Chapter 8, 145-146, 147
Betty Dodson was her own cultural sexual revolution. If ever there was a sexual emancipation document it is her book “Liberating Masturbation” This was one of the first books on masturbation written by a woman. Confronting the crippling beliefs: … that a woman’s pleasure was subordinate to a man’s pg 147. 2. That a woman should not know anything about their bodies let alone sexually until their husband taught them (Betty’s book L.M. Blew that myth out of the water).
Betty spoke loud and clear that masturbation is sex and should be celebrated for its own sake. And that women will enjoy sex if she learns to pleasure herself and this included using a vibrator. When the vibrator was being sold as a scalp and muscle massager. Not for sexual pleasure.
Betty, was fighting an up hill battle to educate women on their right to sexual pleasure( vibrators a great tool for self pleasure) in a culture drench in the belief and practices that a woman’s pleasure is subordinate to a man’s or even worse than that, women don’t deserve pleasure unless given to her by her husband.
Betty spearheaded the liberation of women through masturbation and many times, if not most of the time stood alone with this message.(Bodysex groups, books, art work). She introduced and sold vibrators at the one and only sexual NOW Conference. Now there is a gluten of websites including hers selling sex toys. It was Betty who brought the vibrator into woman’s lives.
So of course Betty Dodson, is an icon in the evolution (revolution)of woman’s sexual liberation/right to pleasure. Even as she has transitioned to be ancestor her legacy continues to change woman’s lives for the better. And mine is one of them.