This website was never envisioned to be what it has become, it may be best described as an accidental happening. Two factors played a part in its conception, in 1998. I made some anatomy illustrations of the clitoris available to members of a newsgroup, rec.arts.bodyart, discussing female genital piercing. The illustrations where available on a private webpage I had at the time. Those illustrations received more attention than expected. I was also a frequent visitor to a discussion forum called Spice of Life, which is no longer in existence, that discussed female sexuality.
I was there to learn about female sexuality, but frequently found myself answering questions, often correcting misinformation that was presented. Many teens and women did not have a basic understanding of their anatomy and sexuality. Too often answers were based on hearsay, rumor, or an emotional reaction, not facts. Many of the questions came from teens and young women wanting to know if their experiences with their body and sexuality were normal, they usually were.
I found myself answering the same questions repeatedly, a time consuming process. I desired a permanent home for this information. The solution was the creation of a webpage on Geocities, called The-Clitoris.com. The name was chosen because the clitoris is most often the secret to a woman's sexual pleasure, and to draw attention to this anatomical structure. The earliest version of this website was simply a collection of information that I had put together over the prior months, and posted at Spice of Life.
With time the website outgrew the restrictions of Geocities and was moved to a private hosting service. I paid for the hosting myself, until I was informed of a $2,000 bill. Luckily, a decimal point had been misplaced, and the bill was only $200, but still a lot of money. At the same time, in 2001, a business had contacted me about wanting to sponsor the website, perfect timing. Other businesses soon followed, but I intentionally limit the number of sponsors. This website was able to continue because of those early sponsors.
In 2004 I decided to participate in public events in my community, to reach out to local women, which required me to generate additional funding, hence the online store was created; the store was closed in 2011. It also became necessary for me to tell friends, coworkers, and family what I did with all my spare time. When a large pink banner with a red flower and the words "The-Clitoris.com Dedicated to a Woman's Sexual Pleasure & Health" is hanging over your head, the element of secrecy is removed anyway. In April 2005, the rapidly growing needs of the website, and associated business, motivated me to quit my full time job.
Even though this website became a revenue generator it has never become a commercial endeavor. Limited advertising is presented, primarily at the bottom of the webpages. People visit this website to learn about female sexuality, not to be sold something. The primary purpose of this website is, and always will be, the dissemination of information about female sexuality, in all its various forms.
What are my professional credentials? I don't have any. I do not profess to be an expert on the subject of female sexuality. I see myself as merely a presenter of information. I set out simply to present the facts. The facts come from a large reference library that I have collected over the past thirty years, the wealth of information now available on the Internet, and a little bit of personal experience. Perhaps surprisingly, another source is, the questions I receive from women, as they often indicate the end result of the physical facts.
I am by nature, and prior profession, a logical problem solver. I collect the facts and come up with a solution, something experience has shown I am relatively good at. Female sexuality is a complex subject that requires knowledge of many different subjects. I am able to see how different aspects of female sexuality are interrelated. When I learn something new my mind automatically associates it with other things and a bigger picture forms. I do my best to allow women to define their sexuality, and not allow my own perceptions to influence the information presented.
When I start out to write an article for the website I don't have a clear idea of what I will write. I simply start with an idea, and things come together as they do. A lot of thought and contemplation goes into my writing. It is a learning process for me, rather than a presentation of my own knowledge. I am continually challenged by women to understand more about their sexuality, especially in light of the growing body of medical knowledge. It is very slow and arduous process. I am a perfectionist and very aware of how many people are potentially influenced by what I write. I am also a challenged writer, I failed 7th grade English, which might explain my terrible grammar and spelling, please overlook this.
How and why women are able to relate so well to what I write I cannot explain. Based on the feedback I receive, women are able to relate to my writings regardless of where they live in the world, or the language they speak. Why this may be, is a mystery to me. I have often been presumed to be a woman, so perhaps I am simply in touch with my feminine side. A lot of the sexual material I read as a young adult was written by women, which likely influenced my perception of things. I am also able to look beyond normal or common thinking. I am simply happy knowing my efforts have been of benefit to women.
I must thank the many women who have contributed to this website, directly and indirectly. It is because of these courageous women, who have been willing to reveal their sexuality, that we are able to get a glimpse at it, and perhaps gain a better understanding of it. It takes a lot of courage for them to reveal their sexual experiences, and to ask the questions that are hard to ask.
I would also like to thank those who have volunteered their time and energy to translate this website into several languages. This is a very time consuming process. Their efforts are helping educate people around the world about female sexuality. Some have risked personal persecution by doing so. This website had truly become a global project.
We are also fortunate to have the artwork, like that shown at the top of the page, available to us. It certainly adds color and character to the website.
My plans are to see this website continue to grow. Female sexuality is a complex and amazing subject. I have many ideas I would like to see become a reality and with time I hope my visions become a reality.
Thanks to everyone for your support and contributions.
You can send us your questions and comments by clicking here.
