The Disappearance Of Shere Hite

[IwantToRetire]

There may be some on FWR who have never heard of Shere Hite, but she is an early example, long before social media, of a woman who got cancelled for challenging the male view of the world. Let alone being so unladylike as to talk about the female orgasm!

Her book the Myth of the Female Orgasm became an international best seller.

Hite’s combination of (accidental yet considerable) power and willingness to address sex – not to mention her beauty and her personal expressions of sexuality – were just too much for many men of the time to tolerate. Watching them rail against her on all manner of television programmes, often accusing her of bad science whilst showing little by way of scientific literacy themselves, remains a disturbing experience. It’s like seeing a gang of the worst Twitter trolls – minus the actual swastikas and violence – turning on a lone woman in the flesh. Hite hoped, at first, that it would pass, but she was a pioneer – and that meant that she was pretty much their only target.

https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-disappearance-of-shere-hite-2023-film-review-by-jennie-kermode
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Hite’s work had a specific cultural context. It was a product of the “second wave of feminism” that swept across north America in the late 1960s and 70s. This movement demanded that women had sexual agency, and didn’t exist to be objects of desire for men.

Her report was based on conclusions from responses to a questionnaire filled out by thousands of women. Hite’s contribution in particular said that women’s sexual enjoyment mattered. The documentary is produced and narrated by actor Dakota Johnson.

Recent interviews with Hite’s colleagues and friends are interspersed with archival footage of Hite at feminist protests or being bullied by bigots on chat shows.
In truth, she gave as good as she got, regularly running rings around brown-suited men getting increasingly redder while she smoked a cigarette.

The film is extremely powerful in showing the degree of genuine venom levelled at her. Aside from the accusations that Hite hated men and wanted to tear apart honest US families, the bigots attacked her for claiming her work wasn’t science.

https://socialistworker.co.uk/reviews-and-culture/trailblazer-shere-hite-told-truth-about-female-sexuality/ (Never thought I would agree with anything published by Socialist Worker!)

The film will be on release from friday(?) so might be worth keeping an eye out for it.

And not sure if the film covers this, but many feminists / women's liberationists weren't always that supportive of her, maybe because she didn't work, sound like or look like feminist activists of the time.

Ironic as one of the Demands of the Women's Liberation Movement in the UK was the right of women to a self defined sexuality.

Thanks for this- will keep an eye out, had one of her books a long time ago, sadly long lost.

There's a list of screening dates in different parts of the UK and Ireland, though not many in all
https://releasing.dogwoof.com/the-disappearance-of-shere-hite

I was trying to see if it is possible to watch online but cant find any info :(

I remember reading her book and it resonated so strongly with me. I think it was the first time I had come across a discussion of real women's experiences of sex. If it is available online, I would definitely watch it.

I remember her being talked about a lot on woman's hour when I was a teen and later

I remember a well-read, taped-together copy in the women's library when I was younger!

This documentary is going to be discussed on today's episode of Woman's Hour.

Have only just seen this. Was it any good?

Her revelatory portrait is a rediscovery of a pioneer who has had an unmistakable influence on current conversations about gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy, as well as a timely, cautionary tale of what too often happens to women who dare speak out.

Enquiring minds need to know why Woman's Hour deem Shere Hite an acceptable feminist and commentator to discuss but not Helen Joyce, Maya Forstater and so many others who are engaged in conversations about gender, bodily autonomy and are cautionary tales of what happens to women who speak out.

If you're asking about the discussion rather than the film it was reasonably interesting but not essential.

To be fair to WH, they did try to get Maya on but she'd had enough and it was too late in the day given what had been going on so she understandably declined.

I read this after listening to WH this morning.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/shere-hite-report-documentary-b2476430.html

Enquiring minds need to know why Woman's Hour deem Shere Hite an acceptable feminist and commentator to discuss but not Helen Joyce, Maya Forstater and so many others who are engaged in conversations about gender, bodily autonomy and are cautionary tales of what happens to women who speak out.

Because she's dead? And so can't say anything to upset current men and their handmaidens?

Because she's dead? And so can't say anything to upset current men and their handmaidens?

Agree, but also this is now an "art" or "media" event. Essentially Shere Hite despite the best intentions of the film maker is now an object of curiosity.

Will this film or any discussion about it talk about what she was actually writing about.

ie the myth of the female orgasm?

PS yes, sorry, my post was to ask if the WH discussion was worthwhile. I just get so fed up with not quite getting it, or skirting round the issue, interviews and discussions.

And in this instance nothing against the 2 women mentioned above, but in terms of this documentary would have been good to get some contemporary feminists of that time from opposing politics, for example Bee Campbell (funny how all these hardline marxists have finished up with gongs) and - oh dear my minds gone blank, a radical or revolutionary feminist of that time. (Sandra McNeil?)

As I said in the OP was it coincidence that in the same period "the reight to a self defined sexuality" became one of the Demands of the WLM.

I went looking and look what I found... oh the irony and oh so annoying we can't hear either of them!!

I went looking and look what I found... oh the irony and oh so annoying we can't hear either of them!!

What a find! But also a bit depressing that (quick or rather slow mental arithmetic) 17 years ago there were discussions that we are still having now.

That's the problem with the media, in the end that make what is often meaningful, meaning less because it is just what is trendy today.

I wonder if WH has every done an analysis of its programmes over the years, and if so what is says about women, or rathr what it says about what the BBC thinks about women.

There are some videos on youtube eg and also on an official web site https://www.hiteresearchfoundation.org/video-pg50

This may seem a bit supreficial but does the public at large and / or the male media have a problem with women who conform to their notion of femininity (european) ie blonde and attractive, who when they speak are obviously strong minded and pro women.

Do men find that doubly aggravating?

Jenni would be able to answer a lot of those questions.... I bet those shows were more open to the discussion than now tbh.

I do remember her annoyance over India's proclamations about hairy legs on the show..

I also heard the term trans widow on wh before I read of it on mn iirc. I'm actually not sure they'd do a piece on transwidows now??? They really should revisit it though.

What a great video, thank you.

Listening to her describe her research I feel we are going backwards in terms of today's young peoples' assumptions about sex thanks to porn.

Probably. Extra infuriating

dogwood do excellent documentaries, this should.be good