Cliterate, an education on female anatomy

Are you ‘cliterate’? How well do you know female sexual geography? When facing a vulva can you pinpoint a women’s “front commissure” or are you neglecting this sexual epicenter and its seismic pleasure potential? What about the elusive G-spot or CUV complex?

Vagina or Vulva?: People often use the word vagina when they mean the vulva.

Vagina: The vagina is the muscular tube inside the body, it runs up from the opening between the inner labia to the cervix, which is the lower end of the uterus.

Vulva: The vulva is the visible part of the female genitals, outside the body. The vulva is made up of inner labia and outer labia, also known as the lips, the clitoris, the opening to the vagina and the opening to the urethra.

Labia Majora (Outer Lips): The labia majora are the outermost portion of the vulva. Like the mons pubis, the labia majora can vary in plumpness, from full to thin, and grow hair. The labia majora are filled with blood vessels and nerve endings, allowing them to respond and contribute to the sexual arousal cycle.

Labia Minora (Inner Lips): The thinner, often more wrinkled, labia minora are between the labia majora. The labia minora come in many different sizes, shapes, and colours and are often longer than the labia majora. The labia minora also cover and protect the vaginal and urethral openings, as well as the clitoris. Like the labia majora, the labia minora are full of blood vessels and nerve endings that play an important role in arousal and sexual pleasure.

Mons Pubis: The mons is the soft, fatty mound of hair bearing tissue, just above the vulva. The mons can vary in size. This is home to most of the pubic hair. The mons is quite sensitive to vibratory sensation, fine touch, pain, and temperature, making it an additional source for sexual pleasure.

Urethra: The urethra is the muscular tube that leads from the bladder to an opening above the vaginal opening. It provides the passageway to empty urine from the bladder.

Perineum: From an anatomical perspective, the vulva lies within the boundaries of the perineum. These boundaries form a diamond-shaped area that extends from the mons pubis on the front to the tailbone at the back and to the sits bones on either side. It includes an area of tissue called the perineal body that lies between the vaginal opening and the anus.

Anus: The anus is comprised of 2 muscular sphincters. It is the end of the gastrointestinal tract.

Clitoris: The clitoris is a complex female sexual organ. Most of us think of the clitoris as a pea sized, sensitive mass of erectile tissue at the top of the vulva. That’s not entirely correct. The part of the body we normally call the clitoris is just a small portion of a much larger organ. The clitoris has three main parts, 1 / the glans, 2 / the shaft, 3 / legs, that contribute to what Sheri Winston, a renowned sexuality teacher, has called the female erectile network.

Amazingly the clitoris is the only part of the human body designed purely for pleasure. It has 8,000 nerve endings, which is double the amount in the glans penis. Mastering this elusive organ is a game-changer.

The entire clitoral structure, also called the internal clitoris, is shaped sort of like a wishbone and runs long either side of the vaginal opening just underneath the labia. Many scientists also believe the g-spot is is part of this structure.

The clitoris is large and primarily internal. The only function of the clitoris is to contribute to sexual arousal. Delightfully, the entire clitoris is made up of erectile tissue, which means it swells and engorges with arousal.

Front Commissure, also known as the Glans of the Clitoris: The outer lips come together at the very centre of the pubic bone at a place called the front commissure. Immediately below the front commissure, the texture and colour of the skin changes, and there you will find the hood of the clitoris covering the shaft of the clitoris and sometimes also the glans of the clitoris, at the tip of the shaft.

The clitoral glans is home to 6,000–8,000 nerve endings, double the amount in the penis, creating twice the sensitivity. It can be small or large and may or may not be covered by the clitoral hood.

The Clitoral Glans or “Clitoral Head”: The clitoral glans or “head” of the clitoris is nestled at the top of the vulva where the inner lips meet. This external portion of the clitoris is spongy and sensitive. On some bodies it’s hidden under the clitoral hood while on others it’s more prominent. When stimulated, it, along with other areas of erectile tissue, swells with blood. This engorgement correlates directly to sexual arousal.

Clitoral Hood: The clitoral hood is actually a fold of tissue created by the labia minora that surrounds and protects the clitoris. The clitoral hood provides a variety of coverage, depending on its size and shape.

Clitoral Shaft: The clitoral shaft extends from the head of the clitoris and is found under the clitoral hood. Its shape is tubular, like a pencil or straw. It varies in length from about one half-inch to one inch. When erect it swells and wraps around the vagina on the inside. Some people enjoy their shaft stroked during sexual pleasure.

Clitoral Legs: Inside the body the clitoral legs extend down either side of the vaginal canal and connect to a larger network of erectile tissue. They branch off from the base of the shaft and run down along the sides of the pubic arch, attaching underneath the pubic bone on either side. It might be helpful to picture a wishbone bending from the centre point. The clitoral legs are about 3 to 4 inches long. When aroused this area swells and points lightly backward.

