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Betty Dodson is an artist, an author and a sex educator who has been dubbed "The Mother of Masturbation." Her books, DVDs and Bodysex masturbation workshops have helped millions of women achieve pleasure through "Sex for One." She continues to teach, create and speak out on women's issues and fight for every woman's right to complete sexual satisfaction. Eros Zine had a few words with her about the current political climate and why getting off is an art. Eros Zine: Okay, from reading your web site, one might assume you've been a total perv since you were, like, 10. Do you think that's the case? Betty Dodson: It took years of learning and practice to become a proud perv. Eros Zine: Give us a brief encapsulation of your history for those who are unfamiliar with your work. Betty Dodson: I grew up in Wichita and like most "good girls," I wanted to get married and live happily ever after. All that changed when I moved to New York City and enrolled in art school at night while I continued to be a fashion illustrator by day to support myself. After a year of drawing the nude and going to the Metropolitan Art Museum, I wanted to become a "great artist." That decision changed my priorities. Eros Zine: How did you transition from art to erotic art, or was your art always erotic?
Eros Zine: And did the reactions to your art inspire you to become an activist? Betty Dodson: Yes, in a way. I'd been enjoying threesomes, foursomes and moresomes since my divorce in '65 and the exhibition allowed me to meet many other like-minded people. Group sex parties became my sexuality classroom. By the early '70s the women's movement was gaining momentum and I realized through my feminist support group (consciousness-raising group) that many women were struggling with orgasm. Eros Zine: Which, I assume, then led you to become an educator? Betty Dodson: It was a gradual process. I started running my infamous masturbation workshops to teach sexual skills to women. My idea was to do this for a couple of years and then get back to drawing and painting full time. But every year when the phone started ringing, I'd set up another round of workshops. Twenty years later I got a PhD in sexology at the age of 62. My art form had expanded to include teaching and writing about women's sexuality. Eros Zine: What do you think is wrong with America in regards to sexuality? Betty Dodson: There are many problems. One is that we use sex to sell everything but we don't offer any valid sex education. For example, the abstinence only message is standing in for sex education in schools. Also our hard-line Puritan heritage continues to cling to us in the form of religious fundamentalism. Until we can unequivocally separate church from state and rein in the big corporations' control of politics, Americans will continue to be manipulated based on our ignorance. We are a lazy, uninformed population continuously brainwashed by television. Go see the movie Good Night and Good Luck about Edward R. Murrow and CBS confronting Senator McCarthy. Back in the '50s we were afraid of communists. Now it's terrorists. Eros Zine: We seemed to be going in the right direction for a while and now we're slipping back. Any comments on the current sexual/political circumstances? Betty Dodson: We learn from history that we don't learn from history. Eros Zine: What surprises you most about people's sexuality? Betty Dodson: The vast number of people who are willing to live without experiencing any sexual pleasure with themselves, another person or other people. Eros Zine: Is there one recurring question that still shocks you? Betty Dodson: One that always amazes me is a woman who is not sure if she's ever had an orgasm. Or a woman who is having orgasms and doesn't realize it. Seeking and experiencing sexual pleasure is a key element in the pursuit of happiness. Women need to write our own Declaration of Independence that grants us control over our bodies, easy access to birth control and a vibrator in every bedroom. Eros Zine: Do you still teach your masturbation classes/Bodysex Groups?
Eros Zine: On the grand spectrum between clitoral orgasm and "extreme orgasm" such as Annie Sprinkle's "breathegasm," where do most women fall? Betty Dodson: My mantra is clitoral stimulation with vaginal penetration. I believe, once a woman learns to integrate them both, all the other "gasms" are a cute game girls can play. Annie and I are good friends and we have agreed to disagree. While I'm all for breathing, I wouldn't call a "breathegasm" an "extreme orgasm." It's more like one aspect of the process on your way to the big O. Eros Zine: Is everyone capable of every variation of orgasm? Betty Dodson: Everyone has the capacity to experience some degree of sexual pleasure. I've devoted a large part of my adult life to the pursuit of sexual pleasure and I don't think I've had every variation of orgasm that's been described. But who knows what's next for me if I keep practicing sex. Eros Zine: How about female ejaculation. Is every woman a potential squirter? Betty Dodson: Well, I for one am not a squirter and I have no desire to learn. I continue to be the voice for women who do not "ejaculate" and don't feel we are missing anything (including doing all that extra laundry). Unfortunately some people have left the clitoris behind in their promotion of the G-spot and female ejaculation which for some women has become the holy grail. I continue to believe the clitoris is a woman's primary sex organ and when it's combined with G-spot stimulation, many women will have an even better orgasm. But I'm happy for all the women who love their G-spots and squirting. It's all good! Eros Zine: You've expanded into film...how's that going? Betty Dodson: The videos are doing very well. Once I figured out the new technology of DVD, I absolutely loved the improvement over VHS. It allowed me to restore some of my first videos and lower the prices. Eros Zine: What's coming up for Betty Dodson? Betty Dodson: More art. My latest DVD, Orgasmic Women: 13 Selfloving Divas is my favorite work of art so far. It's available on my website. Educators and therapists are always focused on sexual dysfunction. This one shows a range of orgasms with women who are proud, happy masturbators. They came to show me, "The Mother of Masturbation" how well they can do on their own. Several had mothers or grandmothers who'd taken a workshop with me years ago. Knowing I'd influenced that many generations was indeed an honor. I'm also madly in love with my website, where I answer people's questions. My webmaster Grant Taylor was the first man to ever add clitoral stimulation during fucking way back in '65. We've been close friends ever since. My young handsome lover Eric has been running my business for the past seven years, which has given me more time to create art. Part of his job description is keeping my vagina happy while I hold the Magic Wand vibrator on my clitoris in doggie position on the edge of the bed. Needless to say, I'm one happy senior citizen who is filled with gratitude. My wish is that everyone will make a New Year's resolution to include more sexual pleasure in 2006.
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