Sexual Pleasure

Sexual Pleasure

 

Orgasms

An orgasm is a reflex that occurs after the build up and release of sexual tension in the body. You might be most familiar with a genital orgasm, which occurs either through ejaculation of a penis or through vaginal or clitoral stimulation. Orgasms however, are complex and there exists a spectrum of arousal and pleasure that exceeds the genital orgasm.

It is common for those with a vulva to experience difficulty achieving an orgasm, which can be largely attributed to what is known as the ‘orgasm gap’. This gap is a result of our societal understanding of sex, and it’s largely accepted definition of penetration, which fails to consider that for the majority of individuals with a vulva, clitoral stimulation is needed to climax.

Given that no two bodies, or vulvas are the same, there is no one size fits all approach to pleasure and achieving an orgasm. It is also important to note that sexual intercourse or practices that don’t end in orgasm are not a failure, and can still be enjoyable for those involved.

A few simple ways to support your personal pleasure:

• Understand your own unique body - understand the basic anatomy involved in an orgasm, explore self-touch and consider any barriers to pleasure that might be present such as shame, fear, lack of confidence or trauma

• Explore your body - learn what works best for you! Practice makes perfect when it comes to understanding what movements, touch or practices bring your body pleasure

• Advocate for your pleasure - open communication in a relationship is an important part of achieving sexual pleasure

Foreplay

Foreplay refers to acts of intimacy that come before penetrative sex. Foreplay is a combination of sexual and non-sexual physical, emotional and psychological practices that occur between sexual partners. There are many different types of foreplay, and foreplay will look different for everyone however examples of foreplay include:

• Kissing

• Touching

• Massage

• Flirting

• Complimenting your partner

 

The recommended amount of time that most women need to build desire, calm the nervous system and prepare the vaginal tissue is 20 minutes of foreplay.

Benefits of foreplay include:

• Increases natural lubrication

• Boosts emotional connection

• Enhances pleasure and orgasm