When looking back over the history of female ejaculation, one thing that's glaringly obvious is that society has been (and sometimes still is) skeptical about its actual existence. The major reason for this uncertainty is that, until recently, nobody had really bothered to study the potential anatomical causes of squirting. The latest scientific investigation has, relatively conclusively, proven that female ejaculation is real and figured out how it occurs, though many unanswered questions still remain. I originally intended to cover the biological aspects of female ejaculation in one article, but the research I conducted yielded so much fascinating shit that I decided to break it up into two parts. This section will explain how squirting occurs anatomically, and next month's piece will discuss the chemical makeup of ejaculate and examine the wide range of women's different experiences with female ejaculation. As dry as biology can be sometimes, being knowledgeable about our own reproductive organs directly impacts sexual satisfaction and can lead to a greater understanding of squirting and the ability to achieve it. Comprehending female ejaculation requires a more detailed examination than your typical "labia majora, labia minora, vagina, clitoris, anus" high school sex ed, chick-on-her-back diagram, so be prepared to delve deeper into the complex world of lady bits than you ever probably wanted to. Consider this your incredibly thorough primer on the anatomy of squirting.
Throughout the first eight weeks of gestation, the genitals of all embryos are female. If the embryo has two X chromosomes, it will continue to develop as a female. An embryo with XY chromosomes will begin, after seven or eight weeks, to produce testosterone and develop male reproductive organs. Yeah, you want to blow a dude's mind? Tell him that his dick is really just an exaggerated clit. The glans of the female clitoris is essentially the head of a penis, the shaft of the clit is the shaft of the penis, the clitoral hood is the foreskin, and so on - and they all get swollen and erect with sexual stimulation because they're made of analogous erectile tissue. While the fact that we all started out as ladies is, well, kind of awesome, it's also important because it proves the existence of a female prostate (for a male prostate to be created, the tissue must first exist in females), and the female prostate is responsible for female ejaculation.
So let's start off by learning a little bit about our good friend, the clitoris. Though most people tend to associate female ejaculation with the vagina because stimulating the G-spot on the vaginal wall is the most common way of achieving the squirt, ejaculation is mainly a function of the clitoris. How the hell can that be possible, you ask? Well, the clitoris is a much larger and more complex organ than what is visible outside the body, an intricate system comprised of erectile tissue, glands, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. There are actually 18(!) parts to the clitoris, many of which are responsible for ejaculation. The glans (the most visible nubby part) is attached to the shaft, which resides under the clitoral hood, continues up internally towards the pubic mound, then divides and bends down, forming two legs beneath the skin (similar to a wishbone)… and this is just the beginning. The glans, shaft, and hood are the only parts of the clitoris that the majority of us acknowledge, but without a doubt, the star of female ejaculation is the urethral sponge (aka the female prostate), another internal component of the clitoris.
Artwork by Escha van den Bogerd
The urethral sponge is a ring of erectile tissue that cuffs the urethra and is comprised of the same embryonic tissue as the male prostate. You know that G-spot that everyone's talking about? It's just a cool little nickname for the spot on the vaginal wall through which the urethral sponge/female prostate can be felt, and every woman has one. During sexual excitement, the urethral sponge, running parallel to the vaginal canal, becomes engorged, and can be felt through the front vaginal wall by inserting fingers about 1-3 inches in and curving or pressing them up towards your belly, much like the male prostate can be felt through the front wall of a man's rectum. Unless you are sexually stimulated, however, you probably won't be able to detect the G-spot/urethral sponge, which explains a lot of the denial of its existence. Some doctors and researchers call bullshit on the G-spot because they claim they can't feel it or see it, undoubtedly due to the fact that very few of us get all hot n' bothered during a pelvic exam, rendering the urethral sponge collapsed and difficult to identify. Way to be on top of it, brainiacs.
The G-spot typically feels a little rough (distinct from the smooth interior of the vagina) and becomes somewhat solid and firm when engorged. It varies in size and location and responds best to strong pressure, vibrations, and/or a pulling motion, hence the popularity of the "come hither" technique. Stimulation of the G-spot / urethral sponge can be highly pleasurable, irritating or uncomfortable, or nondescript, and it's usually the latter two until a woman is at least somewhat aroused and the spot is engorged and receptive to stimulation. Some women can orgasm from G-spot diddling alone, some cannot but enjoy the sensations anyway, and some don't need or want G-spot stimulation, period. Whatever your experience with it may be, the simple fact remains that the G-spot is not a myth, and its stimulation is often connected to, though not necessarily required for, ejaculation. One of the most common misconceptions of the G-spot is that it's a magic button that, when pressed, elicits mind-blowing orgasms at the flick of a finger. This expectation has disappointed many a woman, and truthfully, good n' proper G-spot work takes time, patience, and for many, a partner and/or toys.
