Description

Sex in Public: The Transformative Social Power of Our Erotic Lives

by Angela Jones
Format: Hardcover
ISBN-13: 9781541605433

What if sexuality isn’t merely personal, but profoundly social?

In Sex in Public, award-winning sociologist Angela Jones challenges the conventional belief that sex, desire, and erotic life belong solely behind closed doors. Drawing from sociology, sexuality studies, feminist theory, and the lived experiences of people who challenge sexual norms, Jones argues that our erotic lives are deeply intertwined with culture, politics, power, and community.

From questions of shame and stigma to healing, pleasure, identity, and bodily autonomy, Jones examines how social institutions and cultural expectations shape the ways we understand and express desire. Far from being a private matter, sexuality influences and is influenced by systems of power that affect nearly every aspect of human life.

Through accessible analysis and groundbreaking research, Jones explores how sexual norms are created, enforced, resisted, and transformed. She highlights the experiences of activists, educators, and sexual “rule-breakers” who challenge restrictive assumptions about pleasure, relationships, and personal freedom.

At its core, Sex in Public offers a bold vision of liberation. By understanding sexuality as a social force rather than an individual concern, Jones argues that we can build more equitable, compassionate, and empowering communities while cultivating healthier relationships with ourselves and others.

Provocative, insightful, and deeply thought-provoking, this book invites readers to reconsider what sexual freedom truly means and how embracing erotic autonomy can help transform society itself.