Episode 246: The Disappearance of Shere Hite

In the previous episode, we explored the life and times of Shere Hite, who published what is perhaps the bestselling non-fiction book about sex ever to hit the market. Despite selling 50 million copies, it has been largely forgotten in the half-century since its release.  However, it’s back in the spotlight again with the release of the new documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite. In today’s show, I’m going to continue my conversation with the director of this film to dive into the story behind it. We’re also going to talk about why Shere’s work is more relevant than ever.

I am joined once again by Nicole Newnham, the Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning documentary producer and director behind The Disappearance of Shere Hite. This film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival is now playing in select theaters. Nicole also co-directed and produced the 2021 Academy Award-nominated documentary Crip Camp.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What compelled the making of a documentary about Shere’s work?
• Why did this extraordinary woman and her work seemingly disappear?
• How did the media try to craft “gotcha” moments to discredit Shere?
• What are some lessons from the film, and Shere’s story, that are important in modern times?

Visit sherehitedoc.com to find out where The Disappearance of Shere Hite is playing near you.

Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology

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The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University has been a trusted source for scientific knowledge and research on critical issues in sexuality, gender, and reproduction for over 75 years. Learn about more research and upcoming events at kinseyinstitute.org or look for them on social media @kinseyinstitute.

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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.