男人們曾經一度使用一個單一的詞來描述女性所有的性功能障礙：性冷淡 (frigidity，照字面的意思是冷淡，自拉丁語：frigidus-寒冷的)。現在，這個含混不清和貶損人的術語不再被人接受了。畢竟，就像男女性反應是十分相似的那樣，男女的性功能障礙也是十分相似的。只有一種典型的女性性功能障礙，即有一種性功能障礙不會同樣地發生在男性身上：陰道痙攣。

There was a time when men used a single word to describe all possible female sexual dysfunctions: frigidity (literally, coldness, from lat. frigidus: cold). Today, this vague and derogatory term is no longer acceptable. After all, just as the sexual responses of males and females are quite similar, so are their sexual inadequacies. There is only one typically female sexual dysfunction, i.e. one that does not also occur in men: Vaginismus.