You’ve probably heard a great deal about the clitoris, including the fact that its primary function for women is…you guessed it, sexual pleasure! But have you learned how to find the clitoris and become acquainted with the clitoral legs? And have you got up close and personal with its erectile tissue during sexual activity? More importantly, have you taken the doorbell pledge?

I will not treat the clitoris like a doorbell. I will not treat the clitoris like a doorbell.

 There is so much to explore beyond the tip of the clitoris, starting with the pubic mound. Though the pubic mound is not a part of the clitoris, when you rub or grind against this area (the fleshy patch above the lips where the pubic hair grows), it can pull on the foreskin/hood of the clitoris to stimulate the shaft on the inside. Below the pubic mound, at the top of the vulva, you will find the clitoral hood (foreskin), which covers and protects the head (clitoral glans). Beneath the hood (or protruding from its opening, you’ll find the head (or glans) of the clitoris. This sensitive nodule is rich in nerve endings, and it’s often referred to as the clitoris. But this is an incomplete description, as the head is only the tip of the iceberg for each person with a clitoris. A small notch of skin called the frenulum connects the head to the internal clitoral shaft. The shaft, which props up the visible head of the clitoris, contains erectile tissue which engorges with blood, resulting in sexual arousal and clitoral boners. 

That’s right! Clitorises get erections too! And you’ve likely already noticed that clitorises and penises share many of the same parts, from the external head and foreskin to the internal corpora cavernosa that fill will blood during an erection or as a result of sexual arousal. As you travel along the shaft of the clitoris, you’ll run into its deeper internal components: the legs and bulbs/vestibules, which also swell with sexual pleasure when aroused. The bulbs lie beneath the lips, and the legs extend into the body, pointing toward the thighs when unaroused and stretching back to double in size when erect. The engorgement of the bulbs can also cause the lips of the vulva for women to swell and expand outward, which can create a tightening sensation around the outer third of the vagina, sometimes referred to as the vagina’s orgasmic platform.    Since the clitoris is more than its small head that can protrude at the top of the vulva, you probably want to stimulate the entire clitoral complex during sexual activity — not only its head. So please do not ring the clitoral head like a doorbell, elevator button, deejay booth, or phone keypad (unless specifically asked to do so). Instead, consider these techniques to enhance female pleasure, increase clitoral sensations, and ultimately, your partner's stronger orgasms:

• Wrap your hand right around the vulva to begin clitoral stimulation. Start with your palm on your pubic mound and press your fingers over the lips to create a warm pocket that envelops the head, hood, and shaft up top and can put pressure on the internal bulbs via the labia. You can do this over clothing or underwear with a dry hand or add a few drops of your favorite lube on bare skin.
• Roll a bullet vibe across the lips from side to side. Lay it flat against the vulva (like a rolling pin), add a few drops of lube, and press your palm as you roll and vibe.
• Add some shallow internal clitoral stimulation. The swollen vestibular bulbs and legs can receive corollary stimulation via the vaginal canal. Try crossing your index and middle finger and inserting them slowly and sensually, only as deep as your second knuckle. You can rotate gently from the wrist or slide in and out following the lead of your lover’s hips.
• Trace the tip of a lubed-up finger or tongue during oral sex, all around the vulva in a figure-eight pattern paying a little extra attention to the very top and bottom of where the lips meet. At the top, you’ll find the clitoral head; at the bottom, you’ll find the sensitive tissue of la fourchette.
• During oral sex, suck the head of the clitoris gently between your lips (or roll your tongue around it in a tube). Start with the most gentle suction possible and increase the intensity as your lover becomes more aroused. Combine this suction with finger play and pressure guided by the rhythm of their hips for more satisfying orgasms.

However you tour the clitoris, make sure that physical stimulation is complemented by open communication for stronger sexual responses. Ask questions. Remain curious. Be open to feedback. Don’t make assumptions based on what you’ve seen in porn or experience with previous female lovers and remember that what feels great on a Monday morning might not be as pleasurable on Thursday night. Although all clitorises may have structural components in common, no two are alike, so keep an open mind as you continue to explore for pleasure’s sake.