Squirter? We Hardly Know Her!

Curiosity around human sexuality is a beautiful thing. It can help us uncover our desires, connect with others, and learn about our bodies. This curiosity also often leads us to ask, "But what is it?" about one particularly enigmatic sexual experience - squirting. There are plenty of reasons to be fascinated by squirting including personal interest, the debate of what’s really in squirting fluid, and the almost-mythologised idea that squirting is the ultimate expression of orgasm. Thanks to urologists and some very committed people to the squirt lifestyle, we have some answers.

What is Squirting?

Squirting is the sudden release of fluid from the urethra of someone with a vulva during sexual stimulation. It can happen during an orgasm or with sustained stimulation after an orgasm. The amount of fluid released during squirting varies between tens to hundreds of millilitres and may or may not require you to seriously consider buying a mattress cover or blanket protector. This release of fluid is distinct from the gradual vaginal lubrication that takes place during sexual arousal as well as from ejaculation during orgasm, sometimes referred to as female ejaculation.

While squirting is its own special phenomenon, it takes place when vaginal lubrication has likely already happened and probably after an orgasm or two. The diverse mix of multiple fluids in such close quarters has meant that researchers have been weary to draw any big conclusions about what is really in the fluid we squirt. However, our demands to uncover the complexity of squirting and of pleasure has told us a few things for certain.

Yes, There’s Pee. 

Using ultrasounds, one study from the Association Interdisciplinaire post-Universitaire de Sexologie in France measured the fullness of bladders before and after squirting. Researchers found that bladders were noticeably emptied after squirting, however the fluid released during squirting was likely to contain prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein that is not present in regular urine. PSA comes from the paraurethral or Skene’s glands, two glands nestled up closely to the urethra that are given credit for lubrication and ejaculate fluid. Along with PSA, squirting fluid also contains uric acid, urea, creatinine (three things found in urine) and glucose and fructose (found in ejaculate fluid during orgasm for all genders). Another more invasive study from the Japanese Urological Association involved injecting blue dye into the bladders of participants before they squirted. In all cases, participants who were able to squirt indeed squirted blue fluid (I hope they were protecting their sheets!).

Squirting fluid contains components of urine, but isn’t itself urine. The conclusion that squirting fluid partially originates in the bladder may not be the news everyone wants to hear. But it’s exciting for more than one reason.

A Possible Defence Against UTIs

You have likely heard before that you should “pee after sex” to avoid urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs are caused by bacteria entering the urethra and this often happens during sex, especially penetration. People with vulvas are more likely to experience UTIs because their urethras are shorter in length compared to people with penises, so the bacteria has an easier time spreading. Peeing after sex flushes your urethra which protects you from this bacteria. The fact that the urethra is the pathway squirting takes means that if you squirt, you are already flushing out possible bacteria you encounter during sex. While you should still pee when you’ve finished, anyone who has suffered from a UTI will likely take any contribution to urinary tract health they can get!

The Fascination with Squirting as Feminist Exploration

A second and much greater benefit to the discussion around squirting is taboo-breaking. Thanks to misogyny, discussions of pleasure for people with vulvas are rare, under-studied, and often layered with objectification and stigma. The vagina and vulva are mostly studied by researchers solely as sites for reproduction, and we have never paid as much attention to pleasure as a sexual function for women participants of studies as we have men.

This desire to uncover the mysteries of squirting has meant that we have seen more studies in recent years. More information is never a bad thing, in fact, it can equip us to feel more connected to our bodies and access new levels of empowerment and pleasure. If you feel a bit embarrassed by the topic of squirting but still want to learn, just know you are doing the feminist work of confronting shame and purity culture. This is radical.

However, we can’t put squirting on too high of a pedestal. While squirting can be learned and practiced with mindfulness, flexing certain muscles in your pelvic floor, and patience, it won’t come easily to all. Sex and pleasure are infinitely diverse. If we continue to prescribe a fantastical level of attention to squirting, we can create unrealistic expectations of ourselves and our sexual partners. And unrealistic expectations never help us out in the bedroom. Some people can squirt, and some people won’t. But there’s only one very fun way to find out if you can!