The Burden of Freedom: Happiness and Sexual Liberation

Sean Illing talks with author and Washington Post columnist Christine Emba about whether or not we need to rethink sex. They discuss why, according to the research and reporting in Emba's new book Rethinking Sex, many Americans are unhappy with the sex they're having, and don't fully understand what they want. They also talk about how her Catholic faith informs her views on sex, why it's necessary to expand on the framework of "consent," and what kind of sexual culture Emba hopes to see in the world.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Christine Emba (@ChristineEmba), author & reporter

References: 

• Rethinking Sex: A Provocation by Christine Emba (Sentinel; 2022)
• "Consent is not enough. We need a new sexual ethic," by Christine Emba (Washington Post; Mar. 17)
• "People Have Been Having Less Sex—whether They're Teenagers or 40-Somethings" by Emily Willingham (Scientific American; Jan. 3)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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