Female Ejaculation and Squirting
The experience of squirting can cause a woman to question her body just when she was enjoying a particularly pleasurable moment. How should a person feel about an unexpected gush of fluid from the vagina? Ashamed? Proud? Mainly you should feel calm, because squirting is completely normal.
Female ejaculation has been a controversial topic. Despite early descriptions in the Kama Sutra and the writings of Greek physicians, modern scientists have been reluctant to consider the possibility of women having a sexual response analogous to male ejaculation. Even the work of specialists in the 17th and 18th centuries has been dismissed until recently, and there are still those who dispute the growing evidence.
Of course, everyone knows that men ejaculate when they reach orgasm because it’s hard to miss. What is less commonly understood is that a similar process happens in the female body. It may not be as noticeable and can look different in different women, and it does not necessarily happen for every woman every time, but women do also ejaculate.
We now have evidence that women’s bodies have glands known as Skene’s glands, sometimes seen as analogous to the male prostate, which also secrete a milky white liquid from the urethra just under the glans clitoris at the height of orgasm.
Arousal and “wetness”
Sex is generally a wet activity. Human genitalia need to be well-lubed and slippery for things to get going. Most people know that the female reproductive organs secrete moisture with sexual arousal.
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It is, of course, always worth mentioning that arousal is by no means the same as consent; “being wet” is a physiological response to stimuli and a prerequisite to enjoyable sexual intercourse, but also not an agreement or sign of willingness to have sex.
The vagina itself is always a little moist as it is continually renewing itself by flushing out dead cells and bacteria to keep the vaginal environment healthy. Vaginal discharge is normally produced by various glands in the vaginal walls and the cervix. Healthy discharge that does not show signs of infection is clear or whitish with no strong smell. Its consistency changes from slippery to tacky and back again over the course of the menstrual cycle.
Discharge associated with sexual arousal is produced by specialized glands called Bartholin’s glands, located near the vaginal opening. With sexual excitement, these glands produce mucus that lubricates the vaginal canal to make it easier for the penis (or a sex toy) to slip in.
The other set of glands connected with female sexual arousal are called Skene’s glands, previously known as “the female prostate”. These glands are found in the vulval vestibule to the left and right of the urethral opening. The fluid they produce is associated with female ejaculation.
And finally, as blood flow to the vagina and vulva increases with sexual arousal the area becomes warmer and wetter; this is sometimes called “vaginal sweating”. These physiological processes all happen in response to sexual arousal. However, they are subtle internal changes that remain invisible to others. Even a woman herself may not notice these signs of arousal unless she is actively engaged in sexual activity.
Why is female ejaculation such a controversial topic?
The topic of female ejaculation isn’t usually covered in Sex Ed, so for many people it comes as a surprise and may lead to some awkwardness. Female sexuality and even female anatomy are still under-studied, and female sexual pleasure has only recently become a legitimate topic of conversation.
For many years, societal ideals and expectations regarding gender and sexuality influenced the scientific community to reject the evidence of the few people seriously studying this question. Ernst Grafenberg, a scientist mainly known for the G-spot being named after him, wrote detailed descriptions of female ejaculation in the 1950s, but his work on this topic was not taken seriously and was thoroughly refuted by Alfred Kinsey, whom many consider to be the father of modern sexology.
For some the idea of a woman ejaculating with pleasure as she unapologetically enjoys herself can be shocking and may even seem crass, which makes it particularly appealing to the porn industry—the one early adopter of the notion. Unfortunately, social taboos, scientific disputes, and the exaggerated representations favoured in porn have led to confusion and misconceptions.
Two myths:
- Squirting is a clear sign that the woman is finding sex extremely enjoyable.
- Squirting is a clear sign that the woman’s partner is highly skilled at making her cum.
Neither of these assertions is necessarily true.
For biologically male humans, ejaculation is the culmination of the sex act, a clear indication they have reached orgasm. For women, the sex organs are hidden inside, so our sexuality seems more mysterious. Orgasm is more elusive, often requiring extensive foreplay and a certain level of comfort and relaxation.
