The clitoris is perhaps my favorite body part. Mention it in conversation, and you can visibly watch me light up with joy! 😍
But no matter how much I love the clitoris, there's no denying that it's one of the most underrepresented—if not totally forgotten—body parts the human body can have.
As a result, vulva-havers and vulva-lovers alike are often surprised to find out that the clitoris can actually experience erections. So let's talk about it:
So how does a clitoris become erect?
Believe it or not, this is a question that more traditional sex education probably already answered for you. A clitoral erection works very much like a penile erection. Blood flow to the pelvic region increases, and the anatomy becomes engorged as a direct result of that increased blood flow.
Now, there are some folks out there who think the clitoris is only for pleasure (or for nothing at all 🤮 ), but it's really important to distinguish that erections do not mean arousal. Non-sexual stimulation of the clitoris can cause clitoral engorgement in the same way a person with a penis may experience erections when they're asleep or relaxed.
Sexual arousal is just one way in which we can encourage our bodies to experience a clitoral erection.
Why does the clitoris have erections?
We'll get into the weeds a bit more in a bit but essentially, it boils down to anatomy and tissue.
Side by side, the clitoris's anatomy is almost identical to the penis.
Aside from the clitoris having two bulbs and the penis having one and the size difference, the structures are almost identical. Both body parts have a glans at the tip that comes off of a shaft (or cavernous body), crus, and bulbs made from spongy tissue.
A Round of Applause for the Internal Part of the Clitoris
If you're reading this with your mouth hanging open and thinking, "What? Clitoral erection? Internal part of the clitoris?" you're not alone, and I hold no judgment.
There is a lot of misinformation out there about clitorises, but perhaps one of the most damaging things out there is that "it's a small pea-sized glans on the vulva with 8,000 nerve endings."
Now, I won't go into detail about the nerve endings since that's actually a fact about cow clitorises, but I will say that there is SO MUCH MORE to the clitoris than what meets the eye. Literally.
In fact, the part we see (that bulge under the clitoral hood) is, as many educators like to say, just the tip of the iceberg. Me? I prefer to call it the horn of the unicorn; that is, without it, there's no magic.
So if you're looking at your clit wondering how the hell you've ever experienced a clitoral erection, I'd say it's time you met the rest of the erectile tissues hiding inside your body.
Introducing the internal anatomy of the clitoris:
The Clitoral Shaft
Beyond the clitoral glans, the clitoral shaft leads from the external part of the clitoris to the internal part.
The Corpora Cavernosa
Extending downward and away from the clitoral shaft, two corpus cavernosum (also known as the clitoral legs) rest above the vestibular bulbs of the clitoris. This part of the clitoris is made of erectile tissue filled with blood vessels and ends at the crura.
The Vestibular Bulbs
Just under and slightly behind the clitoral legs sit two sac-like structures of tissue. These bulbs are also made of internal erectile tissue, making them another key player in clitoris erections.
Clitoral Erections Through the Lens of Penile Erections
Now that you have all the names for the internal anatomy of a clitoris, you're in the perfect position to learn two big, fancy words (that are actually really simple):
Homologous? Morphologically Similar? What did you call me?
There are a lot of fancy ways to say the clitoris is very similar to the penis. We can use words like "homologous," which is a big word that simply means "similar in structure." Or we can quote studies that show the clitoris is morphologically similar to the penis—again, just a fancy way of saying they're put together the same way.
No matter which way you choose to say it, the fact remains: the clitoris and the penis are structurally similar, and they experience sexual arousal and erections.
The clitoris is a grower, not a shower
Whether you call it your lady-boner, your enby-boner, your vulvar penis, or something else (I'm partial to clit-boner), your clit does engorge and enlarge when it is erect.
At rest—or flaccid, if you will—the glans may feel soft or appear small. As the erectile tissues become engorged, however, the glans may appear firmer and larger than usual.
Still, if you're grabbing your hand mirror and expecting a visual POP, you may not get it. As a person observing a clitoral erection by way of the glans, you're not going to see much change since the majority of the erectile tissue of the clit is inside the body. So while the glans and the shaft may become noticeably firmer to the touch and you may seem some skin color changes (blood flow = red!), the corpora cavernosa and vestibular bulbs inside the body experience the majority of the enlargement.
Get Your Erection On, Vulva Owners
If there's anything you take from this, let it be this: clitoral erections are a normal byproduct of having a clitoris because they're made of erectile tissue. Erections are not exclusive to penises and are a normal part of both sexual arousal and increased blood flow to a person's pelvis.
Whether this is your first time learning about clitoris erections, or if you were already regularly popping the clitoral hood and enjoying the engine inside, moving beyond the visible part of the clitoris is key to unlocking its full potential.
After all, knowledge is pleasure, and pleasure is power. And with great power comes some pretty sick-ass clit-boners.
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