The Orgasm Gap: What Is It, And Why Does It Exist?

Do you tend to orgasm more — or less — frequently than your partner? The orgasm gap might seem simple, but it’s complicated. Just like the contributing factors behind why the orgasm gap exists and how to close it.

When was the last time you had an orgasm with your partner? When you have partnered sex, do you tend to orgasm more — or less — frequently than they do? These questions are key to unlocking whether there’s an ‘orgasm gap’ in your relationship. While we hope there’s orgasm equality in your relationships, studies have shown that in heterosexual relationships, men tend to have orgasms more frequently than their female partners — a lot more.

What is the orgasm gap?

The statistical difference between the frequency and number of orgasms that heterosexual men and heterosexual women have is known as the orgasm gap. This disparity is often referred to as the orgasm gap, orgasmic gap, or pleasure gap. The ‘orgasm gap’ is a term coined recently by University of Florida professor Laurie Mintz who discusses this orgasm disparity in her book Becoming Cliterate: Why Orgasm Equality Matters — And How to Get It.