Counterfeit pleasures: fake orgasm and queer agency

“It Feels So Good It Almost Hurts”: Young Adults' Experiences of Orgasm and Sexual Pleasure

“…Previous research has understood and theorized faking orgasm as a gendered phenomenon, wherein (heterosexual) women perform an emotional/physical labor -faking orgasm -in order to preserve the (fragile) ego of their male partner by situating them as skilled and able as lovers, or to create a positive emotional experience for them, or to avoid negative social interactions (Bryan, 2001;Cacchione, 2007;Fahs, 2011;Hite, 1976;Roberts et al, 1995;Wiederman, 1997). Although our data reveal 'faking' not exclusively to be the domain of women (see also Jagose, 2010 andZilbergeld, 1999), it was practiced by a majority of (female) participants (see also Wiederman, 1997), and this practice was strongly gendered. The data suggest a difficulty in simply not experiencing an orgasm with a partner, particularly for women, raising the question of choice and obligation in relation to sexual interaction (Braun et al, 2003).…”

“…The data suggest a difficulty in simply not experiencing an orgasm with a partner, particularly for women, raising the question of choice and obligation in relation to sexual interaction (Braun et al, 2003). Although a typical feminist analysis of the gendered practice of faking orgasm renders it highly problematic in many ways, Jagose's (2010) innovative theorization of faking orgasm as potentially also an act of agency (Gavey, 2012) provides an interesting framework for thinking differently about how we might understand the what the gendering of faked orgasm might mean for (hetero)sex. That remains a project best explored in future research.…”

“…Other reasons around faking orgasm include wanting to appear normal (Bryan, 2001;Darling & Davidson, 1986;Hite, 1976;Shaefer, 1973;Thompson & Muehlenhard, 2003;Wiederman, 1997), enhancing sexual excitement for themselves and their partner (Bryan, 2001;Hite, 1976;Wiederman, 1997), and because orgasm was unlikely (Muehlenhard & Shippee, 2010), and they wanted sex to end (Bryan, 2001;Hite, 1976;Muehlenhard & Shippee;Shaefer, 1973). Orgasm -'real' or 'faked' -is recognized as having a strongly performative element (Cacchione, 2007;Duncombe & Marsden, 1996;Jackson & Scott, 2007;Jagose, 2010), where the required performance -of what sex/orgasm ought to be -is both learned and then necessarily displayed. Cacchione (2007) captured this by theorizing faking orgasm around the concept of 'performance work,' as one of three types of 'sex work' women with sexual 'difficulties' engaged in.…”

Orgasmic Bodies

“…There is some evidence that lesbian women fake orgasm (Califia, 1979;Fahs, 2011;Schreurs, 1993) and there is no reason to think that some of the men who fake are not simulating orgasm during sex with other men (although this is difficult to discern from the limited literature). But, this does not detract from fake orgasm as a traditionally feminine practice nor does it preclude an analysis of faking as paradigmatically heterosexual (Jagose, 2010). Despite the prevalence of faking orgasm, the dominant cultural story about this practice is that it is outdated, disappearing and soon to be extinct (Jagose, 2010).…”

“…Nonetheless, some agree that contemporary discourse espouses the view that a good relationship will be equal and intimate and that equality is necessary for intimacy. Thus, contemporary heterosexual relationships can be said to be characterised by an ethic of reciprocity (Jagose, 2010).…”