Variation in Orgasm Occurrence by Sexual Orientation in a Sample of U.S. Singles

Introduction

Orgasm is characterized by subjective feelings of intense sensation and pleasure, including a sudden discharge of accumulated erotic tension at sexual climax and a temporarily altered state of consciousness [1–4]. Orgasm is generally comprised of a series of psychophysiological responses, including genital reactivity, involuntary rhythmic contractions of pelvic musculature, changes in heart rate and blood pressure, and neurohormonal activation/deactivation [2–5]. While neural and psychophysiological aspects of orgasm have been recently described [6–11], surprisingly little is known about orgasm in nonclinical and fundamental questions of how demographic factors may contribute to variation in individuals’ orgasm experiences. In order to advance both research and clinical practice, this article further investigates associations between self-identified sexual orientation and orgasm variation.

For decades researchers have been aware of variation in orgasm occurrence and experience [1,12–15]. Understanding sex/gender differences in the form and function of orgasm variation has been of interest to both health practitioners and scholars from a wide range of disciplines. Existing literature demonstrates substantial variation in orgasm experiences among women and to a lesser, but not inconsequential, extent among men [2–4,15,16]. Theory and research have focused on the higher rates of primary or secondary anorgasmia among women (compared with men) [4,11,15,17–22].

At least one recent probability sample in the United States provides nationally representative rates of orgasm frequency for both men and women. In a subset of 3,990 participants ages 18 to 59 years from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, 91.3% of men and 64.4% of women reported orgasm during their most recent sexual event [23]. Among these findings, both men’s and women’s orgasm occurrence was positively correlated with engaging in a greater variety of sexual behaviors. Further, among men, age was correlated with decreased erectile function and decreased orgasm, while among women age was correlated with decreased vaginal lubrication but increased orgasm [23].

While relationships between orgasm and some sociodemographics, such as age, have been investigated to some extent [12,13,23–25], other factors remain more elusive. In particular, there is a dearth of data on rates of orgasm across sexual orientations. Despite initial insights into orgasm occurrence among gay men and lesbian women in the 1940s and 1950s [1,12,13], little empirical research is available on orgasm among sexual minorities. Some historical accounts have suggested that lesbian women may orgasm more than heterosexual women [1,13]. Kinsey and colleagues [13] suggested that lesbian couples likely had higher orgasm rates than heterosexual couples. Similarly, Masters and Johnson [1] suggested that lesbian women offer a good example to heterosexuals who may more regularly focus on sexual performance (i.e., emphasis on “show,” exhibition, and/or longevity and duration) over mutual sexual pleasure.

One study sought to address this gendered information gap. In a sample of primarily young Caucasian women, participants were asked about their frequency of orgasm (regardless of type of sexual stimulation). Results showed that while 2.2% of lesbian women and 13.3% of heterosexual women reported never experiencing orgasm, 28.7% of lesbian women and 25.5% of heterosexual women reported always experiencing orgasm [26]. While these data provide an important starting point, generalizability is somewhat limited and rates were not reported for self-identified bisexuals. Thus it remains that little is known about orgasm occurrences among women and men of varied sexual orientations across the adult lifespan. Understanding the factors that influence variation in orgasm occurrence among sexual minority populations may assist in tailoring behavioral therapies for those of different sexual orientations. Moreover, to the extent that lack of orgasm is seen as a common and unwanted problem, learning more about orgasm in same-sex relationships may inform treatment for men and women in both same-sex and mixed-sex relationships. Consequently, these findings may contribute to promotion of a more informed and positive sexual health care.

Aim

To assess orgasm occurrence during sexual activity with a familiar partner across sexual orientation categories (heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual).

Methods

Results

The overall mean occurrence rate for experiencing orgasm during sex with a familiar partner was 62.9% +/− 0.9% among single women and 85.1% +/− 0.7% among single men. Compared with women, men reported a significantly higher mean occurrence rate of orgasm frequency (F_1,2848 = 370.6, P < 0.001, η² = 0.12). To further explore this difference we conducted separate analyses for men and women in relation to self-identified sexual orientation category.

