The 'hysterical'
History of the Clitoris
Hippocrates referred to the clitoris as "columella" or "little pillar."
Hippocrates
Galen theorised that female anatomy is an inverted version of male anatomy, ignoring the existence of the clitoris as a distinct anatomical structure.
Aelius Galenus
Rufus of Ephesus identified the clitoris and noted its link to female pleasure.
Rufus of Ephesus
The clitoris was labelled the "devil's teat" in a witch-hunting manual, tying it to superstition.
The 'devil's teat'
Anatomist Andreas Vasalius denied the significance of the clitoris, considering it as a rare anomaly not found in healthy women.
A rare anomaly
Charles Estienne described the clitoris as a “shameful member” in one of the earliest dissections.
Charles Estienne
Realdo Colombo claimed to have "discovered" the clitoris, calling it "the seat of female delight".
Realdo Colombo
Reginer De Graff published early illustrations of the clitoris.
Reginer De Graff
Women diagnosed with "hysteria" were subjected to clitoridectomies (removal of the clitoral glans).
What's all this 'hysteria'???
Geog Ludwig Kobelt published an accurate description of the function of the clitoris, as well as accurate illustrations.
Geog Ludwig Kobelt
The clitoris, which had previously been minimally mentioned, disappeared from medical textbook Gray’s Anatomy, only to conservatively reappear decades later during the 1960s.
The clitoris goes missing!
Feminists studied their own bodies, challenged anatomy texts, and emphasized the clitoris in works like 'Our Bodies, Ourselves'.
Feminists challenge anatomy
A worm-like, unlabelled part of the body assumed to be the clitoris reappears in the 27th edition of Gray’s Anatomy, incorrectly depicted.
Inaccurate and unlabelled
Professor Helen O’Connell became Australia’s first female urologist and discovered a lack of accurate information about the clitoris, raising concerns about the implications for pelvic surgery.
Cue the groundbreaking Professor Helen O'Connell
Melbourne-based urologist, Professor Helen O’Connell mapped the entire clitoris and its nerve endings, via cadaveric dissections.
Professor Helen O’Connell maps the entire clitoris
MRI reveals detailed evidence
Professor Helen O’Connell used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans to map blood flow in the clitoris, revealing further detailed evidence of the structure.
Gray's Anatomy – 40 editions to get it right
The first fully labelled clitoris since 1947 appears in the 40th Edition of Gray’s Anatomy.
Another 3D view
The first 3D ultrasound of the engorged clitoris was conducted.
International Cliteratti was formed
International Cliteratti was formed. This global group includes leading medical professionals, academics and vulva and clitoris model makers who have a shared aim of translating medical knowledge into accessible format for all people
Erection? We think not
Research showed the suspensory ligament keeps the clitoris bent, challenging the idea of clitoral "erection".
Cliterate model is launched
The Cliterate model was launched.
A lot of nerve!
The number of clitoral nerves was found to be 10,280, not 8,000 as previously believed.
More P's than C's - not very PC!
A January, 2025 PubMed search yields 2,780 published studies on the clitoris, versus 56,443 on the penis. Despite progress, the clitoris is still omitted or largely underrepresented in medical and anatomical texts.
The history of the clitoris is quite the story. It’s marked by periods of discovery, misinformation, and deliberate omission from medical texts.
From ancient anatomical drawings to the suppression of its significance in the 19th and 20th centuries, the clitoris has often been shrouded in mystery and taboo.
The good news? Recent decades have seen a resurgence of research and recognition, the mapping of its anatomical structure and function and a growing understanding of the role of the clitoris in sexual health and pleasure.
Fair warning: There’s a lot of white men with beards in this timeline.
References:
Boston Women's Health Book Collective. (1973). Our bodies, ourselves: A book by and for women. Simon & Schuster.
Blechner, M. J. (2017). The clitoris: Anatomical and psychological issues. Studies in Gender & Sexuality, 18(3), 190–200. https://doi.org/10.1080/15240657.2017.1349509
Botter, C., Botter, M., Pizza, C., Charpy, C., Pineau, V., La Padula, S., Meningaud, J. P., & Hersant, B. (2022). The suspensory ligament of the clitoris: A new anatomical and histological description. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 19(1), 12-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.10.002
Charlier, P., Deo, S., & Perciaccante, A. (2020). A brief history of the clitoris. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(1), 47–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01638-6
De Graaf, R. (1672). De mulierum organis generationi inservientibus [On the organs of generation in women]. Ex Officina Hackiana.
Foldes, P., & Buisson, O. (2009). The clitoral complex: A dynamic sonographic study. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 6(5), 1223–1231. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01231.x
Gray, H. (1948). Gray’s anatomy: Descriptive and applied (25th ed., revised by T. B. Johnston & J. Whillis). Longmans, Green & Co.
Gray, H. (1963). Gray’s anatomy: Descriptive and applied (D. V. Davies, Ed.). Longmans.
Laqueur, T. (1990). Making sex: Body and gender from the Greeks to Freud. Harvard University Press.
Mazloomdoost, D., & Pauls, R. N. (2015). A comprehensive review of the clitoris and its role in female sexual function. Sexual Medicine Reviews, 3(4), 245–263. https://doi.org/10.1002/smrj.35
O’Connell, H. E., Hutson, J. M., Anderson, C. R., & Plenter, R. J. (1998). Anatomical relationship between urethra and clitoris. The Journal of Urology, 159(6), 1892-1897. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(01)63188-4
O’Connell, H. E., Sanjeevan, K. V., & Hutson, J. M. (2005). Anatomy of the clitoris. The Journal of Urology, 174(4), 1189-1195. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ju.0000173639.38898.cd
Sprenger, J., & Kramer, H. (1487). The Malleus Maleficarum (M. Summers, Trans.). Dover Publications. (Original work published 1487)
Standring, S. (Ed.). (2008). Gray’s anatomy: The anatomical basis of clinical practice (40th ed.). Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
Stringer, M. D., & Becker, J. M. (2019). Colombo and the clitoris: An anatomical renaissance. The Lancet, 393(10171), 1464-1465. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30547-6
Uloko, M., Isabey, E. P., & Peters, B. R. (2023). How many nerve fibers innervate the human glans clitoris: A histomorphometric evaluation of the dorsal nerve of the clitoris. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 20(3), 247-252. https://doi.org/10.1093/jsxmed/qdac027
Vesalius, A. (1543). De humani corporis fabrica libri septem [On the fabric of the human body]. Johannes Oporinus.