Female Sexual Anatomy

Female external genitals are generally referred to as the vulva.

The vulva includes the outer lips, or labia majora, the inner lips, or labia minora, the tip of the clitoris and the vaginal opening. Women’s labia vary greatly in size, shape, and coloration. Similarly, the clitoral tip, or glans of the clitoris, can vary in size, shape, and color, and to the extent to which it protrudes from the clitoral hood.

To see this incredible diversity yourself, check out GV founder Joani Blank’s book, Femalia, a book that features 32 color photographs of women’s vulvas.

The clitoris is located under the folds of skin where the top of the labia meet. Pulling back the hood of skin over the clitoris reveals the clitoral glans. The short rod of cartilage directly beneath the skin and extending up to the pubic bone is called the clitoral shaft. Beneath the skin the clitoral shaft separates into two legs, or crura, which extend in a wishbone fashion for about three inches on either side of the vaginal opening.

The entire clitoris consists of erectile tissue made up of blood vessels, spongy tissue and nerves, just like the erectile tissue of the penis. During sexual stimulation this tissue fills with blood, and the clitoral glans, shaft, and legs swell and become firmer. Since the clitoral legs run beneath the labia, when you stimulate the urethra, vagina or anus, you indirectly stimulate the clitoris as well. The clitoris is the only organ in the human body whose sole function is to transmit sexual sensation.

Below the clitoris is the opening of the urethra, the tube that conducts urine from the bladder out of the body. The urethral opening is more visible in some women than others. The spongy acorn-shaped protrusion around the urethral opening is loaded with nerve endings and is an erogenous zone for many women, though for others stimulation of the area may be irritating and unpleasant.

Inside a woman’s body, the urethra runs parallel to and above the vagina, so that the ceiling of the vagina is closest to the floor of the urethra. The urethra is surrounded by spongy tissue dense with vessels and glans similar in make-up and in the fluids they produce to the male prostate gland. The urethra sponge, a.k.a., the G-spot, can be stimulated through the front wall of the vagina in the same way that a man’s prostate gland can be stimulated through the front wall of his anus.

If you, or a partner, are interested in exploring this area, check out the many toys we carry specifically designed to stimulate a woman’s G-spot. We also carry several DVDs and books about G-spot stimulation.

The vagina is extremely expandable -- think childbirth -- yet most the time the walls rest against each other. The vagina is about four inches long. After the initial bulge over the urethral sponge, the vaginal canal curves back to the cervix, the neck of the uterus. The outer third of the vaginal walls consists of ridges and folds of tissue, has more nerve endings, and is more sensitive than the rest of the vagina. The inner two-thirds of the vaginal walls are smoother and contain fewer nerve endings -- therefore; the inner part of the vagina is more responsive to pressure than to light touch, friction or vibration. The cervix, the opening to the uterus, has no nerve endings on its surface, but, like the inner vagina, can be quite sensitive to pressure.

Vaginal penetration is extremely pleasurable to most women, and in many circles orgasms produced by penetration is considered superior to orgasms resulting from clitoral stimulation alone. Yet, it’s impossible for a woman to stimulate her vagina without simultaneously stimulating her clitoris. In other words, there is no official distinction between a “vaginal” and “clitoral” orgasm. An orgasm is fantastic however it is achieved, and we hope you’ll explore and enjoy whatever stimulation feels good to you!