For men, mean occurrence rate of orgasm during sex with a familiar partner did not vary across sexual orientations: heterosexual men 85.5% +/− 0.7%, gay men 84.7% +/− 1.9%, and bisexual men 77.6% +/− 4.1% (F_2,1494 = 2.67, P = 0.07, η² = 0.004). Bisexual men appeared to show a lower rate of orgasm. However, this difference between bisexual and heterosexual men was not significant, and had a small effect size (d = 0.24; Figure 1). See Table 1 for the distribution of orgasm responses.

For women, however, mean occurrence rate of orgasm during sex with a familiar partner varied significantly across sexual orientations: heterosexual women 61.6% +/− 1.0%, lesbian women 74.7% +/− 2.6%, and bisexual women 58.0% +/− 5.0% (F_2,1350 = 10.95, P < 0.001, η² = 0.02). Lesbian women had a significantly higher rate of orgasm than either heterosexual or bisexual women (Student–Newman–Keuls homogenous subsets, P < 0.05). Differences between lesbian women and heterosexual women were of moderate magnitude (d = 0.42). Differences between lesbian women and bisexual women were also of moderate magnitude (d = 0.51; Figure 2). See Table 1 for a distribution of orgasm responses.

Discussion

The current study confirms existing findings and advances our understanding of orgasm occurrence among men and women across self-identified sexual orientation categories. While early scholars hinted at sexual orientation differences in sexual pleasure outcomes [1,12,13], little empirical evidence has been offered. Here we found substantial intraindividual (frequency of experiencing orgasm) and interindividual (distribution of respondents) variation in frequency of orgasm experience, both within and between sexes/genders. Compared with men, women displayed greater intraindividual and interindividual variation in orgasm occurrence during sexual activity with a familiar partner. This is consistent with literature suggesting that male orgasm is subject to less inconsistency, seemingly regardless of sexual orientation, perhaps due to both sex-specific physiology and culturally reinforced gender roles that endorse male sexual activity and pleasure.

In this large dataset we found that while heterosexual, gay, or bisexual men do not differ substantially in their rates of orgasm occurrence, lesbian women had higher average mean occurrence rates than did heterosexual or bisexual women. Among men, self-identified heterosexual, gay, or bisexual men reported similarly high mean rates for orgasm occurrence and intraindividual variation. Among those men who self-identified as bisexual, while the mean orgasm occurrence was similar, distribution was slightly greater than among heterosexual or gay men, with a greater proportion of bisexual men who experienced orgasm less frequently. Among women, self-identified heterosexual or lesbian women differed substantially in their rates of orgasm occurrence, with the distribution of those commonly experiencing orgasm spanning the entire range from 0% to 100% of the time. Lesbian women reported higher mean orgasm occurrence rates and higher intraindividual variation than did heterosexual women; that is, lesbian women’s responses were more widely distributed than among bisexual or heterosexual women, likely depending on a variety of unknown factors. Bisexual women, however, reported the lowest mean orgasm occurrence rate and greatest intraindividual variation among women.

The current findings are a first step, highlighting underexplored relationships between sexual orientation and orgasm occurrence. There are a variety of hypotheses regarding why these patterns occur. One possible explanation is that self-identified lesbian women are more comfortable and familiar with the female body and thus, on average, are better able to induce orgasm in their female partners. Similarly, previous research has suggested that the length of sexual encounters varies as a function of the sex/gender of the participants, with two women having longer durations of sexual activity than heterosexual pairs [27–29], potentially affecting orgasm outcomes. Another possible explanation could lie in differences in gender and sexual attitudes across sexual orientations, attitudes which themselves are known psychosocial factors that affect orgasm [24,25,30]. Relatedly, sexual roles during sexual activity, which likely vary across sexual orientations and may be particularly gendered in their presentation, may result in differential patterns of individuals reaching, or attempting to reach, orgasm. Yet another possibility could be biological, perhaps related to prenatal androgen and estrogen exposures, which may have varied effects on both sexual orientation [31,32], and separately on vaginal and clitoral anatomy in ways that may also affect orgasm [33]. Only future research can provide further insight into the mechanisms by which sexual orientation influences orgasm.

