1. ORGASM IN AMERICA
New Findings on a Perpetually Explosive Topic
Leanna Wolfe, Ph.D.
Sex and Culture Salon
May 30, 2012
Sponsored by Loveology University

2. What is an Orgasm?
 From the Greek, orgasmos, from organ to
mature-swell
 Re: sudden discharge of accumulated sexual
tension during the sexual response cycle

3. Why is Orgasm Interesting?
 Pleasurable
 Male ejaculation can lead to pregnancy
 In (at least) the Western world female orgasm
has been elusive
 Female anatomy has been misunderstood
by both males and females
 And by both amateurs and professionals
 Missionary position sexual intercourse is not often
women’s most reliable means of reaching orgasm

4. Language and Orgasm
 Sapir Whorf Hypothesis (re: how language
conditions thought)
 The names we give sensations impact our
noticing and valuing them

5. Types of Orgasms
 Male
 Ejaculatory
 Non-ejaculatory
 Single
 Wet Dreams
 Female
 Clitoral
 G-spot / Vaginal
 Blended
 Ejaculatory
 Butterfly
 Multiple
 New Terminologies
 Unigasm
 Bigasm
 Trigasm

6. Orgasm in America
 Slam bang thank you ma’am (not so much)
 Quickie inconsiderate sex with a near stranger
 Men are expected to bring their partners to
orgasm
 Women are expected to be responsive and skilled
 More interest in pleasing a partner than pleasing
oneself
 Power over a partner…gain compliance, commitment
 Creates pressure to fake orgasm

7. Changing Perspectives on the
Sexual Response Cycle
Ellis (1906) Two-stage Process:
Tumescence and
Detumescence
Masters (1966) Four Stage Model: Excitement,
and Plateau, Orgasm, and
Johnson Resolution
Kaplan (1977) Triphasic Model: Desire,
Excitement and Orgasm

8. Sigmund Freud
Clitoral Orgasms
are an adolescent
sensation while
Vaginal Orgasms
are a mature
woman’s
experience (1905)

9. Masters and Johnson
• Four Phase Sexual
Response Cycle
•No Physiological
Difference between a
―Vaginal‖ and a ―Clitoral‖
Orgasm

10. Four Phase Sexual
Response Cycle

11. 1970s Feminist Analysis

12. The Hite Report
70% of women unable to
reach orgasm through
intercourse alone (1976)

13. Beverly Whipple and the G-spot

14. Circular Models of Female
Sexual Response

15. Circular Models of Female
Sexual Response

16. Survey Overview
 27- question Internet Survey
 1,053 completed surveys (84% response rate)
 January 10, 2010 – November 12, 2011
 Sponsored by Loveology University
 28.5% of respondents from Dr. Ava Cadell
 17% of respondents from Loveology University
 54.5% of respondents from Dr. Leanna Wolfe
 Designed and Analyzed with Survey Monkey
Software

17. Featured in June 2012
Women’s Health Magazine

18. Overview of Respondents
Gender Distribution Sexual Orientation
667 males (53.6%); 566 females 81.3% Males heterosexual,
(45.4%; 12 transgenders (1%) Females 57.6% straight; 23.4% bi

19. Relationship Status
Incidence of
Current Relationship Open Relationship
54.3% of males and 33% of females Respondents in open relationships were
were married; Females more evenly more likely to be bisexual and to engage
distributed in other relationship forms in a wider variety of sexual activities

20. Sexual Experience
Lifetime Sexual Partners Frequency of Partner Sex
Mode of 2-4 lifetime partners Mode of 3-4 times a week
60% at least weekly sexual activity

21. Experience with Orgasm
Full Survey Younger Respondents (17-29)
97.6% of males and 90.8% of Younger women less likely to have
females are sure they have experienced orgasm (83.6%) and
experienced orgasm more likely to not be sure (9.4%)

22. Orgasm Duration
The mode was 6-8 seconds. More males report shorter (2-5
seconds) orgasms and three times as many females report 30
second to 1 minute orgasms.

