Orgasm and Faking Orgasm: Heterosexual Interactions in China

This article examines the prevalence and correlates of orgasm and faking orgasm in the last year among a representative sample of Chinese men and women. Existing research on orgasm in China has largely been confined to medical research. To our knowledge, no published studies have examined faking orgasm in a Chinese context. These data come from the Chinese Health and Family Life Survey (CHFLS) conducted in 1999 and 2000. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify independent correlates of orgasm and faking orgasm among 1496 women and 1497 men, ages 20-64. In accounting for orgasm and faking orgasm in China, we found evidence that men and women are trying to manage social expectations and to act in accordance with gender expectations, consistent with research in other countries. Results provide insight into how specific sexual practices (e.g., oral sex) and interactional pressures (e.g., insecurity) are correlated with orgasm and faking orgasm. Findings pave the way for future research on the presence of gender inequality as evidenced through lower orgasm rates among women and higher rates of faking orgasm. These findings have implications for how we conceptualize and study gendered and interactional components of sex, which are often overlooked in research and programmatic efforts in China.