Beyond changing positions or locations, there are many other ways to increase excitement and ensure more powerful pleasure. It’s important to pay attention to steady breathing and remember that for most women, pleasure comes from a combination of penetration and clitoral stimulation.