Kemp’s Creative Happiness Blog

I came across this book by accident while strolling through the bookstore to gain some inspiration on what to read next. Usually, I have a long list of books I want to read – however on this day I felt like aimlessly browsing and hoping to find a little treasure. And a treasure I found indeed.

On the cover an attractive women looks out. This is Shere Hite and the title of her book straight away caught my attention. I was always interested in trends related to sexual relationships. For example, how our understanding of a supposedly “good” relationship came about or what it consists of? Who influenced peoples perception on what it means to have good sex? Were they right and is it best to re-consider those values? Or is it time for a major change of societies perception of those topics, to adapt and take on a continuously changing reality?

It goes without saying, I bought this book which has no less than 559 pages full with subjects and opinions that I was always interested in. Hite recorded opinions of thousands of men and women keen to take part in her continuous research on issues divided into six categories:

1. FEMALE SEXUALITY AND LOVE DESCRIBED BY WOMEN ( Boys you can learn a lot when you read this)
2. MALE SEXUALITY AND LOVE DESCRIBED BY MEN (Girls here you’ll read something you never thought of)
3. WOMEN’S VIEW OF LOVE
4. ICONS OF THE HEART: LOVE, POWER, AND SEX IN THE TRADITIONAL FAMILY
5. LESBIANISM, HOMOSEXUALITY, AND GAY RIGHTS: TO SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY
6. SEX, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND GLOBALIZATION

Most of her findings and thesis make perfect sense and I can personally relate to many of the examples that have been explored here. I was keen to learn more about this amazing women who so professionally explores and investigates subjects many shy away from. And, no wonder many shy away if the response they could get is anything like the one Hite had to endure for merely opening up a discussion. For many she opened up a box of ideas and opinions that some in her own country (the US) would never allow to let flourish if they possibly could. (Her book was not published in the US but was well received in Europe).

She was publicly ridiculed and threatened. Her research was disregarded as too shallow, despite the fact that thousands of people continue to send in their views. In comparison many ’scientific’ researches are based on far smaller numbers of participants and declared valid or at least worthy of further inquiry. Scary as it sounds, Hite felt in the end so threatened that she decided to give up her US passport to take up German citizenship in the nineties.

Read the book and make up your own mind. Agree with it, disagree with it, partly agree with it – no matter what – it’s a piece of literature that’s worth looking further into and has already sparked a discussion that cannot be ignored. And, don’t forget to take part in the research by sending in the questionnaires that are included in the book.

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