The focus of the current study was variation in occurrence of orgasm by self-identified sexual orientation categories, and not the specific behavioral repertoires that most reliably lead to orgasm (which have been described elsewhere [23,34]). The wording of the questionnaire, asking participants to report on orgasm “when having sex with a familiar partner” likely lends itself to varied interpretations of how individuals define both “sex” [35] and a “familiar partner.” It is possible that differences in self-definitions of “sex” and “familiar partner,” as well as specific sexual behavior repertoires tied to these terms, exist across sexual orientation categories in ways that may underlie the observed patterns of orgasm occurrence reported here. Future research may wish to explore the interacting ways in which demographics, including sexual orientation, gender/sexual attitudes, and specific sexual behaviors concomitantly affect orgasm.

It is important to also consider why self-identified bisexuals had somewhat lower rates of orgasm occurrence than those men and women of other sexual orientations, although the difference was only significant among women. This is somewhat surprising considering sex-specific patterns of sexual “drive” across sexual orientations, such as higher sexual motivation being correlated with bisexual attraction among women but not men [36]. Among bisexuals, it is possible that the identity construct used in the current study obscures the variety of sexual behaviors and sexual preferences those identifying as bisexual may be engaging in during partnered sexual activity [37–39]. This may result in overall patterns of orgasm that are difficult to interpret with respect to behavioral actions, intentions, and desires. It remains important to further understand in what ways diversity across sexual orientations, beyond categorical groupings, result in variations in sexual health outcomes.

The sizeable variation reported in orgasm experiences elsewhere as well as in the current study, raises numerous questions regarding the medicalization of orgasm, with women more often than men diagnosed with orgasmic “disorders” (i.e., female orgasmic disorder) for having difficulty in regularly achieving orgasm or having delayed or absent orgasm following a sexual excitement phase [4,15,17–19,21,22]. The medicalization of women’s orgasmic variation is symptomatic of larger patterns surrounding the medicalization of human sexuality in general [40].

Feminist scholars have commented on the observed variation in orgasm, with particular attention given to the seemingly high rates of women who rarely or infrequently experience orgasm from partnered sexual activity. Many feminist scholars have argued that a sizeable amount of orgasm variation results from sexual double standards, sociosexual attitudes, and barriers to entitlement of sexual pleasure [14,20,24,25,41]. The bases of orgasmic variation has also been of significant interest to evolutionary scientists, particularly with respect to a possible adaptive origin of women’s orgasm [11,15,16,22,42–47]. While some evolutionists have argued that orgasm is an evolutionary adaptation to promote reproduction [45,48], others have insisted there is of yet insufficient evidence to demonstrate the trait is an adaptation in women (i.e., leads to increased relative reproductive fitness) [15,43,44,46,49]. The latest evidence indicates that there is no evolutionary link between women’s orgasm and offspring success [47], thus undermining the likelihood that this trait is an evolutionary adaptation. Some of the most compelling biological evidence exploring the etiology of orgasmic variation comes by way of studies demonstrating individual genital morphology, specifically in women, where distance between the glans clitoris and urinary meatus accounts for a sizeable amount of women’s individual variation in accounts of orgasm during heterosexual intercourse [33]. We were unable to disentangle the contributions of psychosocial or biological factors in determining sex/gender differences in orgasm outcomes; nevertheless, our findings point to the importance of considering both as interacting causal forces that co-jointly shape human sexual behavior and thus influence a wide variety of sexual health outcomes.

Conclusion

Our data highlight the importance of assessing associations between sexual orientation and variations in individual sexual and orgasm experiences. In the current sample, self-identified sexual orientation (categorized as heterosexual, gay/lesbian, or bisexual) affected women’s, but not men’s, reported orgasm occurrence rate. While a vast majority of men and a slight majority of women report orgasm occurrence during sexual activity with a familiar partner, there is substantial variation between and within individuals (particularly women), in the frequency with which orgasm occurs. These data demonstrate the need for further investigations into the comparative sexual experiences and outcomes of sexual minorities, to understand the mechanisms by which sociodemographics, and, in particular, sexual orientation, affects sexual health outcomes including orgasm experiences.