After the right to vote, divorce and property, women’s liberation today involves masturbation.
Finally, dare we add, on reading this Small manifesto of female masturbation, a work that is both educational and political, even (notice to interested parties) practical and practical, recently published by Éditions de l’Homme.
It is to the actress Roxane Gaudette Loiseau that returns this unusual initiative, uninhibited and militant, soft and engaging, and finally, let’s be frank (frank!), Voluntarily inspiring. Although always with good taste, the subject remains above all educational (at times downright clinical).
To do this, she joined forces with her friend and sex therapist Mélanie Guénette-Robert, signing a book, they hope, that women will exchange, and especially offer their daughters. A book that will circulate, why not, in the classes and in the hands of the teachers responsible for sex education classes.
Clarification: women, and “all people with a vulva”, the text is positioned from the start, and throughout, inclusion requires.
At last ! we were saying, because after having been ignored for centuries, demonized, then concealed again, over the course of a yo-yo story, the masturbation of women in general finds here its letters of nobility, if we dare to say – the clitoris in particular (long perceived as an unnecessary, even pathological growth). In any case, the place of choice belongs to it (as the only organ exclusively devoted to pleasure, possessing thousands of nerve endings, visibly under-exploited in the history of humanity, to read the historical chapter here exposed) .
We want to democratize masturbation!
Mélanie Guénette-Robert and Roxane Gaudette Loiseau, authors of Small manifesto of female masturbation
We recently met them in a café in Longueuil, to discuss this apparently taboo subject. But obviously less and less, to hear them debate, loud, strong and with conviction (nobody, that morning, could not miss the subject which ignited them…).
“From the start, we wanted to understand why women still feel uneasy to explore,” continues Roxane Gaudette Loiseau, while confiding that she was personally “frustrated” throughout her adolescence. “Everyone was talking about orgasm, I wanted to find out, but in fact, I had little or no information about my own body! It frustrated me a lot… ”Even her mother,“ ben open ”, gave her“ no briefing ”, she remembers. Hence the idea of this book, we understand, when she is in turn a mother.
Explain, demystify
Throughout the pandemic, the two authors scoured the research on the subject (“and there was virtually nothing”) to understand the devious role of patriarchy, the “mechanics of pleasure”, write an anatomical lexicon, and resources. to explore more as a bonus. By insisting, always, on diversity (of bodies, realities and interests). Objective: to explain, demystify and validate the different feelings. In short, “democratize” we always come back to it.
“We describe the functioning of the body, continues Mélanie Guénette-Robert, the different responses of the body, the name of the genitals. ”
Because knowledge is power! But we also point out: there is no right or wrong way to masturbate. It’s very validating!
Mélanie Guénette-Robert, sex therapist and author
If the chapter on the benefits of masturbation is a little short (we would have taken more), and the text takes at times, as we have said, a somewhat clinical tone (we do not say here “clit”, but well “clitoro-urethro-vaginal complex”), let us underline the welcome wink to all these women, pioneers and nevertheless unknown, who marked history. We think of Rachel Maines (for her research on the history of the vibrator, fascinating), Betty Dodson (prosex feminist to whom we owe masturbation workshops) and Shere Hite (and her famous report, concluding that 70% of women do not reach orgasm during intercourse, nicknamed the “Hate Report”, a name that speaks volumes).
“My wish is to end the taboo surrounding masturbation,” concludes the sex therapist. We often see masturbation as a lesser practice, as if there was a hierarchy. However, this is a practice in its own right! And I hope this book will validate it. ”
Especially since the first step towards a fulfilling sexuality passes by oneself, adds Roxane Gaudette Loiseau, by insisting on this engaging idea of ”sexual autonomy”. Men have always known it, in our turn: “You know, girl, you can manage yourself so much on your own!” ”
Small manifesto of female masturbation
Roxane Gaudette Loiseau and Mélanie Guénette-Robert
Man’s Editions
165 pages
After the manifesto, the guide!
Definitely, the subject is in the air. Julia Pietri (French artist, author and activist, to whom we owe the Instagram account La gang du clito as well as a feminist publishing house) publishes at the same time with us a A little guide to female masturbation (adapted for Quebec from Saint-Jean Éditeur). A complementary book, this time less didactic than political, based on a survey of 6,345 respondents. Supporting statistics and testimonials (colored illustrations in addition), the author exposes all the variety of possibilities on all conceivable questions in matters of masturbation. Why, when, how, for how long? She demystifies in passing the myth of the vaginal orgasm, addresses the question of assault, even of the so-called female frigidity. The tone is direct, the words engaging, and the reading, dare we say it, enjoyable. To read.
The little guide to female masturbation
Julia pietri
Guy Saint-Jean Editor
137 pages