Every Female Has One
Birds do it. Bees do it. OK, maybe not bees, but every female mammal has a clitoris. However, we humans are one of the few species that has evolved to actually use the clitoris for sexual pleasure. That doesn’t mean female mammals cannot orgasm - there's some science to show other mammals experience sexual pleasure too - but most don't seek it out like we humans do. We know a good thing when we've got it!
It Can be an Orgasm Deal Breaker
Vaginal orgasms do exist, but they're tricky for a lot of women to achieve, and only 30 percent of women are able to reach orgasm through penetration alone. (Sadly, Marie Bonaparte was not one of them.) The rest require direct clitoral stimulation. Rubbing, licking, sucking or sex toys will all do the trick, although each clitoris has its own preferences. (If you want some options, check out 9 Super-Hot Ways to Use a Wand Massager.)
Surgically Altering It Is a Thing
Most people don’t talk about it, but some of them go under the knife to alter their clitorises. There’s clitoral unhooding, a procedure in which excess tissue in the hood is removed to heighten sensitivity. The size of the clitoris can also be reduced or enlarged. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, more than 2,140 women in the U.S. underwent "vaginal rejuvenation" surgery in 2012. However, while some surgery can be used to correct problems that cause women pain and discomfort, most experts don't recommend going under the knife for any other reason. You may go in to improve your sex life and emerge with scarring or an infection that could mean no sex life at all.
They're All Different
Some are small, some are big, some are hidden and some protrude rather a lot. Some increase in size when aroused, and others hide under the hood. Some require a lot of pressure, others prefer a very gentle touch. Each little love bud is as unique as the person attached to it. That's important, too, because getting to know how it works and how to use it to produce pleasure is just a part of getting to know yourself, or your lover.
In "Woman: An Intimate Geography," Author Natalie Angier says that "the clitoris not only only applauds when a woman flaunts her mastery; it will give a standing ovation." If you have yet to hear any clapping, it's time to learn this little organ's quirky dance. So here's one more helpful thing you may not know that might help: The clitoris never ages. Once it matures, it maintains its sexual peak for the rest of a person's life. So, if you aren't on good terms with the clit in your life, it isn't too late to start getting acquainted.
