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snugglekittyHerein, find reviews of That's Revolting: Queers Resisting Assimilation and Strategic Sex: Why They Won't Keep It in the Bedroom, two nonfiction anthologies about sexuality based activism. In a nutshell, That's Revolting! is okay, but Strategic Sex is just plain awesome.
That's Revolting! is thirty-one essays and more than three hundred pages long, edited by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore. I read a few essays and then put it aside for some months. I picked it up again a few days ago and finished it yesterday. The book is supposed to be about resisting assimilation, but a lot of it seemed to be focused on how other people are not resisting assimilation and how horrible it is that we're wasting our time and energy on things like gay marriage. I found that frustrating, even though I agree in principle - I would rather have universal healthcare, if anyone asked me - but I wanted the book to be talking about actually resisting assimilation, and maybe even inspiring me to do more of it. I also felt that the book was too long overall, and most of the essays could have used some cutting, too. With that being said, there were some essays I liked.
"Dr Laura, Sit On My Face" was a hysterically funny piece on the conservative radio lady.
"Choice Cuts" talks about the problematic nature of the "it's genetic, we can't help it" argument for queers. "Queer Parents - an oxymoron, or just moronic?" was actually a very thoughtful piece about how having children affects one's life as an activist. "Sexing Up the Conflict" went straight to Gay Pride in Israel and then explored the other side. Those pieces made the book worth reading, but I found myself skimming some of the other essays. Three stars.
On the whole, I feel that Strategic Sex is the better book by far. There are fewer essays (only twenty) but they are concise, well-chosen by the editor, D Travers Scott, and much more broadly ranging in topic. The subtitle of the book suggests that it's about public sex, but I would say it's more political than that. Most of the writers are sex activists (including Lawrence Schmiel, Carol Queen, and Annie Sprinkle), and their pieces intentionally make the private public in a way that goes far beyond titillation and into outreach. Even a veteran of sluthood like myself will find new ideas in this collection, and I'm not talking about naughty things to try in bed, either. Some of the best works were:
"Pentimento of a Rock-Hard Cock" is an incredibly touching short piece on the life of the gay porn mag, Drummer. "Dialing" describes how phone sex saved the narrator's life. "Pumping Iron, Pumping Cocks" is an exploration of that bastion of maleness, the gay gym. "Captured Downstream" describes the author's efforts to perform rape prevention outreach by installing urinal screens with a rape prevention slogan throughout one college campus. "Bad Plumbing" is the epic struggle of one woman with inexplicable pain in her vulva as she searches for medical answers. "Scenes from a Culture of Masochism" is an academic piece discussing the psychological ramifications and value of creating collective space for public sex.
I know that's a lot of favorites, but it was really tough to choose! This book will open up your mind and leave you wanting more. It's a keeper, so leave a comment if you're in Boston and would like to borrow it. Five stars.
That's Revolting! is thirty-one essays and more than three hundred pages long, edited by Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore. I read a few essays and then put it aside for some months. I picked it up again a few days ago and finished it yesterday. The book is supposed to be about resisting assimilation, but a lot of it seemed to be focused on how other people are not resisting assimilation and how horrible it is that we're wasting our time and energy on things like gay marriage. I found that frustrating, even though I agree in principle - I would rather have universal healthcare, if anyone asked me - but I wanted the book to be talking about actually resisting assimilation, and maybe even inspiring me to do more of it. I also felt that the book was too long overall, and most of the essays could have used some cutting, too. With that being said, there were some essays I liked.
"Dr Laura, Sit On My Face" was a hysterically funny piece on the conservative radio lady.
"Choice Cuts" talks about the problematic nature of the "it's genetic, we can't help it" argument for queers. "Queer Parents - an oxymoron, or just moronic?" was actually a very thoughtful piece about how having children affects one's life as an activist. "Sexing Up the Conflict" went straight to Gay Pride in Israel and then explored the other side. Those pieces made the book worth reading, but I found myself skimming some of the other essays. Three stars.
On the whole, I feel that Strategic Sex is the better book by far. There are fewer essays (only twenty) but they are concise, well-chosen by the editor, D Travers Scott, and much more broadly ranging in topic. The subtitle of the book suggests that it's about public sex, but I would say it's more political than that. Most of the writers are sex activists (including Lawrence Schmiel, Carol Queen, and Annie Sprinkle), and their pieces intentionally make the private public in a way that goes far beyond titillation and into outreach. Even a veteran of sluthood like myself will find new ideas in this collection, and I'm not talking about naughty things to try in bed, either. Some of the best works were:
"Pentimento of a Rock-Hard Cock" is an incredibly touching short piece on the life of the gay porn mag, Drummer. "Dialing" describes how phone sex saved the narrator's life. "Pumping Iron, Pumping Cocks" is an exploration of that bastion of maleness, the gay gym. "Captured Downstream" describes the author's efforts to perform rape prevention outreach by installing urinal screens with a rape prevention slogan throughout one college campus. "Bad Plumbing" is the epic struggle of one woman with inexplicable pain in her vulva as she searches for medical answers. "Scenes from a Culture of Masochism" is an academic piece discussing the psychological ramifications and value of creating collective space for public sex.
I know that's a lot of favorites, but it was really tough to choose! This book will open up your mind and leave you wanting more. It's a keeper, so leave a comment if you're in Boston and would like to borrow it. Five stars.
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no subject
Date: 2008-01-10 03:33 am (UTC)(I've been enjoying reading your book reviews, by the way!)
no subject
Date: 2008-01-10 01:02 pm (UTC)I'm happy you like my book reviews!
no subject
Date: 2008-01-10 02:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-10 03:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-10 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-10 10:51 pm (UTC)Good luck in grabbing a copy of the book.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-11 02:20 pm (UTC)As I've read your profile: no, you don't know me personally. I've keeping an eye out for your reviews at
And I totally second the comment above, you make a convincing case!
Unfortunately, I also live out of the US.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-15 12:06 am (UTC)I hope that my occaisional public non-book posts will not be too distracting.
Best wishes!
no subject
Date: 2008-01-16 10:37 am (UTC)It does sound interesting, but personally, I'm not into this kind of thing. I'm not too interested in sex at the moment, so maybe I'll read it a few years from now. However, it is interesting to see the perceptions of other people on sex.
Since I don't live near you, I'll probably borrow both books from the library.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-16 01:08 pm (UTC)