Betty Dodson (born 1929) was trained as a fine artist in the 1950s, and in 1968 had her first show of erotic art at the Wickersham Gallery in New York City. In the 1970s, she quitted her art career and began studying sexology. Dodson’s books on female masturbation, illustrated with her drawings, became best-sellers and classic feminist works.
Sexual Labels
Dodson considers herself a fourth-wave feminist standing for the sexual liberation of a woman and fighting against sexual labels. Therefore, she also says that she is a heterosexual, bisexual lesbian. This way, Dodson insists on the thought that humans can be defined as only “sexual” without any additional restrictions. Let’s hope we will reach it in a brighter future.
“Self-Portrait in My 80’s”: “With age, you care less and less about what other people think. By your 80’s, you don’t give two fucks” – B. Dodson.
The Betty Dodson Method
In the late 1960s, Dodson developed her method of masturbation using the Hitachi Magic Wand, which is a wand vibrator originally designed for relieving muscle tension. Dodson organized special workshops to teach women to achieve an orgasm with this device. Dodson’s book “Sex for One: The Joy of Self-loving” (1987) includes a set of letters from thankful women reporting about their experience.
Dodson’s illustration from “Sex for One” (taken from the book)
Dodson’s illustration from “Sex for One.” Dodson: “Several drawings I did on vacation in Hawaii. I think that’s why the colors were so bright and pretty.”
Dodson’s illustration from “Sex for One”
Dodson’s illustration from “Sex for One”
Dodson’s illustration from “Sex for One.” Dodson: “This was one of my favorite sex acts with my first girlfriend in the 70’s.”
Dodson’s illustration from “Sex for One”
Career and Media Activity
Betty Dodson still manifests herself as a writer, fine artist, and designer of jewelry and sex toys. Also, she appears in sex documentaries. The most recent appearance was in the Goop Lab (the episode “The Pleasure Is Ours,” January 2020).
Sexual Issues
After meeting former corporate lawyer Carlin Ross in 2006, Dodson created an online portal dodsonandross.com focused on sexual issues. This site contains information both on masturbation and sex with a partner, sexual trauma, pregnancy, etc. Not only many articles, podcasts, and videos can be found on this platform, but also a gallery of Betty Dodson’s art devoted to the human body and sexuality. There you can see numerous drawings in different styles, including, of course, the classical style reminding of the Renaissance, in which Dodson was trained at the beginning of her career. Every drawing has a commentary written by Dodson and sometimes by Ross, so you can also learn about the circumstances in which these pictures were drawn.
Male and female orgasms
The Genital Art Gallery
Dodson’s gallery has a preface where the author tells why she decided to create the Genital Art Gallery, which was a project at her personal website, started in 1998. She confesses that until 35, she felt uncomfortable with the look of her vulva lips, thinking that she’d stretched them too much from childhood masturbation. This feeling made her avoid oral sex and lights in the bedroom. The Genital Art Gallery allowed visitors to submit photos of their genitalia accompanied by a short commentary on their relationship with them.
On what our genitalia have in common
Standards of Beauty
In the preface, Dodson also pays attention to the attitude to genitalia in the modern industry, mentioning that lots of women have undergone surgery today to make their vulva look like one of a pre-pubescent girl. About her gallery, she says the following: “My Genital Art Gallery has become a research project where both women and men can share as well as appreciate the vast diversity of our magnificent sex organs.” We hope you’ll enjoy the sketches for “Sex for One” and “Liberating Masturbation” representing different kinds of male and female genitalia as much as we do!
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Pen and Ink Vulva for “Liberating Masturbation” (1974)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
Penis Sketch from “Sex for One” (1987)
“Curiosity”, 1973. Dodson: “This is before I learned how to use a stand alone mirror to view my genitals.”
all images except mentioned are taken from dodsonandross.com
Sources: dodsonandross.com, Wikipedia.org, Betty Dodson. Sex for One. Die Lust am Eigenen Körper. 1989
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