'Find the clitoris' challenge: Sexperts hit the streets to see if public know exact location
Do you know exactly where the clitoris is? That was the question posed to the public this weekend in a bid to remove the stigma around female sexual pleasure and highlight the gender pleasure gap.
Members of the public in London’s Carnaby Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus, Soho and Leicester Square were greeted with large drawn prints of the female anatomy, which showed the vagina, vulva and clitoris.
Only 75% of passersby were able to identify precisely where the pleasure spot was, with many members of the public shying away from pointing out where the clitoris is.
The initiative was a joint effort between hook-up app TapDat and sexual wellness company Quanna, who found that there was further education needed when it came to the clitoris and female pleasure.
According to a study cited by the brands, 39% of women say they “always orgasm” when they masturbate, while just 6% say they “always orgasm” during penetrative sex.
Read more: ‘I want women to take ownership of their sexual pleasure,’ says female director of hook-up app
“Sexual pleasure for women has long been overlooked, ignored, even demonised,” TapDat’s creative director and co-founder Alex Leach said. “Pleasure is a gift, a universal joy, and something we should all be well-versed in giving and receiving.
“Female pleasure is often routed in both correct stimulation of the clitoris as well as self-confidence. We work hard to increase knowledge around how to give and receive pleasure and boost your sexual self-esteem.”
Read more: 6 facts about the clitoris everyone should know
While the clitoris doesn’t have a central role in reproduction, Planned Parenthood says it is the “pleasure centre of the vulva”. It sits above both the vagina and the urethra (the hole that urine comes out of) and is located where the inner labia of the vulva meet and can be found under a small “hood” known as the clitoral hood.
The clitoris that is visible is actually on the tip of the full structure. In the same way that most of an iceberg sits below the water’s surface, most of the clitoris is located internally. In fact, the shaft and the roots of the clitoris can be about five inches (12.7cm) long.
Read more: 9 ways to increase your chances of having an orgasm
“Being a confident sexual partner is not only incredibly sexy, but it can increase the pleasure you are able to give,” Leach added.
“When we don’t know what to do, or what we could be doing to increase pleasure, we’re just not having the best sex. We are encouraging everyone to join our mission to discover the wonders of the vulva and clitoris, and let’s have better, more pleasurable sex whether alone or partnered.”
Watch: Why is it taboo for women to enjoy sex?
