The Clitoral Truth: the secret world at your fingertips, by Rebecca Chalker

[rachelmanija]

This book, one of the required texts for my 10:00 AM Monday Human Sexuality class, suggests that the class, while possibly lacking in academic rigor, will not lack in amusement value. I am picturing a cross between a 70s encounter group and a "Let's all draw our vulvas, watch a video of women ejaculating, and then make an offering to the Great Goddess!" workshop.

Its arrival this week was perfect timing, given that the month to date was the sort which, to completely misquote Emma Bull's War for the Oaks, left me grasping for straws of comfort like, "No matter what else happens today, at least I still like my clitoris."

This is the sort of book which has an anatomical drawing of a clitoris, and a woman pointing to it and exclaiming "WOW!"

The book has some interesting information about clitoral anatomy (the little button part is just the tip of the iceberg; a large portion of the female genitalia is made up of clitoral tissue and structures.) But most of the book is basically, "Wow! A clitoris!"

There is a long chapter on female ejaculation, in which women enthusiastically describe their gushing orgasms, with slightly terrifying details like, "And then I had to mop the floor!" The author then notes that you too may be able to teach yourself to ejaculate, if you don't already. Personally, after I am done having solo or partnered sex, the last thing I want to do is mop the floor.

Despite some dubious history and a cringe-worthy discussion of the Tao and Tantra, this book is mostly harmless. I expect it would be delightfully eye-opening to any women who aren't already familiar with their anatomy or the possible range of their sexual response. But for a graduate course... seriously? This is the best you can do? If anyone knows of more academically rigorous or up-to-date or more culturally sensitive books on female sexuality, please rec them to me, and I will rec them to the school.

I also boggle that this apparent typo in chapter one didn't get corrected through many editions: From as far back as the Kinsey report in 1953, intercourse has not been found not to be the most effective means for women to experience the full range of their sexual response, and yet, penis-in-vagina sex remains the ne plus ultra of sexual activity.

And I boggle more at this: During full-blown sexual response, clitoral tissues expand enormously. The erectile tissues fill with blood, causing the clitoris to protrude enough, as one woman put it, "to fill my cupped hand."

The Clitoral Truth: The Secret World at Your Fingertips





I just want to know what exactly they were doing with that prehistoric fern frond. Or maybe I don't.

Comments

[kore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

What on earth

....also that last bit totally sounds like Clan of the Cave Bear.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Ayla's nodule is bigger than anyone's ever! Though for it to be bigger than Cupped Hands Woman, it would have to be the size of a baseball.

[tool-of-satan.livejournal.com]

I was reminded of Fritz Leiber's "Dark Wings."

[oyceter]

Omg awesome!!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

I also boggle that this apparent typo in chapter one didn't get corrected through many editions: From as far back as the Kinsey report in 1953, intercourse has not been found not to be the most effective means for women to experience the full range of their sexual response, and yet, penis-in-vagina sex remains the ne plus ultra of sexual activity.

I don't see a typo. If you think the authors meant "sine qua non" I don't think so; I think they meant "ne plus ultra", as in "once {hypothetical clit-ignorant dude} has stuck the penis into the vagina, he feels no need to go beyond that, just as the sailors felt no need to go beyond the Pillars of Hercules."

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

And I have certainly encountered such men in my own life (though generally not more than once)!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

intercourse has not been found not to be the most effective means...

Shouldn't there only be one "not?" Otherwise, it's saying that intercourse IS the most effective means.

[coraa.livejournal.com]

All I can say is...

WOW!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I feel like I need a cigarette an icon reading, "Wow! A clitoris!"

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

My undergrad human sexuality class (a 400 level course even!) was more interesting for me as an exercise in observing other people learning about very basic sexuality stuff. On one of the first days the professor (who was young and who I actually liked a lot) showed us this cheesy video aimed at teaching couples with pretty much no knowledge of sex beyond lights-out missionary how to open up a little, with lots of actual filmed representations of stuff to do as performed by a number of unattractive, non-threatening couples. I couldn't figure out why we were watching this, until I realized a number of students were in fact learning from this video themselves. So now I regard all human sexuality classes as methods to teach basic sex information to people who have not been reading erotica on the Internet since they were sixteen.

