Bridgerton Tackles the Orgasm Gap

Season 4 of Bridgerton follows Francesca as she struggles to reach her “pinnacle” with her new husband, and the storyline has prompted discussion among sex therapists about the persistent orgasm gap. Therapists in the article pointed to two main drivers: not enough and not the right kind of clitoral stimulation, noting that women almost always orgasm during masturbation and are more likely to orgasm with women partners than with men.

The piece cites a 2024 study showing men reported higher rates of orgasm during intercourse than women, and mentions a small study in which 93 percent of women with persistent orgasm challenges climaxed when using vibrators. Experts urged couples to redefine sex as exploration and pleasure rather than a scripted sequence, to communicate desires with curiosity rather than defensiveness, and to consider strategies such as masturbating during partnered sex or introducing vibrators into the sexual routine.

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