New Books in Psychology Oliver Davis and Tim Dean, "Hatred of Sex" (U Nebraska Press, 2022)
Dec 1, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Oliver Davis, a professor of French studies, and Tim Dean, a sexuality studies scholar, explore their book Hatred of Sex. They delve into how society often overlooks the 'unpleasurable pleasures' of sex, arguing that pleasure can quickly tip into discomfort. The duo critiques current trauma-focused therapies and how they recast sexual difficulties as abuse, warning that strict identity categories can limit sexual experiences. Their take on the intersections of sexual theory and identity is thought-provoking and essential for anyone intrigued by sexuality's complexities.
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Book Began Over A Drunken Dinner
- Tim Dean recounts the book's origin as a drunken dinner where the title emerged first.
- The collaboration surprised them both by actually producing the finished book.
Sex Mirrors Democratic Disorder
- Sex and democracy share an essential unruliness that can't be fixed as a mere defect.
- Hatred of sex is internal to sex the way contempt for democracy is internal to democracy.
Pleasure Can Become Overwhelming
- Pleasure can overwhelm and flip into distress, making pleasure itself a source of difficulty.
- Much of human life is organized to prevent being overwhelmed by sexual pleasure.
