Wade and collaborators were the first to introduce the term "orgasm gap" in scientific literature. They reported that out of the 800 surveyed students, only 39% of women¹ reported having orgasms frequently, compared to 91% of men during sexual relations with their marital partners. The term gained popularity, referring to the perception that men believe women experience more orgasms than they actually do (85% of female orgasms perceived by men versus 64% actually experienced by women). In contemporary scientific literature, the term "orgasm gap" denotes the difference in orgasm frequency between men and women (Mahar et al., 2020). A biological hypothesis, rooted in evolutionary theories, initially explained this disparity. However, recent studies challenge these theories by showing that women experience as many orgasms as men during masturbatory practices (same speed of attainment, same frequency). Consequently, biological theories suggesting that vulvas are not designed for orgasms are being sidelined (Mahar et al., 2020; Wetzel et al., 2022; 2023). Recent sociological research has explored the contribution of scripts and sexual roles to explain the orgasm gap. These studies question the extent to which heterosexual relationships follow phallocentric scripts placing male pleasure at the core of sexual relations (Andrejek et al., 2022; Wetzel et al., 2022; Willis et al., 2018). A recent study, including cisgender, transgender, and non-binary individuals, showed that individuals adjust their behaviors based on their partners' gender and follow strongly gendered scenarios (Harvey et al., 2023). While the deconstruction of various aspects of their affective relationships is observable among LGBTQ+ millennials, this research highlights the persistence of gender scripts and roles in these communities. Thus, this synthesis explores various hypotheses aiming to explain the orgasm gap.

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¹ It should be noted that this review presents studies in which information regarding the inclusion of cisgender and transgender individuals by authors is not explicitly specified.