WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE OF SEX

by Sheila Kitzinger ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 4, 1983

From England: a combination of hackneyed feminist polemics--""The ideology of romantic love obscures and legitimizes a political and economic system directed by men. . .""--and fresh, reasonable concern with today's (male-modeled?) stress on sexual performance. To this end, Kitzinger talks down ""mandatory penetration,"" or intercourse, and talks tip other forms of sexual experience--involving or not involving orgasm. Most uncommonly, perhaps, she talks down orgasm--""set up by our culture as something women should strive for, a gift men must offer women and the proof of sexual success for both partners."" (""Even Shere Hite. . . still accepts orgasm as the sole index of sexuality."") Agree or disagree, Kitzinger is not dogmatic: ""For some women lovemaking without orgasm is unsatisfying and they feel they have missed out on something precious. For others the journey holds more richness and delight than the getting there."" Sensitively, then, Kitzinger goes about encouraging sexual fantasies; discussing heterosexual relationships, homosexual relationships, and celibacy (her lesbian-psychologist daughter contributed the section on homosexuality); how to tell your partner what you want (""Men are sexually vulnerable""--but you are not some man's ""musical instrument""); the disabled; pregnancy and after childbirth; children and sex; adolescence. . . all the way to older age and ""mutilating operations."" These are standard topics, but they are treated with particular fullness and openness here. The photos are another plus--couples of all races and ages in loving, unembarrassing undress. One can easily forget the feminist cant, one can even ignore the theme--and find this more expansively human than most such volumes.

Pub Date: Nov. 4, 1983

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1983

Categories: NONFICTION