Join Amazon Prime and ship Two-Day for free and Overnight for $3.99. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
18 used & new from $27.39

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women's Love and Desire
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get yours here.
 
  

Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women's Love and Desire (Hardcover)

by Lisa M. Diamond (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

List Price: $27.95
Price: $27.95 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

7 new from $27.95 11 used from $27.39
Also Available in: List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
Paperback $17.95 $12.50 32 used & new from $11.29

Special Offers and Product Promotions

  • Buy this health and fitness product by July 31 and get a one year subscription to either Women's Health or Prevention for only $5 more. That's less than $0.51 an issue for a full year. See details.


Frequently Bought Together

Customers buy this book with When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror by Carol Leifer

Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women's Love and Desire + When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror
Price For Both: $44.27

One of these items ships sooner than the other. Show details

  • This item: Sexual Fluidity: Understanding Women's Love and Desire by Lisa M. Diamond

    Temporarily out of stock.
    Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details

  • When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win: Reflections on Looking in the Mirror by Carol Leifer

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man: What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

by Steve Harvey
4.2 out of 5 stars (674)  $14.39
Who's Been Sleeping in Your Head: The Secret World of Sexual Fantasies

Who's Been Sleeping in Your Head: The Secret World of Sexual Fantasies

by Brett Kahr
4.0 out of 5 stars (5)  $12.24
The Whole Lesbian Sex Book: A Passionate Guide for All of Us

The Whole Lesbian Sex Book: A Passionate Guide for All of Us

by Felice Newman
4.2 out of 5 stars (31)  $16.47
The Other Side of Desire: Four Journeys into the Far Realms of Lust and Longing

The Other Side of Desire: Four Journeys into the Far Realms of Lust and Longing

by Daniel Bergner
3.6 out of 5 stars (10)  $16.49
Living Two Lives: Married to a Man and In Love with a Woman

Living Two Lives: Married to a Man and In Love with a Woman

by Joanne Fleisher
4.4 out of 5 stars (21)  $13.22
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Many women experience a fluid sexual desire that is responsive to a person rather then a specific gender, argues Diamond n this fascinating and certain to be controversial study. Diamond, associate professor of psychology and gender studies at the University of Utah, is best when detailing, with vivid examples, how scientific studies of sexual desire and behavior have focused on the experience of men, for whom the heterosexual/homosexual divide seems mostly fixed. Diamond says traditional labels for sexual desire are inadequate; for some women even bisexual does not truly express the protean nature of their sexuality. Diamond details in accessible and nuanced language her own study of 100 young women (by her own admission not fully representative) over a period of 10 years. She says that she is calling for an expanded understanding of same-sex sexuality that could radically affect both LGBT activists who hold that sexual identity is fixed and antigay groups who believe sexuality is chosen. Sexual fluidity involves a mix of internal and external factors, but is not, Diamond emphasizes, a matter of conscious choice, and she speculates that a younger generation that views sexuality as personal rather than political might embrace this less rigid view. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
Sexual Fluidity is the most important book on sexuality in many years. The scholarship is impeccable and the writing lucid. Exploring issues that have political, scientific, and personal ramifications, Diamond answers the tough questions: Do women have a sexual orientation? Do women choose their sexuality? Can a heterosexual woman fall in love with a woman? Can a lesbian fall in love with a man? Are women really sexually changeable? Are men? Diamond challenges both traditionalists and radicals—if you want to understand female sexuality, listen to what women say.
--Ritch C. Savin-Williams, author of The New Gay Teenager (20080301)

The book raises fundamental questions about women's sexuality. Lisa Diamond's comprehensive analysis of the scientific evidence illuminates the interconnections of love, sex and sexual identity in women's lives. Her analysis of sexual fluidity is both original and compelling.
--Anne Peplau, UCLA (20080413)

Fascinating and certain to be controversial...Diamond says traditional labels for sexual desire are inadequate; for some women even "bisexual" does not truly express the protean nature of their sexuality. Diamond details in accessible and nuanced language her own study of 100 young women (by her own admission not "fully representative") over a period of 10 years. She says that she is "calling for an expanded understanding of same-sex sexuality" that could radically affect both LGBT activists who hold that sexual identity is fixed and antigay groups who believe sexuality is chosen. (Publishers Weekly 20080417)

