# Can some people have orgasms without genital stimulation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 6, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286 "2017-06-06T18:28:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/1 "2017-06-06T18:28:20Z")
> **[Can some people have orgasms without genital stimulation?](https://www.straightdope.com/21343674/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation)** Thought we had a thread on this awhile back, but couldn’t find it. I’ve posted this because the May 2000 column is back on the front page. And why didn’t I ever meet one of these women in my college days…? I noticed a typo in the last bulleted paragraph: “Several women w — e multiorgasmic and at least one occasionally ejaculated.” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/2 "2017-06-06T19:13:01Z")
From what I’ve read, one woman once said she had an orgasm when her husband simply embraced her from behind, and another woman said that even merely thinking certain thoughts made her have orgasms, no physical stimulation. So maybe women are more on both ends of the spectrum than men: Some women have a very difficult time getting an orgasm, but some others get them even more easily, far more easily, than men. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/3 "2017-06-06T19:50:08Z")
[Previous threads](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=498539&highlight=orgasm) on [the subject.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=423397&highlight=orgasm) ---
**Author:** ![Major\_Matt\_Mason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@Major\_Matt\_Mason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Major_Matt_Mason)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/4 "2017-06-06T22:54:15Z")
I’m minded of the old Buddy Hackett bit on the Johnny Carson show… “Everytime you SNEEZE? What are you taking for it?” “Pepper!” -MMM- ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/5 "2017-06-07T00:21:59Z")
supposedly a optometrist told me one of the most sensitive areas on a woman was on the side of her head around her ears …he found that out when he fitted them or glasses …supposedly hed got a date or two that way ---
**Author:** ![wendelenn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/58f4c7/32.png) [@wendelenn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wendelenn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2017, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/6 "2017-06-07T01:53:41Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > supposedly a optometrist told me one of the most sensitive areas on a woman was on the side of her head around her ears …he found that out when he fitted them or glasses …supposedly hed got a date or two that way He’s an optometrist for Ferengis? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Warm\_blood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Warm\_blood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Warm_blood)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/7 "2017-06-09T00:09:27Z")
I do. Well my genitals are stimulated, but not by physical touch. Images and thoughts are enough to get me off. I think Lady Gaga also claimed to be able to do this, but people laughed it off as another fanciful tale of hers. It’s apparently rare if most people scoff at the likelihood of such a thing happening. But it’s definitely possible, because some of us can achieve it. Apologies for the TMI, but I wanted to share for the purpose of providing useful insight to the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/8 "2017-06-09T00:28:25Z")
I have. I doubt I could do it at my age now though. TMI. I know. I don’t know why it should be such a mystery. A lot of sexuality is in the mind. It’s like the old joke of guys trying to think of baseball statistics or something in order to last longer. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/9 "2017-06-09T00:49:38Z")
It’s rare, but it happens. You might want to try reading Bonk (The Curious Coupling of Sex and Science), by Mary Roach. Visualized orgasms are only part of one chapter, but the rest of the book is interesting. Some parts are hilarious. Apparently the effectiveness of artificial insemination in pigs is much higher if . . . but that would be spoilers. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/10 "2017-06-09T03:33:25Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > So maybe women are more on both ends of the spectrum than men: Some women have a very difficult time getting an orgasm, but some others get them even more easily, far more easily, than men. I seem to recall reading somewhere that while men are highly visual, women need to be psychologically engaged in order to get turned on; one of the reasons porn is so popular with men and erotic fiction is so popular with women. One of the great blessings of my life is I’m apparently in this relatively small minority of women for whom multiple orgasms are common. I always felt bad for men since they can only have one, but then I learned that a lot of women don’t get _any._ And thanks to my vivid imagination, I have definitely had orgasms without genital stimulation, but it’s usually right upon waking… Wait, doesn’t that happen to all men during puberty? What else is a ‘‘wet dream’’? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/11 "2017-06-09T03:36:17Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I seem to recall reading somewhere that while men are highly visual, women need to be psychologically engaged in order to get turned on… Women need a reason to have sex; men need a place. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2017, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/12 "2017-06-09T09:48:32Z")
title says “people” but the column seems to be specifically talking about women. 'cos I think most guys have had this happen at least once in their lives. ---
**Author:** ![sbunny8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@sbunny8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sbunny8)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/13 "2017-06-13T19:24:05Z")
I’ve dated women who were able to have an orgasm just by thinking sexy thoughts. (e.g. phone sex, no touching required). FWIW, I read a sci-fi novel where, in the not-too-distant future, thinking yourself into an orgasm was a skill taught in sex ed class to both boys and girls. I can’t remember the name of the book. It was about humans being a bit too coddled by robots. Learning to read and write was against the law (I don’t remember why). The head robot wanted to commit suicide but couldn’t bring himself to do it because he was programmed to never abandon the humans. Then he discovered that, due to a mistake, all humans everywhere were being given contraceptives in their drinking water. He decided to let the mistake continue, hoping that Homo Sapiens would go extinct, after which he would finally be able to kill himself. No babies were born for thirties years. Then, spoiler alert, the hero of the novel (a human) figured out what was going on and made a deal with the head robot: get rid of the contraceptives and I’ll put you out of your misery by pushing you off the Empire State building. HEA. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/14 "2017-06-13T20:02:33Z")
Had a GF, about 30 years back, who had orgasms when I came in her mouth. (I believe I’ve mentioned this before on these boards, back in the early days of the Dope.) How did I know she wasn’t bullshitting me, you ask. (A reasonable question!) The answer is, she ejaculated when she had orgasms. The proof was in the soaked sheets. You know the old saying, “Don’t stick your dick in the crazy”? She was crazy, alright, but sometimes there’s sufficient reason to ignore old sayings. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/15 "2017-06-14T00:03:36Z")
So…what’s happening when someone has a wet dream? I thought we weren’t supposed to be able to move when we dreamed, which would argue against the person masturbating in their sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/16 "2017-06-14T00:21:23Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > So…what’s happening when someone has a wet dream? I thought we weren’t supposed to be able to move when we dreamed, which would argue against the person masturbating in their sleep. No movement required; it’s all in the mind. I’m fairly confident my first one involved Ann-Margret and the baked bean scene from “Tommy.” ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/17 "2017-06-14T00:29:23Z")
Isn’t “premature ejaculation” pretty much exactly what the OP is asking about? I think this condition, like most things, probably exists on a spectrum. While I don’t think 100% of PE sufferers would fit the OP’s question, I’m sure that at least a percentage “achieve” ejaculation/orgasm without _any_ direct physical stimulation at all. ETA: I see that the OP is asking more about “non premature” orgasms sans physical stimulation. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/18 "2017-06-14T08:35:21Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Wait, doesn’t that happen to all men during puberty? What else is a ‘‘wet dream’’? That’s usually during the dream, not upon waking. It also can happen without the person being aware of it at all. Anyone can orgasm under hypnosis, and I’d consider that a similar state. No one mentions that, so I assume they are always talking about something else–either sufficient mental stimulation, or physical stimulation of another body part. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/19 "2017-06-14T20:21:04Z")
Um…yeah. [Someone even wrote a song about it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLnWf1sQkjY) Seriously, I feel fortunate that I have a partner who is, shall we say, “easily amused.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-some-people-have-orgasms-without-genital-stimulation/788286/20 "2017-06-15T01:34:58Z")
[addressed upthread…]