Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

A Curious History of Sex by Kate Lister

8 reviews

frida12345's review

funny informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Body shaming

Moderate: Colonisation, Misogyny, and Racism

Minor: Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Slavery

acemummerz's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

A wonderful fairly short text on the history of sex from a western/ UK perspective. Very well referenced with a multitude of links to other texts to expand your knowledge further. Funny and educational. 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Child death, Classism, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Vomit, Sexism, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Murder, Racism, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Miscarriage, Death, Hate crime, Blood, Sexual assault, Homophobia, and Slavery

tlholmes's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Abortion

Moderate: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Blood, Body shaming, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Colonisation, Death, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Racism, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Outing, Chronic illness, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, and Sexism

bookishwondergoth's review against another edition

funny informative lighthearted reflective medium-paced

5.0

I absolutely bloody loved this book. Irreverent, exploratory, informative and funny, 'A Curious History of Sex' absolutely obliterated my post-travel reading slump and gave me much to think about and laugh about over the last couple of days. If you’ve ever followed Kate Lister on social media, you’ll already have a rough idea of what you’re getting into. I’ll never think of the humble bicycle in quite the same way again.

This was a very excellent overview of the history of sex which which covers off a wide-range of sex-related topics at a very high level (vaginas, clits, penises, orgasms, sex toys, reproduction, contraceptives, language, legislation, medicine, sex workers…). The history Kate delves into is pretty Western, cis, and hetero-centric, but she gives a little disclaimer/explanation at the beginning and also does try to discuss and bring in other cultures and sexualities where possible. Although I’d have personally loved a bit more in-depth intersectional analysis of certain topics, there is an extensive bibliography provided along with further reading suggestions, so I mostly just strapped myself in and enjoyed the ride.

And what a ride! Some of the things human have made up or surmised with regards to sex over the centuries are truly mind-boggling and laugh out loud hilarious. Of course, on the flip side of that, humans have done a lot of fucked up, batshit crazy stuff to do with sex as well. Kate Lister drags it all out in the open and presents it with its pants down for all of us to see. Despite her academic credentials, her writing style is very informal, littered with historical slang and sprinkled with her own wry observations that I personally found very easy and an absolute delight to read. For those who don’t know Kate Lister, she is a very sex-positive and outspoken feminist who is absolutely not afraid to give her (very informed) opinion on contentious issues such as abortion and prostitution. I personally love this about her writing, but if you’re seeking a drier, more academic and objective tone when it comes to your sex history, you probably won’t find it here.

My edition of this book is also packed full of beautiful colour images that really enhanced my reading experience. They’re not at all safe for work, obviously, but definitely made me smile or wince upon multiple occasions.

Speaking of wincing, this is an adult non-fiction book about the history of sex—which is often disgusting and brutal. Expect graphic scenes of sexual and medical content, accounts and instances of sexual violence, horrifying contemporary sources packed full of sexism, misogyny and more, and an entire chapter dedicated to FGM which still managed to trigger a vasovagal syncope episode from me, despite in-text warnings from Lister.

A very thought-provoking and compulsively readable popular science book that I cannot recommend highly enough. Loved it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Classism, Colonisation, Homophobia, Medical content, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Outing, Physical abuse, Xenophobia, Death, Infertility, Abortion, Child death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Animal cruelty, Torture, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, and Alcohol

Minor: Pedophilia, Vomit, Excrement, and Suicide

This is a book about the history of sex and human attitudes to sex, so naturally, all topics associated with that are included in this book, including: graphic sexual content; pornographic images; bizarre medical experimentation and eye-wateringly torturous-looking devices; classism; racism etc. plus contemporary quotes detailing explicit sexism, misogyny, homophobia and racism. Everything is carefully and factually presented. The author herself strongly condemns these attitudes and seeks to deconstruct them in her narrative. There is also an entire chapter dedicated to FGM. The author includes 'wince warnings' in context, and she is not kidding around. Heed her warnings!

bookchatwithbeth's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I only wish some of the chapters were longer or the book twice as long. It was fascinating!!!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual violence, Medical content, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Body shaming, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Pedophilia, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Religious bigotry, and Racial slurs

lena04's review against another edition

challenging funny informative medium-paced

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Abortion, Body shaming, and Homophobia

unfiltered_fiction's review against another edition

funny informative slow-paced

4.0

This book does exactly what it promises on the tin: it is a ribald and energetic exploration of the history of sex. Definitely not for those of a sensitive disposition, it takes a deep dive into a side of history which is rarely addressed in an accurate or accessible way.

I've docked a star as my academic background definitely made me quite strongly biased against elements of the book, in ways which probably won't matter much to the commercial audience of this book - I generally find commercialised academic writing a little bit of a struggle. With this book, sometimes the argument was a little incoherent, some of the content was presented in what felt like an inauthentic way to fit a social agenda or even for shock factor, which is not a great fit for academic writing. I was particularly irritated by how often the images printed in the book were never directly referred to or analysed in the main body of the text. Similarly, extended quotes from historical sources were not often properly unpacked appropriately with definitions of archaic language and a serious effort to otherwise open up their meanings to the modern reader. 

However, overall, I think this is an excellent read that opens up a wealth of knowledge and presents it to readers in a funny, thoughtful, and very readable manner. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, and Body shaming

sydneyj's review against another edition

funny informative medium-paced

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content

Moderate: Abortion and Sexual content

Minor: Child death, Body shaming, Gore, Infertility, Medical trauma, and Rape