The clitoris – a small but big organ

The labia protect the good they contain, including the clitoris, which is worth its weight in gold. This organ, although important, is often overlooked in the scientific space. Scientists are more interested in the topic of male sexual pleasure, closely related to reproduction. Therefore, the small (as it was long believed) clitoris, whose function is solely to bring pleasure, has for centuries been at best pushed to the margins, at worst – demonized or subjected to mutilation (which is unfortunately still done among the communities of some African tribes). Because how is it possible: an organ used solely for experiencing sexual pleasure and female orgasm ? Ugh, ugh!

What is the clitoris?

The breakthrough period for the clitoris came in 1998. Using magnetic resonance imaging on a group of volunteers, researcher Helen O'Connell and her team shed light on the external and internal structure of the clitoris, its dimensions and innervation. They proved that the clitoris is an organ homologous to the penis, which develops in the fetal period from the same genital tubercle as the penis. This was the first anatomical description of the clitoris in the history of medicine. About 10 years later, we finally got a three-dimensional ultrasound image of the clitoris.

Unfortunately, many people are unable to achieve satisfaction through clitoral stimulation because… they have trouble locating it on the map of the genitals. Not knowing one's own structure is still a common problem, hence numerous activities (social media campaigns, publications, exhibitions) aimed at accustoming oneself to the sight of the vagina, educating and, above all, increasing self-acceptance among women (and not only).

And you, how would you describe your clitoris? Most people imagine a small organ located at the junction of the labia minora – a small dot, a button. Yes, the visible part is quite small in relation to the fragment of the organ hidden inside. Today we will try to reveal all the cards of the clitoris to dispel all doubts!

Clitoris – structure

The visible part of the clitoris (from Latin clitoris ) is located below the commissure of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra. It can be of various sizes, usually compared to the size of a pea. The tip of the clitoris is the glans , which is about 2 cm long shaft ending with a tip. The clitoris is covered by a soft foreskin that has a protective function. In some people, the clitoris protrudes from under the foreskin, in others it is located entirely under it.

Under this fragment is the greater part of the clitoris, hidden inside the body and resembling an inverted letter "V". The branches of the clitoris spread out on both sides of the glans, enveloping the bulbs of the vaginal vestibule. The corpora cavernosa run through most of the surface of the branches . It is the bulbs of the vaginal vestibule and the corpora cavernosa of the clitoris that fill with blood at the moment of sexual arousal, become swollen and sensitive, and the contractions of the ischiocavernous muscle and the ligaments connecting the clitoris to the pubic symphysis - faster. The glans of the clitoris also hardens, darkens and enlarges. When the buttocks tense up during sexual intercourse, the clitoris makes subtle forward movements, which theoretically is supposed to facilitate interactions with the penis and intensify sensations. After orgasm, the clitoris is relatively quickly ready for another erection, although in this case it is a very individual matter.

Does the clitoris change?

It is worth knowing that the clitoris grows with age. This is due to hormones secreted during puberty. Of course, these changes are unnoticeable, as most of the clitoris is hidden.

It happens that due to hormones or genetics, some people experience clitoromegaly , or an enlarged clitoris. In such a case, we are dealing with an anomaly in the structure of the external parts of the clitoris, which makes it somewhat similar to the penis. There are various methods of treating this condition. The most popular method is clitoroplasty , or - to put it simply - surgical treatment. Clitoral enlargement is often associated with hormonal disorders, which is why not only gynecological diagnostics play an important role, but also endocrinological diagnostics. The problem is much broader, and just removing the organ may not be enough.

So yes, the clitoris changes, but its condition remains the same. What does that mean? Once it reaches maturity, it maintains its functionality regardless of age! The eternal right to experience pleasure – isn’t that a wonderful gift from Mother Nature?

Clitoris – interesting facts

In a duet with a penis

Both organs – both the penis and the clitoris – start out as the same sex nodule/appendage in the human embryo. If the embryo has a Y chromosome, the nodule develops into the penis. With XX chromosomes, however, our heroine, the clitoris , develops .

8 thousand nerve endings - that's how many, according to many sources, there are in the clitoris. This is often compared to the penis, which according to the same reports has half as many. However, scientists do not agree on this issue - that's why I bring it up in the category of curiosities, so that instead of dry numbers, you would focus on the actual, pleasurable possibilities of the clitoris ;)

News from around the world

Roy Levin, a biomedical scientist from the UK, proposed that the clitoris in every person exists for both pleasure and reproduction. He described a hidden function of the clitoris: the ability to transport and hold male sperm longer in the vagina, which provides the greatest potential for fertilization. Every orgasm is beneficial for fertility, because the contractions during orgasm facilitate sperm transport.

"Clitoral orgasm"

For many people, the key to achieving orgasm is clitoral stimulation. Touch plays a key role here. During sexual arousal and clitoral stimulation, it activates the main brain systems related to arousal, memory, cognition and social behavior. This in turn leads to changes in the genitals - increased blood flow, oxygen and body temperature. Then the outer part of the vagina lifts the uterus to accommodate the sperm, and during an eventual orgasm, the pelvic floor muscles contract. Interestingly, clitoral stimulation alone can bring much more pleasure and satisfaction than vaginal intercourse alone.

Clitoris – the origin of mutilations

Clitoral Stimulation vs Freud

Freud, unfortunately for us, was also keen to explore the clitoris and equally keen to marginalize its function. He knew that its stimulation caused a “clitoral orgasm,” but he believed that it was an immature orgasm—as opposed to the mature, vaginal orgasm that was “the only right” for women. He came up with this theory after reading descriptions of a ritual performed by the African Nandi tribe, which involved burning the clitoris of young women with a red-hot stone. This was supposed to facilitate stimulation and shift sensitivity from the erogenous zone of the child (the clitoris) to the mature zone (the vagina). Also read my article on female genital mutilation (FGM) .

Clitoridectomy , as this mutilation is technically called, is usually performed in non-sterile conditions, which can result in infections in the genital area and even death. If a young person manages to survive this torture, the physical and mental pain affects her entire life. It is estimated that every 11 seconds in the world, one person is subjected to "circumcision". Now that's a tragedy!

You may be familiar with the Somali-born model Waris Dirie. She survived this hell, and as an adult, she wrote a book about it (which was later made into a film) and founded the Desert Flower Foundation in 2002, which fights against clitoral mutilation.

Love your clit!

While preparing this article, I came across a lot of fascinating facts about the clitoris that I did not expect at all. It turned out that it is still a mysterious land that should definitely be explored. Clitoral stimulation is a pleasure that should not be denied or dosed. Regardless of whether you are a hyena or not (and hyenas have the largest clitoris among mammals), getting to know your own body has a therapeutic effect. If you are going on a journey through the map of your body, take our guides with you: on the structure of the vagina and labia .

Okay, but how do you achieve orgasm? It takes some practice (yes, yes – it’s not just about rubbing for a long enough time, which is often suggested by pornographic films), but I have the impression that women are getting better at caressing their clitoris, they know what they want and what type of stimulation works best for them. Sometimes, yes, just touching is enough, but sometimes the technique needs refinement. So it’s worth practicing! You can enhance your sensations by using gadgets (and there are plenty to choose from!). You can do it alone, or you can invite your partner to play with you. The potential of the clitoris is so huge that it’s a shame not to use it.