Title: America's War on Sex: The Attack on Law, Lust and Liberty Author: Marty Klein, Ph.D. Publisher: Praeger Publishers Publish Date: 2006 Pages: 212 Genres:: Political Studies, History, Non-Fiction, Psychology, Sociology Reviewer: B.I. Laureano

Rating:

If you watch Showtime’s Penn & Teller: Bullshit! you have already been introduced to sex therapist and public policy analyst Marty Klein.  He was on the “War on Porn” episode, and for good reason. Much of Dr. Klein’s expertise is examining, challenging and educating people on the U.S. government’s “never-ending quest to eliminate as much eroticism from American life as possible.” His latest book America’s War on Sex is one of those texts that turn the phrase “war on sex” into a proper noun. You’ve got to love that!

Dr. Klein argues this book is for everyone, and I’d have to agree with him. He’s selected some of the most talked about topics, such as abstinence education, censorship, reproductive rights, sexual minorities, and filled us in on the parts of the conversation we have yet to hear. For example, did you know the U.S.-funded abstinence programs at only $206 million in 2006, but never requires programs to demonstrate their effectiveness? I learned that in the 19th century, abortions and contraceptives were banned not only as an attempt to limit women’s reproductive freedom, but also to get rid of midwives who were seen as competition for the growing number of physicians.

An in-depth discussion of the Sexual Disaster Industry (SDI), an interdisciplinary group with members from federal to nonprofit organizations that “daily overstate the amount of sexual violence, sexual danger, sexual immortality, and sexual freakiness around us” (emphasis in original), is provided throughout chapters five and six. The list of television shows selected as “indecent” is hilarious. I can only imagine how many shows are on that list today, and how many have won awards.

Other highlights from the text include chapter seven entitled “Yes, They Really Said That” which includes amazingly ignorant quotes from those in power in the U.S. My favorites include Dr. Phil (yes that one), who believes pornography is a “perverse and ridiculous intrusion.” Then Denny Pattyn, the founder of Silver Ring Thing, an abstinence pledge, says if her 16-year-old daughter tells her she is going to have sex she would “not tell her to use a condom,” followed by Janet Parshall, a radio host, who stated on Larry King Live that she believes when same gender couples adopt a child it is “state-sanctioned child abuse.” Interesting. I’m surprised he didn’t provide the famous Dr. Jocelyn Elders retort: abstinence-only programs are a form of child abuse.

An international perspective ensues in chapter 12 where he begins to eloquently discuss pornography by offering a timeline of examples of how government anti-porn forces have challenged pornography through current uses of a public health model. Followed by a discussion on civil rights and individual rights to partner and have sex among consenting individuals and the policing of bodies.

The most rewarding part of this book is reading how many times Dr. Klein can find new phrases to define “conservatives.” Some of my favorites include: erotophobes (those who fear and hate sexuality; we would be called “erotophiles”), sexual jihadists, antichoice, and antisex forces.

Reading Dr. Klein’s book was entertaining and depressing. I was already sold on all his discussions and we are on the same side; therefore, he was kind of preaching to the choir. Written in an accessible conversational tone, I can see this being a favorite for any college course on sexuality, censorship and politics.