Xref: utzoo alt.sex:24139 sci.bio:4306 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!rutgers!njin!paul.rutgers.edu!yoko.rutgers.edu!bohannon From: bohannon@yoko.rutgers.edu (Philip Bohannon) Newsgroups: alt.sex,sci.bio Subject: Re: Evolution & female orgasm Message-ID: Date: 22 Jan 91 07:34:11 GMT References: <1178@ai.cs.utexas.edu> <1991Jan21.202957.10822@yenta.alb.nm.us> Followup-To: alt.sex Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J. Lines: 40 In article <1991Jan21.202957.10822@yenta.alb.nm.us> synth@yenta.alb.nm.us (Synth F. Oberheim) writes: > >And if > >prehistoric women mostly didn't have orgasm when mating, why did the > >capacity for female orgasm evolve? > > It didn't biologically evolve out of nothing. Think of it as being > dormant, but always there. > I find it makes sense to look at it this way: Evolution rewards those genetic characteristics which lead to (healthy, surviving) children. Getting lots of endorphins out of sex leads to more sex more often leads to more children, so pleasure from sex is (was?) an A+ survival characteristic. Why no orgasm every time? Look at it from the DNA's point of view: A male's DNA has the best chance of surviving if it gets distributed to a bunch of women of childbearing age. A female's DNA has a whole different 'idea' -- it would like some useful DNA to combine with, and thus a big, strong, smart, and thus 'attractive' mate should lead to more sexaul arousal and a better chance of orgasm. If smart males are more likely to figure out clitoral stimulation, so much the better. BTW: I bet a nickel female orgasms have been rediscovered a million times over the last million years. They're in style now, and I vote we keep it that way. Disclaimer: With the exception of that last, this is 'academic' speculation and has very fucking little to do with how I understand the role of sex in our society and my life. For example, someone could start with the above, and decide women should stick to their 'natural' roles like monogamy and child care, or some other sexist bullshit like that. Let's hear it for the 20th century survival characteristic of not blowing ourselves up. Philip Bohannon (bohannon@paul.rutgers.edu)