Plays well in groups : a journey through the world of group sex
"From tribal religious rituals to the Playboy mansion, and from ancient Rome to Burning Man, Plays Well in Groups explores the phenomenon of group sex. Author Katherine Frank draws on surveys, ethnographic research, participant interviews, and more to provide explanations for both participation in group sex and our complex reactions to it, from fascination to fear. The book looks at group sex across cultures--who has it, and why. Group sex is almost always taboo and often criminalized, and yet it persists across cultures throughout history. Plays Well in Groups looks at the symbolism of orgies, as well as contemporary manifestations of group sex in bathhouses and public sex venues, at BDSM and swinging parties, on Craigslist, and in political scandals, Tantra classes, reality television, and more. Frank explores the many reasons people participate in group sex, from arousal to spiritual transcendence, in this bold study of subversive sexuality."--Jacket
Print Book, English, 2013
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., Lanham, 2013
History
ix, 406 pages ; 24 cm
9781442218680, 1442218681
813540966
The elementary forms of group sex
What we talk about when we talk about "orgies"
Becoming an orgiast: the social organization of group sex
Disgust, shame, and guilt; the primordial soup of desire
Case study: the "dark orgies" of the Marind-anim
From the Coolidge effect to cosmic ecstasy: group sex as arousal and transcendence
Games people play: group sex as experimentation, adventure, and play
Fear and bonding in Las Vegas (and beyond): group sex as belonging, status, identity, and affirmation
Case study: a life fantastic
From revolutionaries to rock stars (and back again): group sex as rebellion, liberation and entertainment
Upping the ante or over the edge?
What are you doing after the orgy?
Appendix A. Group sex and STDs
Appendix B. Researchers and other voyeurs