A Quickie on the Clit

Did you know that there was an International Clitoris Awareness Week? You may be wondering why there needs to be a Clitoris Awareness Week, and there are a few different reasons. The biggest one is that the clitoris wasn’t researched scientifically until 1998, only 26 years ago. This is a stark difference to research on the penis, which has been happening for centuries. The disparity in research and knowledge between the penis and the clitoris is one of the main reasons why the pleasure gap exists today. S, let’s take some time to dive into the clitoris to help close the pleasure gap and celebrate International Clitoris Awareness Week!

What is the Clitoris?

The clitoris is an organ in the female body that is partially external and predominately internal. It is known as the pleasure center of the body, as its sole purpose is to provide pleasure. The glans and the hood are the external portions that can be seen visibly. Internally, the bulbs and crura of the clitoris surround the vaginal canal and the urethra. The way the clitoris sits, the crura, and the bulbs align with the labia of the vulva. The clitoris is dense with nerves. A recent study found that, on average, the clitoris has about 10,000+ nerve endings, making it a highly sensitive area of the body.

Source: Wikipedia

The Clitoris and the Penis: Two Peas in a Pod

The clitoris is similar to the penis in many ways. In utero, when the fetus is developing, there is the ambisexual genital tubercle, which is where the clitoris or penis comes from. This means that the penis and the clitoris have shared anatomy. They both develop to have a body, glans, bulbs, and crus. The difference comes with the further development of the vulva and the growth of the penis in terms of size. With the identical starting point and shared anatomy, it shouldn’t be too surprising that just like the penis, the clitoris gets erect!

Source: Adobe Stock

Arousing the Clitoris

The penis and clitoris are very alike because when you get them aroused, they become erect. This means that blood rushes to the organ, and they become engorged. This means that they fill with blood and become more sensitive to stimulation. When a clitoris is flaccid or unaroused, the crus and bulbs are thin and less sensitive. When it comes to arousing the clitoris, it is important to know it is going to take time to become fully aroused. On average, it takes people with vulvas about 20 minutes to become fully aroused. Some things can be used to help the arousal process, like stimulating gels or adding in a toy. 

Source: WUKA

Stimulating the Clitoris

Now that you have a better understanding of the clitoris, you may be wondering what you can do to stimulate it. A lot of people already stimulate the glans of the clitoris as it is the visible, external portion of the organ, but it can stimulated in many other ways. As the clitoris sits directly underneath the vulva, stimulating the entirety of the vulva also stimulates the clitoris. Massaging the labia can provide sensation for the crus and bulbs of the clitoris. You can also stimulate the bulbs by massaging the urethral opening and penetrative stimulation of the vagina through fingering or using a toy. If you are curious about fingering and pleasurable digital stimulation, consider joining me for the Art of Fingering workshop happening As You Like It in Ashland, OR on May 24th. 

Now that you know all about the clitoris, you can feel more confident when stimulating one, and you have some fun facts that can be shared with your friends during International Clitoris Awareness Week and every day!