->''"Not everybody makes much noise about love. Oh, I know some people are huffers an' puffers, but others are silent lovers."''
-->-- '''Brick''', ''Theatre/CatOnAHotTinRoof''

The female orgasm comes in many shapes and sizes, from loud and vigorous to soft and subtle. Well, it does in RealLife at any rate.

In television and movies, however, the various censors don't like female orgasms. Or at the very least, not [[TheImmodestOrgasm loud and boisterous]] ones (Herbal Essences commercials notwithstanding). So rather than show a woman in the throes of pleasure, the orgasm is either muted or [[PervertedDrooling replaced altogether]] [[PervertedSniffing with a]] [[LustfulMelt symbolic substitute.]] This is the "acceptable" PG-13 way of showing a female orgasm -- the only exception to this is when the orgasm is made ridiculously loud for effect.

Due to the widening of markets and the preponderance of R-rated movies and even television shows, this trope is getting to be much more out of vogue. See TheImmodestOrgasm for this trope's successor, TheGruntingOrgasm for the male version, and FakeOrgasm for deceptive simulation. See CallingYourOrgasms for when a person gets very specific about the timing. On the other side of the coin, euphemistic symbolism for ''male'' arousal is covered by SomethingElseAlsoRises.

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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In ''Manga/{{Berserk}},'' [[spoiler: Casca does this when she and Guts make love in the third Golden Age movie. Contrast with Princess Charlotte's [[TheImmodestOrgasm Immodest Orgasm]] the previous movie when Griffith takes her virginity.]]
* ''Manga/ToLoveRu:''
** In one of the bonus chapters from the ''Darkness'' series, Yui ends up in a compromising position on a train with a bag containing a vibrating toy pressed up against her crotch. The afterglow in the subsequent scene makes it obvious what happened, but she apparently controlled herself well enough that nobody noticed.
** ''Another'' bonus chapter of the same series has Lala repairing Rito's broken phone and "improving the audio quality". In To Love-Ru terms, that means anyone hearing Rito's voice through his phone starts… ''[[ArousedByTheirVoice feeling strange.]]'' Yui (again) has an obvious orgasm by the end of the (long) conversation, and [[LovableSexManiac Momo]] collapses after hearing three words.
** One episode in the anime version has Tearju bump into Rito and somehow end up [[SuggestiveCollision sitting on his face]], with her panties pulled to the side. His attempts to speak causes Tearju to [[LuminescentBlush blush]] and breathe heavily, as she suddenly convulses on top of him. She barely has time enough time to cup her hand over her mouth as she [[spoiler: squirts directly into Rito]]'s mouth. Several droplets spray the screen for emphasis, as Tearju collapses and twitches through the remainder of it.
* In chapter 11 ''Manga/BokuGirl'', due to a prank by Loki, Mizuki is caught above a tug-of-war rope which is pulled very vigorously by both sides, causing this. It's so modest that even Mizuki, recently {{Gender Bender}}ed as he is, didn't realize what had happened and was wondering if he wet himself.
* ''Manga/MakenKi'':
** Seen during the flashback in chapter 69, when Haruko and Takaki recount [[DoubleStandardRapeFemaleOnFemale what Love Espada did to them]] at the previous Himekagura Festival. During which, she's shown with her back arched and her hand cupped over her mouth, as Espada was [[spoiler: fingering her]].
*** Haruko experiences another one during the 111.5 omake chapter, in which Usui [[EroticDream dreams]] of suckling her breasts 'til she goes weak-kneed. She clamps her thighs shut just as she hits her peak and slumps to the floor, with heart-shaped pupils.
** Espada unexpectedly ends up on the receiving end in chapter 79, when [[spoiler: Azuki]] kicks her with her [[spoiler: newly evolved Maken]]. The attack [[InterplayOfSexAndViolence was strong enough to draw blood]], causing Espada to smile with a full-faced blush, while soaking her panties.
-->'''Espada:''' ''(internal monologue)'' "Here she IS ♥! The one who makes me numb... and WET ♥"
-->''(squirt sound effect hiragana shown between her legs with another ♥)''
* ''Literature/{{Shimoneta}}'': Tanukichi unintentionally causes [[DudeLooksLikeALady Oboro]] to have one in chapter 10. After pinning him to the floor, Tanukichi realizes something is wrong and uses his foot [[CrotchGrabSexCheck to be sure]]. Oboro doesn't make a sound, but in the next panel, his back suddenly arches, along with his foot. Afterward, he's seen blushing with an empty-eyed smile.
