Sex researchers and therapists have been studying the orgasm gap between men and women in heterosexual relationships for quite some time. A recent study published in the journal Sexual Medicine revealed that this gap persists and does not seem to improve with age.
The study, which analyzed data from eight Singles in America surveys conducted by Match.com in collaboration with The Kinsey Institute, included information from over 24,000 single Americans ranging from 18 to 100 years old. The results showed that men of all sexual orientations reported higher orgasm rates during sex, ranging from 70 to 85 percent, compared to women whose rates ranged from 46 to 58 percent. Interestingly, lesbian and bisexual women between the ages of 35 and 49 reported higher orgasm rates than heterosexual women.
Lead author of the study, Amanda Gesselman from the Kinsey Institute, had hoped to find evidence that the orgasm gap narrows as women age and gain confidence in knowing what they like, but the results did not support this hypothesis. Despite higher orgasm rates among older gay and bisexual men and lesbian women, the overall gap between men and women remained consistent.
Dr. Gesselman pointed out that societal norms often prioritize men’s pleasure over women’s sexual pleasure, which may contribute to these disparities. This highlights the need for further research to explore the connection between age and orgasm rates in more depth.
Sex educator and author Emily Nagoski, who was not involved in the study, noted a limitation in the survey question that asked about orgasm rates during sexual intercourse without defining what that term entails. Research has shown that most women require clitoral stimulation to reach orgasm, so if women interpreted sexual intercourse as vaginal penetration alone, it makes sense why there would be a significant gap in orgasm rates.
Dr. Nagoski suggested that a more insightful question would be to ask individuals about the percentage of sexual encounters they actually enjoy, as pleasure should be the ultimate measure of a sexual encounter, not just orgasm.
Overall, the study sheds light on the ongoing orgasm gap between men and women in heterosexual relationships and emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing these disparities in sexual pleasure.
