The Clitoris and Civilization

The clitoris may be responsible for civilization.

Now hear me out, because I am semi-serious. The clitoris is a very odd aspect of female anatomy because it receives limited stimulation during intercourse, the critical act of procreation and proximal cause for all things evolutionary. In fact, 70% of women never have orgasms during intercourse.

Yet, there it is, capable of arousal and even capable of multiple orgasms. Moreover, there is some evidence that the chances of conception increase when an orgasm does accompany intercourse. There is even a video that shows the cervix moving down into a pool of semen during female orgasm, as if to better help get the semen to the destination.

One theory is that the clitoris is just vestigial. Doubtful, as we can see our cousins the Bonobos using them for all kinds of kinky bonding rituals. Instead, a more compelling idea to me is that the haphazard positioning of the clitoris and the time and effort needed to make intercourse and female orgasms compatible are related to female mate choice making. A male who is likely to listen to the woman's desires--and fulfill them--is also a male who will be more of a partner in terms of the long-term childrearing requirements of these big-brained babies.

If this is the case, then we should have seen evolutionary pressures towards greater degrees of compatibility and lower rates of male aggressiveness over time, and increased mid- to long-term partnering.

All because of the clitoris!