* Shinji from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' provides a male example. During the infamous scene of ''End of Evangelion'' where [[spoiler:he masturbates over the [[DudeShesLikeInAComa unconscious Asuka]]]], the only sounds he makes are a series of soft sighs.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/TarotWitchOfTheBlackRose'': [[HilarityEnsues During a series of mishaps in the course of an adventure together,]] Jon/Skeleton Man and his girlfriend's sister, Raven Hex (with whom he has a tentative relationship at best) find themselves both naked and [[SpidersAreScary fleeing for their lives from]] [[GiantSpider a heap of huge spiders.]] Raven can't run because it hurts [[MostCommonSuperpower her enormous, unsupported boobs]], so Jon decides to carry her as ''he'' runs. The erection he was already sporting somehow slips into a place where it isn't supposed to be and with the bouncing motion from the running, well... Raven tries to warn Jon what's happening, but he's too preoccupied dodging the spiders to listen to her. Despite the later insinuation that she '''''really''''' enjoyed herself, Raven is rather subdued when she comes, merely turning her head to the sky, clenching her teeth and tightly squeezing Jon's face into her cleavage.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* An interesting example occurs in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8933408/17/Wizard-Runemaster Wizard Runemaster]]''. Almost all of the magical races from Earth react to the massive amounts of magic present on [[Videogame/WorldOfWarcraft Azeroth]]. But where the Goblins simply act like they've smelled a rather pleasant aroma and the Merfolk become remarkably hyper, the [[Literature/HarryPotter Veela]] shudder in orgasm.
* In ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/2652160 Stranger Facets of You]]'', [[Franchise/{{Metroid}} Adam and Samus]] rekindle a past romantic relationship when he is able to use android bodies to move about. Samus's orgasms when she makes love with him are intense in spite of her soft reactions: her strongest reactions are to let out quiet moans, gasps, or sighs as she shudders.
* In the ''Literature/VioletEvergarden'' fanfic [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/28347354 "Polaris,"]] which takes its inspiration from the light novel continuity rather than the anime, Violet continues to be TheStoic even as she makes love to her Major Gilbert. The only indications of Violet's pleasure are her breathing getting rougher and her body seizing up rock-solid stiff before relaxing as she comes down from her peak.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Several directors are interviewed about this trope in the documentary ''Film/ThisFilmIsNotYetRated''. It goes into quite a bit of detail about the DoubleStandard and also how incredibly selective it is. One truly bizarre sequence has scenes from films approved by the MPAA contrasted with scenes banned by the same organization. The movie's big overriding question is what exactly the MPAA's rationale ''is'' -- two naked lesbians under bedsheets are a moral disgrace, but the infamous [[spoiler:masturbating into an apple pie]] scene in ''Film/AmericanPie'' had no apparent problems. One reason is that the former came from an indy studio, while the latter from a major studio, but homosexual content in general seems to be subject to stricter censorship than heterosexual content. Whether this is because of inherent prejudice or, as noted above, the fact that most homosexual content tends to come from independent producers with little negotiating power (or, of course, both) is not fully revealed.
* The sex scene in ''Film/{{Titanic|1997}}'', which occurs off-screen, uses a symbolic fingertip-smearing of a car's windshield in lieu of an orgasm.
* In ''Film/{{Amelie}}'', during the sequence when Amélie is imagining how many people are in the midst of orgasm ("fifteen!"), the last woman's O sound is somewhere between a gasp and a squeak.
* ''Film/{{Pleasantville}}''. "Oh, my." Tree catches fire.
* TheMovie of ''Film/{{Watchmen}}'' has a sex scene between [[spoiler:the second Nite Owl and the second Silk Spectre]] where [[SomethingElseAlsoRises a flame thrower is used to imply orgasm]]. Same scene is in the comic as well, but this trope is mostly for TV and movies.
* ''Film/TheFifthElement'' movie; Ruby Rhod has seduced a flight attendant and is having sex with her while the shuttle's taking off; her silent scream of pleasure is intercut with scenes of the rocket blasting and rocket engines firing, and then we just see her booted legs -- sticking out beyond the cubicle curtain -- slowly relaxing and slumping.
* ''Film/ForgettingSarahMarshall'' has perhaps the most modest orgasm possible, where the protagonist is trying to [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin forget Sarah Marshall]] by sleeping around with a multitude of gorgeous models, which is intended to show [[RuleOfFunny how models are closer to mannequins than they are to people]].