Vestibular Bulbs: An additional part of the female erectile network is the pair of vestibular bulbs located beneath the labia, lying on either side of the vaginal opening. Imagine them thin at the top, fat at the bottom. At the top, the bulbs connect directly to the shaft of the clitoris. The clitoral bulbs are beside the clitoral legs and lie just underneath the labia. When aroused they fill with blood and push the vulva outward. This is why a sexually stimulated vulva looks slightly swollen, they too play an important role in sexual pleasure.

Vulvar Vestibule: The vulvar vestibule is everything visible between the labia minora. It is below the hood of the clitoris and includes the urethral and vaginal openings.

Where is the G-spot?: You’ve probably heard of the G-spot, along with how it’s the “key” to achieving an earth-shattering vaginal orgasm. But is it real? Honestly, it’s complicated.

G-spot likely does exist, but it’s not some separate, mysterious entity. It’s another erogenous zone linked to the clitoris and some women can achieve an orgasm by stimulating it from inside the vagina.

Known as the Gräfenberg spot, the G-spot was introduced by Dr. Beverly Whipple after she discovered that using a “come here” motion along the inside of the vagina produced a physical response in women. Whipple believed that this region could be the key to women achieving orgasm during sex.

However, it’s important to clarify that the G-spot isn’t actually a distinct part of the female anatomy. In fact, in a 2017 study, researchers attempted to find the G-spot only to come up empty-handed.

Instead of being its own separate spot in the vagina, the G-spot is part of the clitoral network. This means that when you’re stimulating the G-spot, you’re actually stimulating part of the clitoris, which is much larger than we’re led to believe. Turns out, the pea-sized nub where the inner labia meet is actually only the tip of the clitoris and divides into two “roots” or clitoral legs that can be about four inches long.

Plus, this region can vary from woman to woman which explains why it can often be difficult to locate. However, once it’s stimulated, the G-spot can cause female ejaculation (yes, it’s real) and help women reach vaginal orgasm.

These questions have puzzled pleasure-seeking men, women, and scientists since the female G-spot was first identified in the 1940s by German researcher Ernst Gräfenberg, after whom the spot is named. The G does indeed stand for Gräfenberg.

In 2012, a scientific review came to the conclusion that there isn’t much anatomical proof that every woman has a G-spot, but anecdotal evidence and “reliable reports” say that there is indeed a specific area inside the vagina that, when stimulated, may help some women reach orgasm.

Researchers have come a long way since then—kind of. They’ve come to speculate that the G-spot isn’t so much a spot as it (likely) an extension of the clitoris. Yes, you read that correctly. The clitoris is actually much larger than the rosebud-shaped knob at the apex of a woman’s labia. It extends up to five inches inside the body, which is why researchers are beginning to conceptualise the G-spot as not existing independently, but rather, as an entity deeply intertwined with other parts of the female sexual anatomy.

G-spot or CUV complex?

The anatomical relationships and dynamic interactions between the clitoris, urethral sponge, and anterior vaginal wall have led to the concept of a clito urethro vaginal (CUV) complex.

A groundbreaking article published in Nature Reviews in 2014 posited that when the CUV is “properly stimulated during penetration, [it] could induce orgasmic responses.”

In other words, the G-spot likely does exist, but it’s not some separate, mysterious entity. It’s another erogenous zone linked to the clitoris, and some women can achieve an orgasm by stimulating it from inside the vagina.

Still, many women aren’t convinced they have a G-spot. When British researchers asked 1,800 women if they believed they had a G-spot, only 56 percent said yes.

Exploring the CUV complex and what feels good may take various approaches. For women self exploration, understanding what feels good and what brings them to orgasm. For partners, mutually explore with them what feels good to them, it’s not a one approach fits all area of knowledge.

One way to explore the CUV complex is to insert fingers about 2 inches into then vagina and angle them toward the front of the body. Gently explore this area until you feel a difference in texture on the surface of the vaginal wall. This spongy area is the urethral sponge, it is a tube of spongy tissue that wraps around the urethra. This spongy tissue is made up of what is called “erectile tissue”.  Erectile tissue is made up of special cells that are capable of becoming engorged during sexual arousal. 

The G-spot pleasure centre is unique to each person in location, size, and ability to become aroused, so if you can’t find it right away, it doesn’t mean they don’t have one.

Arousal is a key factor in both finding and maximising your CUV, so you or your partner should invest some time in foreplay before beginning your quest. The reason being, that the patch of textured tissue you’re looking for, is comprised mainly of erectile tissue and will become engorged (ie: easier to find) if you are already aroused.

Dr. Emily Morse says: “The female body has a huge capacity for pleasure, more so than many women have likely experienced. It’s totally possible for you to attain your goal of a vaginal O, no matter how hopeless it might seem. Just because you haven’t found your G-spot yet does not mean it’s not there.”

Exploring with the CUV complex or clitoral network can help uncover the elusive G-spot and reach delicious sensations of pleasure.

More cliterate resources:

She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman, by Dr. Ian Kerner

Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters–And How to Get It, by Dr. Laurie Mintz