Science finally reveals the reason for the ‘orgasm gender gap’ between men and women
From pastel-hued vibrators to ‘erotic storytelling’ apps, the sexual wellness space is thriving. In fact, the industry is projected to be worth $115.1 billion by 2030 – which is thought to be, in part, down to the increased awareness and acceptance of female pleasure and its impact on health. It has been linked by research to a range of physical and psychological benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and increased body confidence. But is such outward ‘progress’ actually proving anti-climatic between the sheets?
A recent study, published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships in February, has revealed an uncomfortable truth: the reason why men still orgasm far more than women in heterosexual encounters. Researchers at the City University of New York tasked 127 straight people, aged 18 to 40, with diarising their sex lives over a period of three weeks. While men climaxed 90% of the time, the same could only be said for women on 54% of the intimate occasions logged.
It’s all down to, the researchers believe, the ‘orgasm pursuit gap’. Come again? Put simply, this is how much effort each partner puts into ensuring the other feels pleasure in the bedroom. So, while both men and women involved in the study went to great lengths to ensure the male partner ‘finished’, this wasn’t always the case for female participants. Further still, when men did climax, they were more likely than women to experience a more satisfying orgasm. Sigh.
The lazy explanation would be that it’s more difficult, biologically speaking, for women to climax. ‘A common myth,’ insisted Carly Wolfer – the lead study author, who is a doctoral candidate in social psychology – to HuffPost. ‘[It’s actually because] we put less effort into the sexual practices that support women’s pleasure, like clitoral stimulation.’ As opposed to penetration, which enables fewer than a fifth of women to climax. She adds that the ‘orgasm pursuit gap’ is about ‘how much someone wants an orgasm to happen – whether it’s their own or their partner’s – and how much effort they put into making it happen’.
This isn’t the only research to support the idea that social norms when it comes to sex – in which male pleasure is often prioritised and female pleasure downplayed – are culturally embedded. Not least because there’s evidence that women orgasm more solo than with a partner of the opposite sex, while another study of 12,000 university students found that although 10% of women climaxed during a first-time casual hook-up, this rose to 68% when they were in a committed relationship.
A bedfellow of this dichotomy has been the pressure for women to fake orgasms – with research showing the vast majority have at least once. One study confirmed that the most common reason was a sense of concern for the feelings of her male sexual partner – including to protect his self-esteem and even to give him an ‘ego boost’. That being said, there’s evidence that women are becoming increasingly empowered when it comes to their pleasure – including demanding it, rather than focusing on ‘performing’ in the bedroom – and are garnering more knowledge about how to communicate their sexual needs.
It also helps that science is also gradually uncovering greater understanding of the female orgasm – which research has shown delivers perks to mood, sleep and even period pain. According to a study published in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy, researchers found that most of the 1,000 women they quizzed, who were aged between 18 and 94, needed some level of hands-on touching as opposed to just intercourse in order to climax during sex. However it’s about finding what works for you, since the same paper revealed that while 37% needed clitoral stimulation, another 36% didn’t. Which is where the $25.4 billion sex toy industry and the importance of getting to know your body through masturbation comes in.
Don’t forget that, as Mashable reports, feeling safe and at ease during sex with a partner is also key. One study into this concluded that psychological factors are vital, noting that orgasm is ‘more related to cognitive-affective than sensory aspects’. There’s also evidence that, to get in the mood, ‘foreplay’ can be equally as important for couples. Finally, don’t ignore the possibilities for female pleasure via the growing ‘sex tech’ space – including ‘smart’ vibrators that collect data and feminist porn platforms. Indeed, all signs are pointing towards a feel-good future.
