The female orgasm: debunking myths

The word Orgasm comes from the Greek ὀργασμός, orgasmos, and is defined as the culmination of sexual pleasure. “It is the intense, invasive, ephemeral and pleasurable sensation that is reached as the climax of genital stimulation,” adds Mariana Alonso Fernández, a health psychologist and sexologist. “Tension builds up in the pubococcygeus muscle (the pelvic floor) when it reaches a point where it can no longer accumulate tension it releases it autonomously, that release is orgasm.”

However, although the definitions as such seem almost crystalline, it is never quite clear exactly how, why and when physiologically this climax happens. In fact, it has been for centuries a subject surrounded by myths, controversies and ignorance. Acknowledging its complexity and the taboos that have surrounded it throughout history is critical to moving toward a more inclusive and open conversation about sexuality.

From a historical perspective, one of the most influential figures in the discussion of female orgasm was Sigmund Freud, who in the 20th century introduced ideas that would profoundly shape the perception of women’s sexuality. In his theory, Freud differentiated between the “clitoral” and “immature” orgasm and the “vaginal” and “mature” orgasm, suggesting that women should transfer their pleasure from the clitoris to the vagina to achieve full sexual development. This idea not only made invisible the importance of the clitoris as the center of female pleasure, but also stigmatized women who did not reach orgasm through penetration.

These Freudian theories shaped medical, psychological and cultural practices for decades, perpetuating the idea that female pleasure should be subordinate to penetration and reproductive function. However, modern research such as that of Masters and Johnson in the 1960s and the Hite Report in the 1970s disproved these notions, demonstrating that female orgasm depends almost exclusively on clitoral stimulation, either directly or indirectly. Currently, science and sexology have advanced significantly; and it is precisely professionals such as Mariana Alonso Fernández, who assure that although at a cerebral level there is only one orgasm, the way to reach it varies, either through direct stimulation of the clitoris (as in masturbation) or indirectly, during penetration.

Even with the advances, many myths persist. One of the most common is that women must reach orgasm during intercourse, when in fact, most women need clitoral stimulation to climax. In addition, recent studies have disproved ideas that women have a harder time reaching orgasm. According to one conducted in 2024 by Womanizer,42.8% of men have faked an orgasm at some point. This disproves the idea that feigning pleasure is something exclusive to women, and also highlights the need to break with the social pressure that associates climax with the success of a sexual relationship; not all sexual encounters have to end in an orgasm, sexual pleasure is a broader and more complex issue than that.

During masturbation, men and women take approximately the same amount of time, suggesting that challenges in the context of sexual intercourse are related more to a lack of understanding or adequate stimulation than to a supposed female “complexity,” which does not exist.

Why is it important to talk about these issues? Because acknowledging and debunking myths not only improves understanding about anatomy and sexuality, but fosters a culture where women’s and men’s pleasure is valued at the same level.