As a man without expertise in female anatomy, I’ll be the first to say this conversation isn’t mine to lead—nor should it be. Instead, let’s focus on the women in science who are digging into the facts behind this long-debated phenomenon.
Wendy Zukerman, host of the podcast Science Vs.—which separates fact from fiction—joined Scientific American’s Science Quickly to unpack the science of squirting. While not all questions have been settled, the latest research offers some compelling answers that might finally move this conversation forward.
Zukerman and her team analyzed existing studies and conducted their own large-scale survey. The conclusion? The fluid released during squirting is primarily urine, though it can also contain substances that may originate from what’s often referred to as the “female prostate.” That gland, by the way, is a controversial topic all on its own.
What’s Actually Happening During Squirting?
One of the most thorough investigations comes from French gynecologist Samuel Salama, who used ultrasound imaging to observe bladder changes during sexual arousal. His study showed that the bladder fills as arousal builds, then empties during squirting. The expelled fluid contains chemical markers commonly found in urine.
But here’s where it gets more interesting: not all squirting is the same. Some instances resemble diluted urine, while others contain traces of a mysterious substance that could come from the elusive female prostate—if such a structure definitively exists. That’s still under debate.
Zukerman also shared some eye-opening stats. Around 45% of people with vaginas reported having squirted at least once. Surprisingly, 7.6% of people with penises claimed the same—though many urologists are skeptical. Still, there is at least one documented case of squirting from someone with a penis, though it’s rare and not fully understood.
So, is squirting just pee? Ejaculate? Most likely, it’s a mix of urine and something else. What’s clear is that science still has a long way to go before we fully understand it. Or maybe we don’t need to obsess over the mechanics at all.
Maybe squirting is simply a sign that something’s going very, very right.
