Dr Hilary Caldwell
Slutdom: Reclaiming shame-free sexuality
UQP, 2024
Despite decades of activism, women are still burdened with the effects of slut shaming in everyday life. Finally, there is a book that argues convincingly and passionately for women’s enjoyment of sex as a force to advance gender equality.
Delving into topics such as pleasure, pain, empowerment, and including real women’s stories and saucy tips, sexologist and academic Hilary Caldwell is uniquely placed to understand what women want – and, importantly, what women deserve.
Deeply researched and drawn from the author’s own life experience, Slutdom is controversial, celebratory and courageous.
“Slutdom offers a unique lens into the power of sexual agency. Through the voices of women who buy sex, as well as those who are paid for it, Caldwell’s is a fresh exploration of the value of sex work. This book takes us to an intersection of vulnerability and empowerment, giving us permission to see pleasure as a site of possibility and compellingly calling for the resistance of slut-shaming as a political force.”
About the Author
Dr Hilary Caldwell is an academic with a Masters in Health Science and Applied Science. Her doctorate, ‘Women Who Buy Sex in Australia’ was the first study in the world to explore women buying sexual services and was informed by her professional career in the field of sexology. She is kinky and queer, a mother and grandmother.
