RIP Shere Hite.
I read The Hite Report soon after it came out, and it changed my life. At twenty-one, I was just approaching adulthood in terms of sexuality. I wanted to learn everything I could about intimacy, pleasure, and sharing; this book could not have come at a better time.
Much of what is contained in the Hite Report is now so obvious, it hardly bears mentioning. But at the time, it was revolutionary - and the author paid a steep price for the change it initiated. But for a kid my age, it was the golden key. As much as anything, the message for men was to listen to our partners - to let them be a partner, rather than merely an object; to be open to trying new things, so that the experience could be as satisfying for them as for us.
Nobody wants to be told that they've been 'doing it wrong', or not doing enough. The backlash among the (generally male) powers-that-be was overwhelming. Despite our self-delusions, we are still in many ways a very puritanical society, and many people wanted no talk about women’s sexual pleasure. Ultimately, this liberation hero chose permanent exile from our country, rather than to continue immersion in our backward society.
Thank you, Shere Hite!
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