-->'''Model:''' ''[dead monotone]'' Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. I just came. Oh. Oh. Oh.
* In ''Film/TheMatrixReloaded'', the Merovingian illustrates his "Cause and Effect" speech by delivering a specially prepared (programmed?) dessert to a woman in the restaurant. She is somewhat surprised at the effect it has (which is shown to us in Matrix code as a fireball in that region) but maintains her composure with aplomb.
* Jackie in ''Film/RedRoad'' displays this, to the point of it creeping out her boyfriend.
-->'''Clyde:''' Did you finish?\\
'''Jackie:''' Yeah.\\
'''Clyde:''' I can never tell.
* ''Film/MarieAntoinette2006'': Though this may just be her reaction to sex in general rather than orgasm in specific, Marie Antoinette simply gives a pleasantly surprised "Oh."
* An extremely passionate hook-up between the hot chick and her not-boyfriend in ''Film/CabinFever'' ends with a surprisingly mild gasp and hair toss by the woman, who then collapses on to her lover. The guy didn't make any noise at the grand finale, but that's probably because he was being smothered under a couple of 36D pillows. Damn.
* Shannon Tweed in ''Hot Dog: The Movie'' (although with Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf" blaring on the soundtrack any screaming would have been drowned out anyway, she clearly, er, comes and goes without saying a word).
* Shanti Carson in ''Film/{{Shortbus}}''. Although in many ways her scene is as immodest as one can get seeing as a) it takes place during an orgy and b) her scene and all the other sex in the mainstream film is famously unsimulated, the actual orgasm itself is quite subtle. According to the behind-the-scenes featurette on the DVD, the orgasm was real, making this one a borderline real-world example, too.
* In ''Film/EnemyAtTheGates'', Vassili and Tania are having sex in the bunker and have to be very quiet so as not to wake their sleeping comrades. She manages to be quiet when she comes but he covers her mouth for good measure anyway.
* ''Film/KissMe2011'': Mia just gasps quietly when she climaxes while having sex with Frida for the first time.
* ''Film/{{Ammonite}}'': Happens to both Mary and Charlotte when they consummate their romance. Charlotte first performs cunnilingus on Mary, who places her right hand over her mouth to muffle her vocalizations; then Mary returns the favor and Charlotte manages to keep herself almost silent, which is lucky for them because she's pressed up against the wall of their room when she climaxes.
* ''Film/ALAventure'': The characters in the film never grow too loud while they're climaxing, even when it's the most intense sexual pleasure they've ever had, just moaning throatily.
* ''Film/VampireDiary'': Holly gasps softly while Vicki is eating her out. Vicki later does the same when Holly eats her out as well.
* ''Film/EloisesLover'': Àsia gasps very softly when Eloïse eats her out during their second time having sex.
* ''Film/DriveAwayDolls'': Marian climaxes by moaning softly when she's having sex with [[spoiler:Jamie]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* ''Literature/TheAfterward'': Kalanthe gasps and covers her mouth to stifle even that while Olsa is eating her out in a past scene.
* ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfDorsa'': Tasia and Mylla, while the two have sex with a double-sided strap-on dildo, both moan as they're climaxing together.
* ''Literature/ShatterTheSky'': The second time they're described as having sex, Kaia cries out very quietly when Maren brings her to climax.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In ''Series/{{Firefly}}'', Inara (the Companion) is actually introduced mid-intercourse, with very muted sounds from both her and her client. The actual moment of orgasm is very brief; Inara softly gasps "Oh my God," and a moment later the camera goes softly out of focus and then back in (double-entendre completely unintentional). This is very artsy, and actually quite a beautiful scene (irrespective of its content).
* ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' was apparently asked to reduce an orgasm scene, only to respond that they had a Cylon orgasm (with flashing lights in her spine!) in the pilot. This was eventually [[RetroactiveContinuity retconned]] since it had implications for the ease of Cylon detecting. Human spines can't light up. How can you miss a luminescent spine in an examination?
* Played with across two seasons of ''Series/DesperateHousewives''. Andrew talks about "mm-mm!" being the only sound Bree makes during an orgasm, shortly before we hear her make the same sound over a slice of pie. The next season, we find out she never actually has had an orgasm and is afraid she's sick after her first one.
