Many women grow up without accurate knowledge about vulvar anatomy and female sexual function. We are taught our vulvas are called vaginas. Many of us are not taught about the clitoris and may not understand its role in sexual function or even know what it is. Many of us are taught to expect pleasure from penetration, and when it doesn’t happen, we are confused and don’t know what to do.

Female masturbation is more stigmatized than male. The narrative in women’s magazines is constantly “how to please your man.” Ignorance of vulvar anatomy is pervasive. Sex is framed around male orgasm. I personally was sexually actively for 3 years before ever having an orgasm. I fooled around with men for one year before that. When we “hooked up,” I would make them orgasm, and they would not do the same for me. One refused to eat me out while simultaneously expecting head. There was no reciprocity, and I thought that was just how it was. I didn’t know what I was missing out on. I can only hope they just didn’t know any better.

Even in medicine, female orgasm and sexual function is not considered as important. Male anatomy and physiology of sexual function gets at least 10 times as much coverage. Male sexual dysfunction is taken seriously as a physical problem. Female sexual dysfunction is assumed to all be in a woman’s head. The neurovascular anatomy of the clitoris is left out of literature on female sexual function.