Overview

Every discussion of sexual ethics revolves around consent, but is this notion enough to help us understand good sex? How does the dominance of consent help or prevent us from negotiating the complexities of intimacy and pleasure? Georgetown professor Quill R Kukla argues that the idea that consent is the gatekeeper between the realms of good and bad sex does not give us the tools we need to navigate pleasure and intimacy. They claim that traditional discussions of consent make no room for the reality that we can have good sex even though we may get drunk or high, or become forgetful with age, or be limited by social pressures and power relationships Kukla explores the ambiguous realms in which sexual agency requires much more than the ability to just say ""yes"" or ""no"" to sex. They confront moments of discomfort: How does consent work for people with dementia, a condition that is also associated with increased libido? Or in sex work, where sexual contracts challenge our traditional conceptions of ethical sex? How can we express our agency when exploring new kinks, where our hesitations and ambivalence are part of the thrill? Or even in everyday sex-where partners inevitably differ in enthusiasm, power dynamics, and experience? Combining rigorous research and universal lessons that apply both in and out of the bedroom, Kukla approaches the concepts of sexual agency, sexual pleasure, and consent with unapologetic verve. Challenging readers to think beyond reductive concepts of consent, gender, and freedom, Sex Beyond ""Yes"" reframes the communication and social support we need to establish sexual relationships founded on genuine respect, open discourse, and unhindered joy.

Full Product Details

9781324064923

Table of Contents

Reviews

Readable without sacrificing rigor and sexy without sacrificing seriousness, Sex Beyond 'Yes' is a must-read for anyone who approaches sexual relationships thoughtfully, as we all should.--John Corvino, author of Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination What a smart, level-headed, and even-keeled exploration of the highly contentious, deeply polarizing topic of how to get what you want and avoid what you don't when it comes to having sex--however you like to have it. If the #MeToo movement left you wanting more, this is the book for you.--Susan Stryker, author of Transgender History Kukla (City Living), a philosophy professor at Georgetown University, provides an astute reassessment of what empowered sex means in an imperfect world... Well-reasoned and complex, it's a vital addition to an important cultural conversation.-- ""Kirkus (starred review)"" Bold, incisive, and brilliant, Quill R Kukla's Sex Beyond 'Yes' is a provocative exploration of how to negotiate sex that is pleasurable, free, and ethically sound. A must-read for any feminist.--Kate Manne, author of Down Girl and Timely, well-informed, wise, and highly readable, Sex Beyond 'Yes' draws upon an exceptionally deep and broad understanding, both of the theoretical background and of the diverse and richly nuanced realities of human experience. A rare gem.--Carrie Jenkins, author of What Love Is and What It Could Be

What a smart, level-headed, and even-keeled exploration of the highly contentious, deeply polarizing topic of how to get what you want and avoid what you don't when it comes to having sex--however you like to have it. If the #MeToo movement left you wanting more, this is the book for you.--Susan Stryker, Professor Emerita of Gender and Women's Studies, University of Arizona and Distinguished Visitor, Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University Bold, incisive, and brilliant, Kukla's SEX BEYOND YES is a provocative exploration of how to negotiate sex that is pleasurable, free, and ethically sound, as well as technically consensual. A must-read for any feminist.--Kate Manne, author of Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny Readable without sacrificing rigor and sexy without sacrificing seriousness, Sex Beyond ""Yes"" is a must-read for anyone who approaches sexual relationships thoughtfully, as we all should.--John Corvino, Professor of Philosophy, Wayne State University and author of Debating Religious Liberty and Discrimination Timely, well-informed, wise, and highly readable, Sex Beyond ""Yes"" draws upon an exceptionally deep and broad understanding, both of the theoretical background and of the diverse and richly nuanced realities of human experience. A rare gem.--Carrie Jenkins, Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, and author of What Love Is and What It Could Be and Sad Love

Author Information

Quill R Kukla lives in Washington, DC, and Berlin. They are Professor of Philosophy and Disability Studies at Georgetown University, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal. They are also an amateur competitive boxer and powerlifter, the parent of a young adult, and the devoted caretaker of a corgi and two cats. This is their fourth book.

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