* Sofie in ''Series/{{Carnivale}}'' in "Road to Damascus." While with Ben in a truck cab, Sofie starts gasping and squeaking, and then there is a bright bolt of lightning and a loud crack of thunder. It also [[spoiler: hints at Sofie's true nature as Brother Justin's daughter, with the same avataric abilities as Ben, (who similarly used them to alter the weather in the first season) which the entire second season was leading up to.]] And then it was cancelled.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'':
** In the MusicalEpisode, "Once More, With Feeling", Willow and Tara have metaphoric sex at the climax of Tara's song "Under Your Spell". Tara's orgasm is represented by her being levitated, which ties into the magic-as-lesbianism metaphor that has been playing throughout their relationship. Kind of a weird juxtaposition of modest and immodest: her orgasm is levitating, but she is also singing "You make me COM-plete!".
** When Willow and Kennedy have sex in the Season Seven episode "Touched", their sex scene is juxtaposed with Robin and Faith having sex, Xander and Anya having sex, and Buffy and Spike lying in bed holding each other, with music playing over the whole thing. Willow's orgasm is shown by her eyes going very wide.
* From the BasedOnATrueStory MadeForTVMovie ''The Marla Hanson Story'', one of Marla's roommates, Lyn, asks her other roommate Tawny to turn down the TV set so she can listen on Marla while she's having sex with a guy:
-->'''Lyn:''' Don't you think the T.V.'s too loud?\\
'''Tawny:''' Is it bothering you?\\
'''Lyn:''' Yes. Can't hear what's goin' on in her room.
* A season four episode of ''Series/GossipGirl'' opens with Blair lying in bed, making smiling faces and a content sigh here or there. Then we find out Chuck was under the covers, getting a head start on their morning...
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect1'', during the encounter with the Consort, the camera cuts from the characters' faces to the Consort's hand as it reaches for the sky, then falls.
* Whenever Beautiful Grunty is talking during the GameOver cutscene from ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie''.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In ''WebAnimation/IfTheEmperorHadATextToSpeechDevice'', Descius has one when seeing the Emperor for the first time, although it's more of religious ecstasy than anything sexual. In a flashback, Alicia Dominica was pretty blatantly getting off staring at his ribcage, and it was a lot more sexual; the Emperor and his Companion are still a bit squicked about it 5000 years later.
* In Episode 60 of ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'', Android 18 seems to be growing louder and louder as she and Krillin go at it. Krillin eventually explodes into a Multi-Shot, but 18 goes silent for several seconds, before managing a breathless "Oh wow..."
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]
* In ''Webcomic/GoGetARoomie'', the trope is obliquely referenced when [[http://www.gogetaroomie.com/index.php?id=248 Roomie and Lillian are drinking tea.]][[note]]The "tree" line alludes to [[http://www.gogetaroomie.com/index.php?id=246 their conversation of a few minutes prior.]][[/note]]
* In ''Webcomic/{{Spacetrawler}}'', [[{{Cyborg}} Yuri]] uses her [[https://www.baldwinpage.com/spacetrawler/2011/03/20/spacetrawler-126/ new technology]] to pleasure herself to orgasm, which consists entirely of her smiling, squinting, and saying "Eeep."
* ''Webcomic/TheLessThanEpicAdventuresOfTJAndAmal'': In contrast to [[TheImmodestOrgasm Amal]], TJ is so quiet during sex that Amal pauses to check that he's enjoying things. It's implied to stem in part from his DarkAndTroubledPast.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' had a woman screaming during a sexual encounter, but MTV only allowed this on the condition that it sounded like a scream of pain rather than pleasure. As if that helps. What makes this whole fact more amusing is that the method of "intercourse" involved is direct stimulation (using tools like forceps) of the exposed spinal nerves inside a surgical opening the woman had in her back. The lesson learned: That it's okay to have decidedly disturbing sex scenes, but it's not okay to make it appear that someone's actually, ''enjoying'', it.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries'': In [[Characters/DCAUPoisonIvy Poison Ivy]] debut episode [[Recap/BatmanTheAnimatedSeriesE5PrettyPoison "Pretty Poison"]] we see Poison Ivy [[ForcefulKiss insistently lock lips]] with Batman to [[KissOfDeath "seal his fate."]] Her passionate moaning while they kiss sounds like a woman experiencing a small climax.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcVkYD3o910 British porn]] in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy''.
-->'''Man:''' ''[in a calm voice]'' Almost...almost...almost...there we are.\\
'''Woman:''' Well done.
[[/folder]]
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