Is squirting real?

Charlotte Miller pleasure, sexual intimacy, vagina and vulva

Yes, squirting is real and here’s what you need to know about it

You may have heard of squirting from porn, but is it something that actually happens during sex? The short answer is, yes! It’s real.

What exactly is squirting?

Squirting is a fluid that gushes out of the urethra (yes, the same tube where your pee exits your body) during orgasm or sexual stimulation, usually to the G-spot or clitoris. I say gush, because the liquid comes out fast and there can be a lot of it. Research suggests that the amount can be anything from a few drops to half a cup. Everyone’s body is unique and every time you have sex it’s often different, so the amount of liquid can vary. But most importantly: it feels fantastic.

Isn’t it just pee?

Nope! If you’ve squirted during sex, you might have been worried thinking you’ve peed yourself. Yes, the liquid comes from the same place you pee from, so it does contain a little bit of pee. But the liquid from squirting is not the same as pee.

At Fumble, we believe that squirting is a safe and normal part of how some bodies respond during sex. So it’s important to embrace that squirting happens and we should celebrate it – and not obsess over what, exactly, it is.

Is squirting common?

We don’t know exactly how common it is. But one study found that 30% of people with a vagina have squirted before. Some people squirt, and others don’t. Both are totally normal, and none are right or wrong. If you’re a squirter, first, welcome to the club. Remember it’s completely normal, feels amazing, and is NOT gross. Don’t hold back your climaxes. Enjoy it and own it. You’re basically the Pokémon Squirtle, and that’s pretty cool.

Note: not everyone who has a vagina is a woman, which is why we’ll mostly refer to ‘people with a vagina’ instead of ‘women’ in this article.

Is squirting the same as ejaculation for people with vaginas?

Sexologist, Beverly Whipple and other experts say no. Squirting is usually much more liquid and comes out fast. On the other hand, ejaculation is a small amount of liquid that’s whiteish – it’s secreted from the Skene’s glands which is the equivalent of the prostate in people with a penis. So, there are two different types of liquids. But, all that really matters is that both feel great. Check out this article for more information.

Why don’t we talk about it?

There are a bunch of reasons why we don’t talk openly about squirting:

1. It’s a taboo topic

People seem to be easily offended by the reality that women and people with a vagina experience pleasure during sex. Some people get embarrassed and don’t talk about it, which may explain why you’ve not heard of it.

2. There’s little research on squirting

Surprise, surprise. It’s really hard for scientists to get funding to study sex, especially when it comes pleasure among women and people with a vagina. And the research that does exist has TINY sample sizes. This means we don’t know if their findings are true of everyone with a vagina.

3. People shame squirters

As there’s little research on squirting and we also don’t talk about it, this means there’s a lot of misinformation about squirting. Sometimes if someone squirts during sex, their partner may shame them because they think it’s pee. Again, we don’t really know what it is, so let’s not obsess over it.

4. Some people deny that squirting is real

Say, what? This contributes to the silence around squirting. So, if your partner squirts, celebrate it. And if you squirt, try to enjoy it! It’s great to speak loud and proud of it.

Preparing for squirting

Okay, so even though squirting feels great, it can be annoying to constantly change your bed sheets. So you can try using towels, a yoga mat or absorbent mats before you get down and dirty. Or check out these other creative tricks. Let’s not forget that sex is messy, regardless of whether you squirt or not, so no-one should be making you feel bad about any liquids or mess. And if they do, they’re most probably not worth it. There’s nothing sexier than seeing your partner enjoying sex.

Although there’s a lot more to discover about squirting, we know it’s real and feels fab. So, as long as you’re having fun, and it feels good – keep squirting.