6 must- read books about sex

It is so important to continue to educate ourselves and learn new things every day. When it comes to sex and sexuality, it is no different! In fact, it might be one of the more important topics to educate ourselves about because there is so much misinformation out there! If you are looking for a quality read or six, check out these books that are super educational, super inclusive, and just really all around awesome. There are our top six must-read books about sex and sexuality.

1. Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski

If you have any questions about your sex life and desires as a woman, you should read this book. It’s a little bit scientific but Emily Nagoski does give a lot of real-life scenarios to make it understandable. Nagoski goes into significant detail on how and why women’s sexuality works the way it works (or doesn’t work). If you are looking to read any book that will change the way you think about sex (in a good way), pick up a copy of this book. Nagoski also wrote a feminist response to 50 Shades of Grey called How Not To Fall (under her pen name, Emily Foster).

2. The Ethical Slut by Dossie Easton and Catherine A. Liszt

Thinking about opening up your sexual lifestyle beyond monogamy? The Ethical Slut is a fun manual for people who want to live more openly. The authors talk about their experiences and discuss some of the complications that might arise in non-monogamous relationships like scheduling, jealousy, consent, and conflict. The authors define the word “slut” as “a person of any gender who has the courage to lead life according to the radical proposition that sex is nice and pleasure is good for you.”

3. More Than Two: A Practical Guide to Ethical Polyamory by Franklin Veaux and Eve Rickert

More Than Two is an incredibly thorough book about non-monogamy and polyamory. It takes you through all the different levels of a polyamorous journey, and keeps its feet grounded in reality. It is a great read for navigating pretty much any relationship, covering everything from active listening to the less glamorous topics like childcare in a polyamorous relationship. It provides ideas and self-reflective exercises – essentially a toolkit for people to make informed decisions that lead to strong relationships.

4. The Feminist Porn Book by Tristan Taormino, Constance Penley, Celine Parrenas Shimizu and Mireille Miller-Young

If you’re reading the Dusk Magazine, we can only assume that you like feminist porn! It’s okay… we do too! This is why The Feminist Porn Book is a great purchase. This book explores what it means to create feminist pornography from thirty perspectives. The contributors include adult industry actors, producers, researchers, and more, to talk about feminist porn. Expect to read about body image, sexual expression, racialized identities, and more. It’s very sex-positive.

5. Sex With The Lights On by Ducky DooLittle

200 of your most pressing sex questions have been answered. Ducky DooLittle is a sex educator that focuses on safe, honest, and sex-positive advice with a dash of humour. DooLittle’s pool of questions comes from touring the United States in a one-woman show for more than a decade, while answering sex advice questions from anyone who asked. Questions include information about G-spots, multiple orgasms, and anti-depressants libido-related side effects.

6. Girl Sex 101 by Allison Moon

The most colourful and detailed sex-ed book you will ever have the pleasure to pick up. There are informative illustrations on each page, with information from 14 sex educators. It is a sex-ed book for “ladies and lady-lovers of all genders and identities.” Learn about female sexual anatomy, communication, pleasure, oral sex, strap-ons, hand, sex, and more. It gets so detailed that you’ll receive advice about which positions to try to avoid fatigue. Girl Sex 101 includes information for trans women, intersex, sex and disability, menopause, pregnancy, survivors, and more.  

Purchasing books through a local shop is a great option and requesting it at the library might help out some other people too! If you like these books, take a quick moment to write a good review online – it will help support the authors who can then focus even more time on sex education. All of this wonderfully inclusive, feminist, and informative sex education needs to be promoted!

Will you be reading any of these books? Let us know if you do!