Should the Clitoris become a Vestigial Organ by Personal Psychological Clitoridectomy? A Critical Examination of the Literature

Should the Clitoris become a Vestigial Organ by Personal ‘Psychological Clitoridectomy’? A Critical Examination of the Literature

An extensive series of papers by Brody and co-workers using questionnaires have correlated penile vaginal intercourse (PVI) and clitoral stimulation with various female functions and malfunctions. A major claim is that only PVI ‘competently performed and sensitively experienced’ leading to orgasm is ‘associated with, and in some cases, causes processes associated with better psychological and physical functioning’. Clitoral stimulation to orgasm per se or to facilitate orgasm even during PVI, however, is not beneficial to women’s, psychological, interpersonal or behavioural health and can lead to ‘noxious consequences’. Recently, as correlations are no guarantee of causation, independent studies have not confirmed some of their claims.