The coolest thing we watched was a video about standing birth. The babies just slide right out!

[torrilin.livejournal.com]

Which leaves me going OWOWOW. Everything I have read says that labor is more painful than menstrual cramps and well... OW. I can barely stand after I am drugged up with enough ibuprofen to knock the pain down. I can't imagine trying to stand through something that hurts worse.

[goldjadeocean.livejournal.com]

Maybe you'll get lucky and your classes will be like mine, and the entire session on this book will be people tearing it to shreds and proposing better alternatives?

I hope?

[marith.livejournal.com]

I read that some years ago, and, yeah. However, the "Public Cervix Announcement" is still a worthy pun.

[wordkink.livejournal.com]

I do hope you're planning on bringing the book with you tomorrow? It will be such a marvelous counter to the Weiss.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

You bet!

The "random cheer" tag is definitely merited

[mme-hardy.livejournal.com]

... my day just got brighter, anyway.

As far as having that in a graduate course, "It could only happen to Rachel" seems justified.

[kore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

And you are already planning on this, I bet, butyeah, Hanne Blank's Virgin is exactly the book I would suggest for this course (along with Straight).

Is Our Bodies, Ourselves on the menu? TELL ME 'JOY OF SEX' IS NOT.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Neither! Some doofy-looking book on male sexuality, an okay book on trans issues which I'm reading now, and a course reader (which I'm getting from the library.)

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

Personally, after I am done having solo or partnered sex, the last thing I want to do is mop the floor.

ROFLMAO

That first picture looks like she is a combination safe he is trying to open. Seriously, doesn't it?

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

Awfully tempting to Photoshop a stethoscope in there.

[marzipan-pig.livejournal.com]

I can't look at the pics b/c I'm at work but yes, I wouldn't use the 'mopping the floor' or 'waking up in a giant wet spot' etc etc etc as much of a selling point.

[tool-of-satan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that was my reaction. (Also wondering if the Scooba has a "post-coital" mode.)

I was reminded of all the spam there is these days for men who want to increase the amount they ejaculate. I have to assume this is porn-driven, because I can't think of any rational reason why anyone would want this. A pill to make men ejaculate less - up to and including "not at all" - would make more sense.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

Um. Wow. I never saw this book until this post. I can't wait to see if the new teacher changes the textbooks. With Rachel, it's always an adventure!

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

This outdoes the 1960s The Call Girl's explanation that bisexuality and ambidextrousness are symptoms of psychopathy (depraved refusal to make choices.)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

... maybe she has very small hands? Like Jewel :-P

[badgerbag.livejournal.com]

I think I know who illustrated that book. Ha!!!

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

It looks exactly like the style of the illustrator for Madhur Jaffrey's World of the East cookbook and I'm having cognitive dissonance in a MAJOR WAY with that palm frond.

[snarp]

The palm frond may be intended to be a feather duster. They sometimes show up in "bondage starter kits." Those exist, they're kind of goofy.

[tool-of-satan.livejournal.com]

I wonder what kind of calls the bondage starter kit technical support hotline gets...

[kore-on-lj.livejournal.com]

Fish also illustrated The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men and The Bottoming Book: How to Get Terrible Things Done to You by Wonderful People, apparently.

[anait.livejournal.com]

in which women enthusiastically describe their gushing orgasms, with slightly terrifying details like, "And then I had to mop the floor!"

LOL! This post is too funny, and so is your textbook! (WOW!!)

Glad you're getting entertained as well as educated! :D

[tool-of-satan.livejournal.com]

Personally, after I am done having solo or partnered sex, the last thing I want to do is mop the floor.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

That is the best comment yet.

that second picture...

[shati.livejournal.com]

A wild clitoris appears!