Each month, columnist Tasha Falconer answers your question on topics about sexual health
Q: So… do women really fake orgasms?
A: It’s likely that people of all genders fake orgasms…
Unfortunately, we currently only have data on cis-men and cis-women, with most of the research being on cis-women. A study out of the University of Kansas found that females were more likely to have faked an orgasm than males, with 25 per cent of undergraduate males and 50 per cent of undergraduate females having faked orgasm. Zava, a healthcare organization, found that straight women were more likely than bisexual or gay women to fake orgasm, and that gay and bisexual men were more likely to fake orgasm than straight men.
The University of Kansas study found that people faked orgasms during various sexual activities including oral sex and manual stimulation, but most of this heterosexual sample faked orgasms during penile-vaginal intercourse.
There are many different methods of faking orgasm, and many people use multiple methods. There are three main ways in which people act out orgasm, which are bodily acting, vocal acting, and verbal acting.
Bodily and vocal acting are most common. Females tend to moan and breathe faster and harder. Additionally, people may tell their partner they orgasmed when they did not, or else say something positive about their partner or the experience.
An important consideration is why people fake orgasms. Four main reasons people fake orgasms are that their orgasm is unlikely or taking too long, they want sex to end, they want to avoid a negative consequence, and they want a positive reaction from their partner. Common reasons for wanting sex to end include being tired or bored. Females are more likely than males to want to avoid a negative consequence, such as hurting their partner’s feelings. It is worth noting that faking orgasm was not related to one’s ability to reach orgasm with a partner.
Orgasm and pleasure are not synonymous. Therefore, an orgasm is not needed for pleasure during sexual activity. Communicating with your partner can help ensure you both experience pleasure.
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