Why The G-Spot Is (and isn't) Important

Every once in a while some study, book or discussion comes up concerning the legendary G-Spot, a remarkable and possibly mythical structure within the female body that is capable of resulting in intense sexual pleasure when stimulated. Some people believe it exists, some people don't, and scientific studies have come up inconclusive on the topic. So, does the G-Spot actually exist and is it even important whether or not it does?

To start, what exactly is the G-Spot supposed to be? Well, it all goes back to the year 1950 when an influential German gynecologist named Ernst Granfenberg (who, among other things, developed the Intrauterine Device which has since revolutionized obstetrics) published a paper hypothesizing on the existence of a structure in the anterior wall of the vagina that was capable of producing intense pleasure when externally stimulated. Grafenberg did extensive studies into the nature of the female orgasm and he was a vocal proponent of the belief that female sexual pleasure had a not insignificant relation to the urethra, which would explain the G-Spot's supposed location. The term didn't become part of popular sexual parlance until the mid-1980's when some magazine editors caught wind of it.

Since the studies of Dr. Grafenberg, science has come a long way in its understanding of human sexuality, especially concerning the female experience. We know today that the clitoris, a verifiable bundle of nerves, is certainly responsible for a significant amount of sexual pleasure experienced by women. In fact, the G-Spot may very well just be an extension of clitoral nerves deeper into the body, a prototypical feature that exists in some, but not all, women.

The problem is that a number of studies conducted to explore the potential existence of the G-Spot have been more sociological than biological. Many of the most widely publicized studies are little more than surveys that ask a sample group of women whether or not they believe they possess a G-Spot. Of course, it is both ethically questionable and maybe scientifically impossible to test for the existence of the structure by stimulation, as both the location of the G-Spot and the sensation it is supposed to produce have never been firmly defined.

But I personally don't think that the most important question is whether or not the G-Spot exists. Culturally, an individual's ability to "find" the spot has been the biggest concern. It's a legendary benchmark for good lovers. If a woman's partner is said to have found the G-Spot, he or she is considered a good, attentive sexual partner. So, even if the G-Spot doesn't exist (and I'm not convinced that it does or doesn't), the importance of it in our cultural attitudes is as an impetus to be better lovers to our female partners. It's an indication that our society values female sexual pleasure, which certainly can't be said for the whole of human history.

As of today, some 53% of women surveyed claim to believe they possess a G-Spot. The best thing for society at large to do with this information is to stop obsessing over whether or not the structure exists in the true, biological sense and simply promote a social atmosphere in which the G-Spot, a pleasure center, is a good thing if it does indeed exist, but is also not a deficiency in a woman who doesn't believe she has one (or for a guy who can't seem to find it).