Description
Book SynopsisThe figure of the mistress is undoubtedly controversial. She provokes intense reactions, ranging from fear, to disgust and revulsion, to excitement and titillation, to sadness and perhaps to some, love. The mistress is conventionally depicted as a threat to moral living and someone whose sexuality is considered defective and toxic. Of course, she is a woman that you would not have as your friend, and certainly not your wife, since her ethical sense, if she even has one, is dubious at best. This book subverts these traditional judgements and offers an unflinching look at the lived experience of the mistress. Here she is recast as a potentially loving, free, intimate other' woman. Drawing upon feminist philosophy, contemporary sexual ethics and the current cultural moment of #MeToo,
Mistress Ethics moves beyond a narrative of infidelity, conventional judgment, the safeguarding of monogamy and conventional heterosex that permeates our society. It asks what happens when we let go o
Trade ReviewA stunning critique of the ethics of both monogamous and non-monogamous relationships, offering radical alternatives from those ‘spies in the house of love’ who occupy the spaces in between. Deftly weaving together personal stories and political analysis,
Mistress Ethics is a courageous, compelling, and - above all - deeply kind book. * Meg-John Barker, Author of “Life Isn’t Binary: On Being Both, Beyond, and In-Between” *
An original, radical book. Academically rigorous, yet an entertaining read. It dares to start a new conversation about an experience previously unexplored in philosophy and to humanise instead of judge. * Andy West, Author of “The Life Inside: A Memoir of Prison, Philosophy and Family” *
Brooks offers a stepping stone along the path towards a more sexually flexible future. While the book does not convince that cheating will ever be right, this is a fascinating look into a demonized archetype in sexuality. * Stoya, Actress and Writer, Author of “Philosophy, Pussycats, and Porn” *
Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introductions: Sex, Ethics and Mistresses Chapter 1: Why Do We Hate Mistresses Or Why You Should Never Assume Chapter 2: Slut! Who Is She And How Is She Made? Chapter 3: #MeToo, Marriage And Power: What Kind Of Men Have Mistresses And How Are They Treated? Chapter 4: What Is The Sex Like? Chapter 5: Bisexual, Queer And Kinky Mistresses Chapter 6: If Polygamy Is Not The Answer, What Is?
Bibliography Index