23. Incidence of Multiple Orgasms
A much more common experience for females (64.6%)
than for males (24.1%)

24. Incidence of Faking Orgasm
More commonly done by females (66.3%) than by
males (30.6%)

25. Why do People Fake Orgasm?
 Please a partner
 Make the partner feel as if they are able to satisfy
you
 Cause a no longer satisfying sex act to end
 To maintain an otherwise pleasing relationship
 To get into a desired relationship
 Issues of surrender, trust not (yet) resolved
 Unskilled partner (not yet trained)

26. Faked Orgasm Comparisons
Younger Respondents (17-29) Older Respondents (36-69)
Younger males have fewer Younger females may be more honest
performance challenges than older with their partners or simply have had
males fewer years to participate faking…

27. Middle Years – The Biggest Fakers
Women (74.2%) in their middle years (30-35) may feel
the most pressure to fake orgasm (4% higher than older
females and 15% higher than younger females)

28. Incidence of Simultaneous Orgasm
Male respondents report higher rates of orgasmic
synergy than female respondents….

29. Reaching Orgasm Together
Comparisons
Younger Respondents (17-29) Older Respondents (36-69)
While younger females have the highest rate of ―never happens‖
(21.3%), younger males have the highest rate of it always happens (3.4%).

30. Coming Together - Middle Years
Respondents between 30-35 have the lowest levels of gender
alignment. Just 9.2% of males report ―it never happens,‖ while 17.6%
females make this report. This parallels this group’s high level of
female orgasm faking (74.2%). Pressure to build/maintain families
may be trumping honest partner communication.

31. Methods for Achieving Orgasm
Masturbation is the most reliable for both genders, sexual
intercourse is much more reliable for males (12% difference); a
wider variety of methods are reported as effective by females.

32. Methods for Intensifying Orgasm
Many gender-based differences except for ―tantric
practices.‖

33. The Orgasmically Challenged
 40 females presented as anorgasmic
 Top explanations:
 Unskilled partners (37.5%)
 Feeling guilty about sex (35%)
 Being too inhibited (30%)
 Previous sexual trauma (25%)
 Lack of information about human sexuality (20%)
 (Just 3 males reported being anorgasmic)

34. Ejaculation
Non-ejaculatory Males Ejaculating Females
 44.8% report non-  46.4% report
ejaculatory orgasm ejaculating
 19th Oneida  Spontaneous?
community practiced
 A sought and valued
to prevent pregnancy
experience…
 Tantric/Taoist
practices pursued by
some respondents…

35. Difference Between Vaginal and
Clitoral Orgasms?
More males are confused (33%) than females (21.7%).
Does this reflect Freud’s 1905 observations?! Discount the
1970sfeminist contention that the vaginal orgasm is a myth?

36. Can Females Climax without
Director Clitoral Stimulation
Younger Respondents (17-19) Older Respondents (36-69)
Older respondents are much more definitive that this is impossible
(77%)—younger respondents, especially males (22.7%) believe this is
can happen.

37. Females who climax without direct
clitoral stimulation
 Tantric Training
 Use of Pelvic Toners
 Positions where female can ―grind‖ into partner

38. Do Females Take Longer to Climax
than Males?
Largely seen as true – even more true for impatient
males (84.5%) than the females (78.9%)

39. Is Sex without Orgasm Satisfying?
Nearly half (46%) agree; and another 43.7% concur that
‖it depends‖ perhaps on things like emotional
connection, love and rewarding touch.

40. Discussion
 Several Schools of Thought re: Women
 Women Need Direct Clitoral Stimulation to Reach Orgasm
 PV intercourse alone is often not sufficient
 Men need to realize this
 Women Need to Strengthen their Pubococcygeus Muscles
through Kegel Exercises and/or using a Pelvic Toner
 Tantric Training (re: eye gazing, breathe work, self and
partner awareness) can align couples
 Sex without Orgasm can be both emotionally satisfying
an loving
 Males (and females) have very little information about
how to enhance the Male Sexual Experience…