5 Things You Don’t Know About Your Clitoris

May is Masturbation Month, and I think it’s about time we took to celebrating our clits a little more seriously.

Whether you agree with me or not, your clitoris is your best friend. That little, hidden part of your anatomy can send you into absolute bliss and relief, sometimes multiple times, without asking for anything in return. Nestled in the face of your vulva, the clitoris is one of the most under-appreciated parts of our bodies. Women, some trans men, intersex or genderqueer folks, and all others blessed with a clitoris — it’s time to wise up on our cliteracy and be okay with talking about sex and our enjoyment of pleasure.

This starts with getting to know the only organ whose sole purpose is pleasure: the clitoris. The all-things-sex-goddess herself, Betty Dodson, cites the clit as the “primary source for women’s pleasure.” The cliteracy movement has gained even more ground recently, as expressed in the works by artist Sophia Wallace. Her 2012 piece, “CLITERACY, 100 Natural Laws" is a mixed-media project that explores a paradox: the global obsession with sexualizing female bodies in a world that is illiterate when it comes to female sexuality.” And, that’s our unfortunate truth.

Too many of us are illiterate about sexuality in general, and the power of the clitoris in particular. Even though your clitoris isn’t your body's only source of pleasure, being "cliterate" in a sexually partisan world is one thing you should definitely do for the benefit of your own sexual health and interest.

When was the first time you discovered your clitoris? When was the last time you looked at your vulva? Have you really unmasked its immense potential for pleasure? The power of the orgasm and its healing effects are magic, and so much of this is owed to the mighty clitoris. Because almost everyone can orgasm via the clitoris, but not everyone can orgasm without it.