HARD COPY: Remembering a landmark book at the intersection of orgasms, feminism, and patriarchal fragility
Orgasms are physiological treats, yes, but they also are productive pedagogues. Their valuable lessons contain insights into what one can do with bodies and desires, as well as revelations about sexual subjects’ broader relationships to sexuality and culture. Camilla Nelson, Associate Professor in Media and Journalism at the University of Notre Dame Australia, reminds us of the feminist force-of-nature that was Shere Hite – an American-born German sexologist. When The Hite Report was published in 1976 it certainly twisted some (mostly dudes’) panties into knots. The project was a survey of 3,000 women. One of its major findings was that only a small percentage of women can consistently reach orgasm through heterosexual intercourse. This truth was especially wounding to many a patriarch. Female orgasms continue to stir the pot in 2025, and so, we think this piece from The Conversation is worth your perusal.
