Clitoris

The clitoris (often called the clit) is a small, highly sensitive organ near the top of the vulva. Its only known purpose is pleasure — it has no other biological function. It's the main way most people with a vulva experience orgasm.

• The clitoris is the most sensitive part of the vulva, with around 8,000 nerve endings in the external tip alone.
• Most of the clitoris is actually internal — what you can see on the outside is just the tip.
• Its only function is sexual pleasure.
• Most people with a vulva orgasm through clitoral stimulation, not through penetration alone.

[DIAGRAM: Labelled diagram of the vulva with clitoris (glans, hood, and internal structure) highlighted]

What it looks like and where it is

The visible part of the clitoris — called the glans — is a small, rounded nub located where the inner labia meet at the top of the vulva. It's covered by a fold of skin called the clitoral hood, which protects it (similar to how the foreskin covers the glans of the penis). The size of the glans varies from person to person, but it's usually about the size of a pea.

It's bigger than you think

What most people don't realise is that the visible part is only a fraction of the whole clitoris. The full structure extends inside the body and is roughly 10 centimetres long. It has two "legs" (called crura) that reach back along either side of the vaginal opening, and two bulbs of erectile tissue that swell with blood during arousal — just like a penis does during an erection.

The clitoris and the penis actually develop from the same tissue in the womb. They're more similar than most people think.

Why it matters

The clitoris is the primary source of sexual pleasure for most people with a vulva. Research consistently shows that the majority of people with a vulva orgasm through direct or indirect clitoral stimulation — not through vaginal penetration alone. This is completely normal, but it's not something that always gets taught in sex education, which can leave people feeling like something is wrong with them if penetration alone doesn't do it.

Understanding the clitoris matters because it closes the gap between what people see in porn (where penetration is usually centred) and how pleasure actually works for a lot of people. If you or a partner have a vulva, knowing where the clitoris is and that it's the main source of pleasure is genuinely useful information.

Things people get wrong

"The clitoris is tiny." The visible part is small, but the whole organ extends about 10cm inside the body. It's much larger than most people realise.

"Orgasm should come from penetration." For most people with a vulva, it doesn't. Clitoral stimulation is how most orgasms happen. Porn gives a very misleading picture of this.

"Some people don't have a clitoris." Everyone born with a vulva has a clitoris. Size and sensitivity vary, but it's always there.

Things people ask about the clitoris

Where exactly is it?

At the top of the vulva, where the inner labia meet. It's covered by a small hood of skin. If you're looking, it's the small bump above the urethra (where urine comes out) and the vaginal opening.

Is it normal for it to be really sensitive?

Yes — the clitoris has around 8,000 nerve endings packed into a small area, making it extremely sensitive. Some people find direct touch too intense and prefer stimulation through the hood or around the area rather than directly on the glans.

Why don't I orgasm from penetration?

Because most people with a vulva don't. The vagina has far fewer nerve endings than the clitoris. Needing clitoral stimulation to orgasm is the norm, not the exception.

Does the clitoris change during puberty?

Like other parts of the body, the clitoris can grow slightly during puberty as hormone levels change. It also becomes more responsive. This is all normal development.

The clitoris is a small body part that girls and women have. It's between the legs, near the front, tucked under a small fold of skin. Most of the clitoris is actually inside the body, but the part you can see or feel from the outside is very small, about the size of a pea.

It's very sensitive, and its main job is to feel good when touched. It doesn't do anything else. It's the only part of the human body that exists just for pleasure.

The part inside the body is much bigger than people think — about 10 centimetres long. It has parts that stretch along either side, and these parts swell up when someone is turned on, a bit like how a penis gets hard.

The clitoris and the penis actually start out as the same thing in the womb before a baby develops. They're more alike than most people realise.

Most girls and women feel pleasure mainly from this part being touched, not from anything going inside the body. That's completely normal, even though films and other things might make it seem otherwise. If someone doesn't feel much from sex alone, there's nothing wrong — that's just how most bodies work.