#50: Dr. Beverly Whipple - Female Orgasm, The G Spot, and Ejaculation

How Dr. Beverly Whipple Started Studying Sex Dr. Whipple got her start while she was teaching nursing students. A sexual topic was broached that she didn’t have concrete answers for, and so she gave the inquisitive student a rain check. She then realized sex classes needed to be taught and that she wanted to be the one to do it. After being forbidden to teach the apparently taboo discipline, she took her services to institutions which allowed it. And that’s how she got her start. From there she went into particular research projects and she has been going strong for 40+ years. For more, from the charming woman herself, listen in. From Kegels to Female Ejaculation After Whipple had been researching for a short period, she came into contact with a body of research that had to do with a scientific analysis of female ejaculation. This analysis had grown from the collective efforts of several scientists. Eventually, it was discovered that varying degrees of muscle strength of the pelvic floor eventually led to differing abilities in producing ejaculate. This, in turn, led to a much more thorough understanding of the physiological instances of the female anatomy. And of course, the amount of research would only snowball from there. The Validation of Different Types of Orgasms Contrary to popular belief, women all have unique sexual experiences. You may have known this already, but a lot of people have skewed perceptions on the type, frequency, and stimulation required to experience an orgasm. Every woman is unique. And as Dr. Whipple began studying varying orgasms in a wide array of women, she looked not to categorize but to instead validate the different orgasms that were experienced by these women. Again, she stresses during the interview that it wasn’t about saying that X + Y = a clitoral orgasm or to put complete quantitative certainty on various types of orgasms. She documented them, but her overall goal was to promote and validate each unique women and their experiences. For more details on the studies and the metrics she used to validate the orgasms, check the interview out! Hot and Spicy Food Will Make Childbirth More Painful? This interview went to a lot of different places, all of them interesting! And yes, Whipple states that it appears capsaicin blocks the analgesic response the female body undergoes during childbirth. For more interesting tidbits, such as Aristotle’s take on female ejaculation, and information about the man that the G Spot was named after, tune in! Anatomy of the G Spot The ‘G Spot” sort of evolved into an erroneous catch-all term for every woman. As if sexual satisfaction derives from solely finding that magical spot. 30 degrees to the left, 44 degrees to the right, and you have arrived at your destination. But in reality, the “G Spot” is made up of many organs and sensitive tissues, as Whipple states. And besides, not every woman is going to have a similar G Spot in feeling and sensitivity. So, the G Spot has largely become an abstraction for a much more complex and varied anatomical facet in women. The Most Important Take-Home Messages To end the fascinating interview, Beverly wants to communicate to listeners the most important facts she has learned through her years in the field. Some of these are: Each woman is unique in sexual experience. The importance of emphasizing the process of experiencing an orgasm and not the end goal i.e. don’t be goal-driven in your sex life. And many, many more. Definitely give this one a listen! About Beverly Whipple A pioneer in her field, Beverly Whipple is as prolific as she is influential. She has co-authored seven books, one of them being, The G Spot and Other Discoveries About Human Sexuality, which is her most well-known book. And in fact, she played a large role in coining the term ‘G spot’ (short for Gräfenberg spot). Also, due to her impressive work ethic, Dr. Whipple has appeared on hundreds of radio interviews, has been a speaker at hundreds of events, and has published over a hundred articles and writings throughout her career. And even though she is now retired, she is as busy as ever; she still continues to pave the way for women and their right for sexual expression and pleasure. In addition, she writes about women’s health and physiological matters and has been doing so for the last 40+ years. Beverly also has a number of awards under her belt, including the Distinguished Scientific Achievement Award, the Public Service Award and the Kinsey Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS). The list could go on. Her academic qualifications are equally impressive: She has a Ph.D. in Psychobiology, and two Masters: one in Counseling and the other in Nursing, All of this is just scratching the surface on our guest. Take note of what she has to say, you won’t regret it! Key Links for Dr. Beverly Whipple: Links for books: The G Spot and Other Discoveries About Human Sexuality Safe Encounters: How Women can say Yes to Pleasure and No to Unsafe Sex The Science of Orgasm (2006) External Resources Referenced During Show: Goal-Oriented Vs Pleasure-Oriented Sex - https://bettersexpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/circle-stair-graphic.pdf Touch and Pleasure Matrix - https://bettersexpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/touch-graphic.pdf ----- More info: Book and New Course - https://sexwithoutstress.com Web - https://www.bettersexpodcast.com/ Sex Health Quiz - http://sexhealthquiz.com/ If you’re enjoying the podcast and want to be a part of making sure it continues in the future, consider being a patron. With a small monthly pledge, you can support the costs of putting this show together. For as little as $2 per month, you can get advance access to each episode. For just a bit more, you will receive an advance copy of a chapter of my new book. And for $10 per month, you get all that plus an invitation to an online Q&A chat with me once a quarter. Learn more at https://www.patreon.com/bettersexpodcast Better Sex with Jessa Zimmerman https://businessinnovatorsradio.com/better-sex/