Der Gender Orgasm Gap. Ein kritischer Forschungsüberblick zu Geschlechterdifferenzen in der Orgasmus-Häufigkeit beim Heterosex

Zusammenfassung

Einleitung Seit den 1960er-Jahren wird in Wissenschaft, Frauenbewegung und breiter Öffentlichkeit darüber diskutiert, dass und warum Frauen beim Heterosex seltener Orgasmen erleben als Männer und ob und wie man diesen Gender Orgasm Gap schließen kann. Im Rahmen eines bio-psycho-sozialen Verständnisses von Sexualität werden Gender Orgasm Gaps theoretisch sehr unterschiedlich erklärt.

Forschungsziele Ziel des vorliegenden Forschungsüberblicks ist es, die bisherigen empirischen Befunde zur Größe des Gender Orgasm Gap zu berichten sowie die vorgeschlagenen Praxismaßnahmen zu seiner Überwindung zu präsentieren und kritisch zu diskutieren.

Methoden Im Zuge einer systematischen Literaturrecherche wurden n = 20 empirische Publikationen zum Gender Orgasm Gap und zusätzlich n = 16 wissenschaftliche Originalarbeiten zu seinem Abbau identifiziert und kodiert (1982–2021).

Ergebnisse Die eingeschlossenen Umfragen basieren auf Angaben von N = 49 940 Frauen und N = 48 329 Männern und zeigen, dass typischerweise 30 % bis 60 % der befragten Frauen berichten, beim Heterosex zum Orgasmus zu kommen, im Unterschied zu 70 % bis 100 % der Männer. Je nach Rahmenbedingungen des Heterosex schwankt die Größe des Gender Orgasm Gap zwischen –20 % und –72 % zuungunsten der Frauen. Die vorliegenden zehn bevölkerungsrepräsentativen Umfragen ergeben einen gewichteten mittleren Gender Orgasm Gap von –30 % [95 %iges Konfidenzintervall: –31 %; –30 %]. Die in der bisherigen Fachliteratur vorgeschlagenen Maßnahmen zum Schließen dieser Orgasmus-Lücke beziehen sich auf personale Faktoren, Beziehungsfaktoren, sexuelle Interaktionsfaktoren und gesellschaftliche Faktoren: Frauen wird empfohlen, den eigenen Orgasmus bewusster anzustreben und in der Beziehung offener über sexuelle Wünsche zu sprechen. Zudem wird Frauen und Männern geraten, mehr direkte klitorale Stimulation in den Heterosex zu integrieren und Orgasmen von Frauen gesellschaftlich zu demarginalisieren.

Schlussfolgerung Aus dem bisherigen Forschungsstand leitet sich die Notwendigkeit ab, Fragen rund um den Gender Orgasm Gap weiterhin in Wissenschaft und Praxis zu bearbeiten. Angesichts der begrenzten Erfolge der letzten Dekaden scheint es jedoch auch geboten, die bisher verfolgten Ansätze im „Kampf um Orgasmus-Gerechtigkeit“ kritisch zu hinterfragen.

Abstract

Introduction Since the 1960 s, there has been debate in academia, the women’s movement, and the general public about the fact that women experience orgasms less frequently than men during heterosex as well as why, and additionally about if and how to close this gender orgasm gap. Within a bio-psycho-social model of sexuality, gender orgasm gaps are explained theoretically in very different ways.

Objectives The aim of this research review is to report the empirical findings to date on the size of the gender orgasm gap as well as to present and critically discuss the proposed practice measures intended to close it.

Methods In the course of a systematic literature search n = 20 empirical publications on the orgasm gap and an additional n = 16 original research papers promoting its closure were identified and coded (1982–2021).

Results The surveys included are based on the self-reports of N = 49 940 women and N = 48 329 men, and show that typically 30 % to 60 % of women report reaching orgasm during heterosex in contrast to 70 % to 100 % of men. Depending on the context of heterosex, the size of the orgasm gap varies from –20 % to –72 % to the disadvantage of women. The ten population-representative surveys presented yield a weighted mean orgasm gap of –30 % [95 % confidence interval: –31; –30]. The measures proposed in previous literature for closing the orgasm gap relate to personal factors, relationship factors, sexual interaction factors, and societal factors: Women are advised to strive more consciously for their own orgasm and to talk more openly about their sexual wishes in the relationship. In addition, women and men are advised to integrate more direct clitoral stimulation into heterosex and to demarginalize women’s orgasms socially.

Conclusion Based on the current state of research, there is a need to continue addressing issues around the gender orgasm gap in both research and practice. However, given the limited successes of recent decades, it also seems imperative to critically examine the approaches taken so far in the “battle for orgasm equality”.

Schlüsselwörter

Feminismus - Heterosexualität - Sexuelle Bildung - sexuelle Skripte - weiblicher Orgasmus

Key words

female orgasm - feminism - heterosexuality - sexuality education - sexual scripts

Fußnote

¹ Alle 36 in das Review eingeschlossenen Publikationen sind mit einem Sternchen (*) markiert.

Publication History

Article published online:
07 June 2022

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