# Do women get spontaneous clitoral erections? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 20, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729 "2010-02-20T03:31:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/1 "2010-02-20T03:31:32Z")
Has anyone ever tried to find out? I say that because as a woman myself, I have no clue. Men report that they can get erections without the slightest sexual feeling attached … but of course they are aware of it because it’s so obvious. As a girl, I have no clue I’m erect when I’m aroused, I would hardly know if I was erect when I’m NOT aroused. So…anyone know? And have we ever had an “Ask the post-op transexual” thread? Anyone want to volunteer? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/2 "2010-02-20T04:20:02Z")
Just as men get penile erections during REM (dreaming sleep), so do women get clitoral erections. In fact it is one of the best indicators of REM sleep. From [Wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_eye_movement_sleep) on REM sleep: > [@](#): > > In females, erection of the clitoris (nocturnal clitoral tumescence or NCT) causes enlargement, with accompanying vaginal blood flow and transudation (i.e. lubrication). During a normal night of sleep the penis and clitoris may be erect for a total time of from one hour to as long as three and a half hours during REM. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/3 "2010-02-20T05:51:16Z")
> [@](#): > > In fact it is one of the best indicators of REM sleep. Huh, and I would have thought the best indicator would be the, you know, rapid eye movement. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/4 "2010-02-20T13:26:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Huh, and I would have thought the best indicator would be the, you know, rapid eye movement. Colibri’s method is much more entertaining for the researcher, and enables you to request more money for the research grant. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/5 "2010-02-20T13:58:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Huh, and I would have thought the best indicator would be the, you know, rapid eye movement. Yea but that’s not as much fun to check for. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/6 "2010-02-20T14:47:49Z")
I’d think that most people would rather have electrodes attached to their penis or clitoris than their eyelids. What? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/7 "2010-02-20T15:53:41Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Colibri’s method is much more entertaining for the researcher, and enables you to request more money for the research grant. I recall reading a study in the 1970’s. Even back then, this sort of topic interested some researchers. They attached sensors around penises to measure arousal. They also measured “lubrication” of women. Then they showed them pictures designed to arouse and measured arousal and also asked them if they were aroused or felt aroused. (Hmmm.. “I’d like to thank the NRC and the Faculty of Medicine for buying my porn collection…”) The conclusion they reached was that women were aroused as often as men, but most women were not as easily aware as men that they were exhibiting arousal symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-get-spontaneous-clitoral-erections/529729/8 "2010-02-20T15:57:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Huh, and I would have thought the best indicator would be the, you know, rapid eye movement. Of course, but I said “one of the best.”