Female ejaculation is the direct result of the stimulation of the urethral sponge, although this doesn't mean that vaginal penetration is required for ejaculation - the sponge can be stimulated in various ways, a prime example of the interconnectivity of the clitoral system. Some women are able to squirt with simple clitoral contact, and many require both internal and external stimulation to achieve ejaculation. The urethral sponge has at least 30+ tiny prostatic-like glands called paraurethral ("around the urethra") glands, and some of them drain directly into the urethra. Two of the largest paraurethral glands are known as Skene's glands after the scientist who discovered them, the ducts of which are situated on either side of the urethral opening. When the urethral sponge is stimulated, the erectile tissue swells with blood, the paraurethral glands fill with fluid, and ejaculation occurs. Some people believe that ejaculate is actually expelled through the two paraurethral/Skene ducts next to the urethra, but most literature states that it is ejected from the urethra itself, and not enough research has been done to come to a conclusive answer. It should be noted that orgasm and ejaculation don't necessarily coincide - women can ejaculate prior to, during, and/or after orgasm. All that's required for ejaculation is stimulation of the urethral sponge.
Artwork by Escha van den Bogerd
Although the urethral sponge is actually a section of the clitoral system, the general public tends to think of it as part of the vagina because it is most commonly stimulated via the vaginal canal. For example, people often refer to G-spot orgasms as "vaginal orgasms," which isn't necessarily wrong - the G-spot does refer to the area on the vaginal wall through which the sponge can be felt. The sponge itself, however, is responsible for the feelings received by this stimulation. The vagina contains very few nerve endings and isn't typically a source of much sexual pleasure for many women, though it has a few sexual functions (such as providing lubrication). It mainly facilitates reproduction, providing a passageway for sperm to go in, and menstrual blood and babies to come out. Obviously women find vaginal intercourse enjoyable, but this is usually due to the fact that different parts of the clitoris are being stimulated via the vagina, not because the vagina itself is particularly receptive to pleasure. If you're having the good feelings anywhere in your fun zone (even your anus), you can probably thank your clitoral system for linking all those parts together in one, awesome, nerve-packed, muscle-connected, structure.
If this is all news to you, blame patriarchy (blame it for everything, really). It took a radical feminist collective armed with hand mirrors and a groovy '70s consciousness-raising attitude to study and bring to light the amazingness that is the clitoris, though this recent view of its extended anatomy is not widely known - most people are still only referring to the glans, shaft, and hood that you can see when they discuss the clit. As we now know, the clitoris has been pooh-poohed for ages because of the simple fact that acknowledging its sexual function (and the vagina's lack thereof) means men aren't necessary for female pleasure. Boo fucking hoo, you self-centered little babies. Hetero women have been going bananas for ages, faking orgasms, feeling inadequate, and living in frustration because they weren't really enjoying their partners hammering away at their tacos, ignoring or being oblivious to what actually makes sex enjoyable for women. While some lucky chicks are able to climax from simple penetration, the majority of women cannot. Ladies who couldn't come without direct clitoral glans stimulation were told that their orgasms were "immature" and that fully developed, sexually functional broads should be able to get off from insertion alone. This belief was so prevalent and widespread that people continue to buy into variations of it today. Panicked women STILL ask me why they can't orgasm from basic intercourse and often don't like to hear the truth (our bodies weren't really designed that way - the clit's there for a reason), because the penis has been, and continues to be, priority numero uno. Freud was an asshole.
So those are the anatomical aspects of female ejaculation in a very, very big nutshell. Tune in next month for more biological fun, where I'll discuss the ejaculate fluid itself and explore the wide range of female ejaculatory ability, as well as the possible reasons for the inconsistency and disparity of women's experiences with squirting. Other future articles will discuss tips, tricks, and techniques to help you come like a fountain, or at the very least, have a lot of fun trying.
Kendall is a freelance writer and sexuality expert residing in Brooklyn after managing to escape her hometown of Orange County, CA. She works for a women’s health and reproductive rights advocacy organization, and spends her days trying to figure out how to best irritate anti-choice nutbags and fundies. Kendall is a certified family planning and sexual health educator, sex shop ex-employee, former co-host of the best damn sex talk show ever to hit college radio, and an all-around fucking enthusiast. She’s also a big believer in the theory that if everybody led empowering, non-exploitive, guilt-free sex lives, bad things on this planet would cease to exist.
Wow. I learned so much. I "learned" to ejaculate several months ago, and I haven't stopped practicing since. It's fantastic, empowering, and sexy. I was wondering, could you maybe talk a little about why the common belief seems to be that these orgasms are the holy grail of all orgasms? While I find them to be intense, they are not markedly more intense than my clitoral or blended orgasms. Maybe I'm not coming as hard as I could? Perhaps I'll practice more...
Today's Class Topic: Rape It takes a lot of courage for you, Jess, and other women and men to speak out about what happen to them. I believe that ...
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About Sheilagh O'Leary
Sheilagh Ethne O’Leary is an established award-winning art photographer born and living in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Her work has been exhibited/collected internationally and appears in numerous art journals and publications. Sheilagh received her art education through mentorship with Manfred Buchheit, Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Art, Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Rockport Maine Workshops. Read More...
Kendall is a freelance writer and sexuality expert residing in Brooklyn after managing to escape her hometown of Orange County, CA. She works for a women’s health and reproductive rights advocacy organization, and spends her days trying to figure out how to best irritate anti-choice nutbags and fundies. Kendall is a certified family planning and sexual health educator, sex shop ex-employee, former co-host of the best damn sex talk show ever to hit college radio, and an all-around fucking enthusiast. She’s also a big believer in the theory that if everybody led empowering, non-exploitive, guilt-free sex lives, bad things on this planet would cease to exist.
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