Hi, I'm Rachel Hills.
I'm a London-based (via Sydney, Australia) writer, researcher and contributor to publications including the Sydney Morning Herald, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Atlantic, Girlfriend and more. I'm also writing a book about Gen Y, sex and identity. This is my blog.
I'd love to hear from you. Submit a question to my Ask Rachel column here, send me an email here, connect with me on Twitter here or find out more about my paid work at www.rachelhills.net.
I'm a London-based (via Sydney, Australia) writer, researcher and contributor to publications including the Sydney Morning Herald, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Marie Claire, The Atlantic, Girlfriend and more. I'm also writing a book about Gen Y, sex and identity. This is my blog.
I'd love to hear from you. Submit a question to my Ask Rachel column here, send me an email here, connect with me on Twitter here or find out more about my paid work at www.rachelhills.net.
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Posts tagged "the sex myth"
TEDxLoughborough: Understanding The Sex Myth
A couple of months ago, I gave a talk about my forthcoming book The Sex Myth at TEDxLoughborough, speaking about everything from my adolescent insecurities, to how many sexual partners the average college student has in any given year, to The Sex Myth itself: the idea that what you do in your sex life reveals the truth of who you really are.
The talk is online now, and I’d love it if you would give it a whirl (and please, share it with your friends if you like it). A couple of early reviews, which I think sum it up the good and the not-so-good pretty nicely (and amusingly, in the second case):
“A must watch for anyone who’s felt their sexual life questioned, criticized, or had themselves defined by their sex lives.” - Elizabeth, Facebook.
“A horrifying yet fascinating window into the world of insecure women with a shopping list of issues surrounding sex.” - Bokehpete, YouTube.
I’ve spent the last couple of weeks tearing my hair out over my manuscript as I prepared to send it to my editor this week, picking apart the holes and despairing over how I would ever fill them.
But last night, as I moved all the chapters out of their separate files and into one big one, I experienced a moment of awe.
I did it! I wrote a book! Sure, it’s not perfect and there are about a hundred things I’d like to change about it. But there are 70,000 words on the page, and they are mostly smart and interesting. And just as importantly, they reflect the vision I had when I began working on this project five years ago.
And in that moment at 3am that seemed pretty amazing. Hell, even now, 20 minutes after I sent it off, it seems pretty amazing.
One step closer.
Now for the months of edits and revisions.
- Her: "You should have a slide saying 'The Sex Myth is bullshit.'"
- Me: "Well, I'm already using the word 'bullshit' in my talk, so that could work."
Mr Musings picks up a magazine from the pile on our kitchen table, and reads aloud one of the headlines.
Mr Musings: That looks like something you’d be interested in.
Me: Yep. That’s why I bought it.
Mr Musings: How many articles about sex do they have?
Me: Usually about fourteen. I’ve counted.
Mr Musings: I think this article reinforces The Sex Myth. … Do you want me to leave it open for you?
Me: Nah, it’s okay. I’ll find it.
Me: [Pause] Tell me, how does it reinforce The Sex Myth?
Mr Musings: Well, it says the average 18 to 25 year old has sex 120 times a year. If I wasn’t having sex at all [Rachel’s note: Which a solid portion of people in this age group aren’t] I’d worry there was something wrong with me. And it says that having 100 orgasms a year makes you live longer. How would I feel if I hadn’t orgasmed yet?
Me: Very good. I have taught you well.
Separate to the one where I talk shits and giggles with my friends, that is.
I’ll be using it to share the usual links to my published articles and blog posts, but more importantly, to get feedback on some of the ideas I’m working on for my book, The Sex Myth (forthcoming Simon & Schuster 2014), and stay in touch with the community that is developing around the book.
If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, go like it, won’t you?
I’ve received over 400 emails in the past 24 hours… which is going to take me a little while to get through, for obvious reasons.
If you’re interested in participating and haven’t gotten in touch yet, please don’t let that deter you, though.
While I don’t have the capacity to interview everyone, I’m going to be setting up a Facebook group to keep everyone in the loop, share links and discuss book related issues - since clearly I’m not the only person who is passionate about this topic!