At the moment of orgasm, the glans clitoris produces a small amount of milky fluid from the urethra. What’s more, women seem to have another kind of ejaculate that is produced in greater volumes and doesn’t necessarily seem to be tied to the moment of orgasm. This is what is commonly called squirting.
While the terms female ejaculation and squirting are often used interchangeably, squirting is usually understood as a powerful, almost projectile expulsion of clear liquid from the vagina that it is not tied to orgasm but can happen at any time during sex in response to stimulation. It is believed that around 5% of women regularly experience squirting and up to 70% of women have experienced it at least once.
Since we seldom talk about it, it may be that some of us conflate squirting with peeing as both liquids come from the same place. Many women have reported consciously stopping squirting before it begins because they don’t fully understand it or don’t feel comfortable with it.
Much more research needs to be done on the female sexual experience, but it seems that squirting is a particular sexual response common in some women.
What is this liquid?
Many women who have experienced a gush of warm fluid from the vagina during sex report wondering if they have peed themselves in the heat of the moment. Going from feeling excited and aroused to worried and ashamed is the last thing you want, so how can you tell?
As we mentioned above, sex is wet, slippery business with many different fluids involved. Although, coital incontinence is also something that can happen, women who experience sexual squirting tend to have strong pelvic floor muscles and do not otherwise experience incontinence in their lives.
If you do have weak pelvic floor muscles, don’t worry. They can be trained with proper exercises.
Like male ejaculate, the liquid involved in squirting comes from the urethra but does not look or smell like urine—it is usually clear and odourless and is reported to be either slightly sweet or acidic in taste, depending on factors such as diet, level of hydration, phase of the menstrual cycle, and others.
The biochemical makeup of female ejaculate contains the main components of male ejaculate without the sperm; it is a milk-like ultrafiltrate of blood plasma containing antigens, acid phosphatase, and high concentrations of glucose and fructose produced by Skene’s glands.
The clear, larger-volume fluid (up to 150 ml/5 oz) involved in squirting is produced by the bladder and is similar to but not the same as urine. A study from 2015 using pelvic ultrasounds found that before and after orgasm the bladder is empty, but in the build-up to orgasm the bladder rapidly filled and then rapidly emptied as ejaculate.
We are still learning about this phenomenon. Fluid discharge of various types, including squirting, is a normal aspect of sex and nothing to be ashamed of or to feel worried about.
Porn squirting is fake
Yes, that’s right. Squirting in erotic films is almost always faked. Porn actors use different methods to get a dramatic look, including filling their vaginas with water from a turkey baster so it will gush out on cue. What viewers see has nothing to do with arousal or “mind-blowing sex”, and everything to do with the performance and how it looks on camera.
Porn has a reputation for exaggeration in general, sometimes using unethical means such as drugs or coercion. If you do enjoy erotic films, look for ethical porn companies that specialise in material that suits your tastes.
What brings on squirting other than orgasm?
The precise mechanisms are still largely unknown, but we do know that squirting often follows direct stimulation of the legendary G-spot—a small area a few inches inside the vagina on the “upper” side in the direction of the belly. Placement is slightly different for each woman, and each woman will react to stimulation differently.
While gushing may happen in response to various kinds of sexual stimulation, most women report that the G-spot and clitoris are generally involved.
Other possible contributing factors to squirting include:
- feeling completely relaxed and present in the moment
- having an empty bladder to avoid dealing with the need to pee
- familiarity with what gives you pleasure
- strong pelvic floor muscles
Squirting is associated with sexual pleasure, but it isn’t necessarily the sign of a cosmic orgasm that it’s sometimes made out to be. In fact, the sensations that arise from squirting are different from orgasm. If feeling relaxed, connected, and fully present are necessary for squirting to occur, then a partner who helps you feel that certainly way deserves some credit. But it’s also just the way some women’s bodies respond to arousal and vaginal stimulation. For others, G-spot stimulation can be overwhelming and is not necessary for satisfying sexual intercourse.
Preparing for sex
If you experience this wet phenomenon, you may want to put a towel beneath you to soak up the extra liquids and have less to deal with after sex.
If you have never experienced squirting but want to see if you can make it happen, knowing your own body is the key. Explore different ways to stimulate areas of your vagina, your G-spot, and other sensitive places on your own or with a partner.
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