Female Orgasm and the Need for a New Definition of Sex

By Shere Hite, On The Issues Magazine. Posted August 12, 2008.

Editor's note: Shere Hite is the researcher and writer of the famous Hite Reports (on female sexuality, 1976; on male sexuality, 1981; on women and love, 1987; on growing up in the family, 1994).

The Hite Report on Female Sexuality research shows that 94 percent of women can regularly orgasm via self-stimulation (separate stimulation of the exterior vulva or pubis). So why not during sex with a partner? Because the stimulation is not done in the same way. The conclusion? The definition of sex should change to include such stimulation as a normal part of sex. This would also make sex more egalitarian, no longer exaggeratedly focused on penetration and coitus as the high point or climax of sex.

The Hite Report on Female Sexuality presents a large body of research showing that women can easily reach orgasm. The report documents, in women's own voices, how women reach orgasm privately through masturbation. The great majority of women can masturbate to orgasm and do not use penetration during masturbation. The report shows that women do not have a problem reaching orgasm, but rather that society does have a problem in accepting how women reach orgasm. Society insists that women try to have orgasm during intercourse or coitus, even though this is not the easiest way for them to reach orgasm. Clearly, they do not use vaginal stimulation or penetrate themselves during masturbation.

In these days of equality, we could devise a new version of sex, effective for both women and men. Let me try this here.

Prior to my research (and still in some quarters today), it was believed that women have difficulty having orgasm and that women should find vaginal fulfillment by trying to have orgasm during intercourse (it used to be called vaginal orgasm.) Clitoral orgasm was said to be immature and lesser.

Although this idea was overturned by The Hite Report, in recent years it has made a forceable comeback. A so-called g-spot came to stand for the old concept of vaginal orgasm: every women should be able to have orgasm via penetration and stimulation inside the vagina -- if she is a real woman!

As noted, The Hite Report on Female Sexuality showed that most women could orgasm easily and regularly via separate stimulation of the exterior vulva or pubis, and that the definition of sex should change to include such stimulation to orgasm as a normal part of sex. This would make sex more egalitarian. While this research showed that sex should no longer be so exaggeratedly focused on coitus as the sole high point or climax of sex, images of sex in pornography, popular culture and media did not change.

See more stories tagged with: sex, women, men, g-spot, vaginal orgasm

Shere Hite is the researcher and writer of the famous series of Hite Reports (on female sexuality, 1976; on male sexuality, 1981; on women and love, 1987; on growing up in the family, 1994) and of other books. In 1999-2000, she published a new book, Sex and Business (Pearson UK, 1999), discussing equal pay, sexual harassment, women's choices, the glass" ceiling and more.

Liked this story? Get top stories in your inbox each week from Sex and Relationships! Sign up now »