PRIORITISE PLEASURE
Former Love Islander Yewande Biala explores the myths and misunderstandings about female orgasms
Biotechnologist and former Love Island contestant Yewande Biala draws on her scientific background as she explores female orgasms in this documentary.
The Channel 4 programme will also focus on 28-year-old Yewande’s bid to experience an orgasm for the first time.
“I’m actually a little bit nervous about putting this out to the world because I filmed it a year ago, and it’s a sensitive topic,” she admits. “But I’m also excited because it’s important. It’s a topic that needs to be on TV and something that a lot of people shy away from.
“I was asked to do this doc two years ago, but I was so uncomfortable talking about sex that I said absolutely not.
“When they asked again later, I had matured, but still had so much of my journey to do.”
In the documentary Yewande meets scientists, therapists and other women, to hear their stories, research and advice as she attempts to learn everything there is to know about the complexity of the female orgasm.
“I genuinely believed for years that female orgasms were this myth,” laughs Yewande. “So when I was about 18 or 19, I was like, ‘Everyone’s just making this up.’ It started on a podcast where one of the questions was have you ever faked an orgasm? I said no, and they went, ‘But obviously you’ve had one.’ And I hadn’t.”
Professionals advise Yewande get to know herself more intimately. But for someone educated by the Catholic church and raised in a Nigerian household, this is a daunting task.
“The school I went to was very religious and sex was not spoken about at all,” she explains. “If you were having sex, you were slutshamed and if you masturbated you were seen as the dirtiest person in the whole entire school. It was so bad.
“Even the sex education was just strictly kind of like reproductive purposes – like that was the only reason we were learning about it.
“Not having an orgasm is something that happens for so many women, and I found that very comforting,” she adds.
“So I suppose if someone could watch it and relate to it in some way, if it helps them, or at least starts a conversation that needs to happen, then I guess that’s the win, isn’t it?”