Squirting, Orgasm, And Female Ejaculation: Are They The Same?
Squirting. We’re sure most of us have heard this term being bandied around amongst our friends or certain adult websites, but what is it? Is it the same as an orgasm? And what about the term ‘female ejaculation’ – a term that sounds highly scientific, but is also shrouded in some mystery.
Vulva owners, it’s time for us to clear the air. Let’s plunge into the deeper mysteries of squirting vis-à-vis orgasms and female ejaculation.
Remind me again, what is an orgasm?
We’ve already answered some burning questions on the benefits of orgasm a while ago, and even taught vulva owners and their partners nifty tips and tricks to get there. But to jog your memory again, an orgasm (a.k.a. cumming) is generally the feeling of intense pleasure that happens during sexual activity. There are different forms of orgasms. Some experience dry orgasms, where no fluid is released at all upon reaching their climax; yet others experience varying amounts of warm liquid release. There’s also the whole thing about clitoral versus vaginal orgasms.
Experiencing these orgasms in any combination, and at different times, is normal. If you find it much harder to cum vaginally or you can only have dry orgasms, that’s perfectly okay as well! After all, our bodies are all wired a little differently from each other, and there is no single proper way to orgasm.
Knowing what orgasms are is the easy part. Here’s where it gets trickier.
Female ejaculation vs squirting: which is which?
Up till recently, many have used female ejaculation and squirting interchangeably, which implies that they are the same phenomenon. However, recent research has sought to disprove this belief, instead trying to highlight that female ejaculation and squirting are two distinct events.
Technically speaking, according to neurophysiologist Beverly Whipple, the term ‘female ejaculate’ refers specifically to the small amounts of milky white fluid that is expelled from the urethra when you climax. For easy measure, “small amounts” in this case can mean about a tablespoon or less of fluid! Hence, it makes sense that scientists would classify it as a secretion, more than an expulsion. Female ejaculate is also believed to come from the Skene glands.
This differs just slightly from squirting. While the liquid that gushes out during squirting also passes through the urethra, it’s considered an expulsion. For those of us who’ve had the pleasure of squirting, you’ll realize that it feels extremely intense, sometimes even forceful, and the volume of fluid is much greater. In fact, the fluid that squirts out of the urethra can amount to at least 10 tablespoons of fluid! The key difference is that fluid from squirting is believed to originate from the bladder, consisting of some elements of urine, albeit in a much watered down form, so it appears transparent rather than milky.
The exact mechanism that triggers squirting and female ejaculation is still hotly debated, but it’s also pretty hot… because it’s commonly accepted – and compounded by both studies and anecdotal evidence – that these physiological phenonmena can be achieved through sexual arousal, specifically through stimulating your clitoris and G-spot. Dual stimulation… yummy!
If you’re thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can squirt or go through female ejaculation….’
Don’t worry! If we’re being honest, the varied studies on these topics don’t seem to be able to reach a consensus on this. While research has shown that around 70% of vulva owners can ejaculate, the outlook on squirting is a lot foggier. There aren’t many reliable statistics, if there are any at all, that show the prevalence of squirting in vulva owners. Some scientists do believe that it’s entirely possible for any vulva owners to squirt, with a combination of the right factors.
What we do know is that among the vulva owners who are able to squirt, many possess a psychological fear of looking like they’ve wet themselves – we did say squirting might be from the bladder! – which makes them hold back from letting loose and leaning in to all the pleasurable sensations of their orgasm. We say, if you feel it coming, just cum, baby! Your journey in sexuality involves learning more about the highs you’re capable of reaching, be it in solo play or with a partner.
Just make sure you’re exploring female ejaculation and/or squirting because you want to, and not out of a pressure to impress. If you’re not ready, don’t go chasing waterfalls. If you’d like, then, chase them all you want!
Ultimately, you know what feels and works best for you. Likewise, it doesn’t matter if you find some peaks harder to reach than others, because we’re all on our own unique journeys to discover what sex and pleasure mean to us. At the end of the day, we believe that all orgasms are good orgasms. Otherwise, why would all of them feel so good?
If you need a little nudge, you can find out what works for you with the help of some sex toys or even some heavy breathing and an open mind! These are just a few of the many ideas out there to bring you closer to your climax, whether it’s a dry orgasm, female ejaculation or squirting.
Here’s hoping we’ll all hit our sweet spots for the mind blowing orgasms we deserve!