Clitoris
From Encyclopedia of Sex and Sexuality
The clitoris is the principal organ of female sexual pleasure. Located near the top of the vulva, just beneath the point at which the labia minora (the inner lips on either side of the vagina) meet, the clitoris is usually hidden by a fold of skin called the clitoral hood. The clitoris is approximately the size of a pea (about one-quarter of an inch in diameter) but there is considerable variation in its size. Its structure is somewhat similar to that of the male’s penis and, when stimulated sexually, it fills up with blood and can swell to several times its usual size. It is made up of soft tissues and has many nerve endings, making it extremely sensitive to touch and to erotic stimulation.
The clitoris consists of four parts. The head (glans) is the only visible part of the clitoris and it is sometimes covered by the hood. Below the head and located under the skin is the body (shaft) of the clitoris and below the body spread two wings (crura). The two parts of the clitoris lying under the skin are attached with ligaments to the underside of the pubic bone. The skin covering the clitoris is called the prepuce, or clitoral foreskin. In some women the hood completely covers the clitoris, while in others the clitoris protrudes from the hood.
The clitoris is now believed to be the most important organ involved in female orgasm. In the past it was believed that there was a superior kind of orgasm, known as “vaginal orgasm.” However, this has been proven to be a myth, and all female orgasms are now known to be related to clitoral stimulation directly or indirectly (see Freud, Sigmund). Women usually reach the point of orgasm because their clitoris is touched or stimulated. Even female orgasm resulting from vaginal penetration is related to clitoral stimulation. During intercourse the labia minora and vagina are usually stretched. Because they are attached through connective tissue with the clitoris, this stretching leads to pulling and stimulation of the clitoris. This stimulation is responsible for the subsequent female orgasm.
