Sexual Politics

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Sexual Politics is a classic feminist text written by Kate Millett. Based on her dissertation, it was published in 1970.

In Sexual Politics:The Classic Analysis of the Interplay Between Men, Women, and Culture, Millet argues that "sex has a frequently neglected political aspect." The book goes on to discuss the role that patriarchy plays in sexual relations, looking particularly at the works of D. H. Lawrence, Henry Miller, and Norman Mailer. Millet argues that these authors view and discuss sex in a patriarchal and sexist way. In contrast, she applauds the more nuanced gender politics of homosexual writer Jean Genet. Other writers discussed at some length in the book include Sigmund Freud, George Meredith, John Ruskin, and John Stuart Mill.

Sexual Politics was an important theoretical touchstone for the second wave feminism of the 70s. It was also extremely controversial. Norman Mailer wrote a well-known article attacking it. More recently, Camille Paglia has accused Sexual Politics of being responsible for what she sees as the excesses of women's studies departments -- especially for attacks on the sexism of canonical male authors.