Freud once asked: 'What do women want?' He did not really know. In this beautiful and scholarly book, Diamond has attempted to answer his question. In her study of 100 young women growing up in the postmodern era, she has found that what women want is far more complex than was previously thought and cannot easily be answered with a simple theory. This book will be read by students and scholars across the social and biological sciences. It is a gift to be cherished.
--Ken Zucker, University of Toronto (20080619)

Captivating, nuanced, and rigorous...Diamond's work is vital precisely because sexual fluidity is not a new concept--Freud called his version "polymorphous perversity"--but merely one that is typically dismissed. Nor is it news to women, particularly not to a generation for whom a nonspecific "queer" affiliation, or no affiliation at all, is increasingly common. What is so important is not that this fluidity exists, but that someone has finally paid it systematic attention and found that it is in fact not the exception, but may well be the rule.
--Hanne Blank (Ms. )

Traditionally, female sexuality has been presumed to work in the same way and by the same rules as male sexual identity, but Diamond argues that for women, sexual identity isn't fixed in the same categories.
--Temma Ehrenfeld (Psychologies )

Setting out to prove the theory that, for some women, love is truly blind where gender is concerned, Diamond presents her evidence in a fascinating, anecdotal fashion--by tracking over the span of a decade the relationships of nearly 100 women who at one point or another had experienced "same-sex attractions." The women move from men to women and back again (or vice-versa), their sexual identity as changeable as their desires. Additionally, she delves into the brain science behind lust, love and infatuation, revealing that what draws women toward a particular partner is as much a function of biology as it is anything else. To her credit, Diamond avoids scripting her arguments in obtuse academese. With her compassionate, understated approach, she has stepped up the business of gender research.
--Lily Burana (Washington Post Book World )

A fascinating read. (Times Higher Education Supplement )

The book has many riveting accounts by women of their own experiences of sexual attraction and distraction...Diamond has written a fascinating book.
--Adam Phillips (London Review of Books )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Harvard University Press (February 28, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0674026241
  • ISBN-13: 978-0674026247
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #464,460 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #37 in  Books > Gay & Lesbian > Nonfiction > Bisexuality

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.
(2)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
Help others find this product — tag it for Amazon search
No one has tagged this product for Amazon search yet. Why not be the first to suggest a search for which it should appear?

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very intereting discussion of female sexuality, August 5, 2008
By queer_reader (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
This book is a very interesting read for any woman, queer or straight.

The discussion of the to-date research on female sexuality and major premises in sexuality research are a great overview resource for anyone interested in this topic.

Female sexuality and the discussions stemming from Diamond's research are described in an approachable way. Topics stemming out of this book will force queer and straight women to rethink their perception of sexuality and their experiences.

I'd bet this book will stand the test of time and will provide a good resource for female sexuality discussions.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Getting it straight!, February 18, 2008
By Joe Kort "www.joekort.com" (Royal Oak, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Lisa Diamond does a great job breaking down the differences between sexual orientation, sexual identiy, sexual behavior and sexual fantasies. Her work is an important contribution to the growing body of knowledge that people do not always fit into the straight, gay or even bisexual categories.

I highly recommend this book.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5.0 out of 5 stars Every woman should read this book, July 2, 2009
By MH (Ca) - See all my reviews
This book was fascinating, informative and easy to read. Every woman I know over 40 feels that there is no need in thier life for a man. Men should read this book to understand why women get tired of them.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Bad written, boring
It's too bad that such an interesting subject was ruined by the style of writing, it was also repetitive and trying too hard to be "politically correct" trying to use alternative... Read more
Published 8 days ago by J.A.

1.0 out of 5 stars boring read
sexual fluidity is really boring! not as interesting as the author's visit on Oprah's show. Kinda reads like a college text book. a real yawner!
Published 2 months ago by dckdarby

5.0 out of 5 stars sexual fluidity
excellent book. I learnt lots about the subject and would encourage anyone who wants to learn about sexual fluidity to read it.
Published 2 months ago by Karen Jensen

3.0 out of 5 stars INTERESTING BOOK FROM MALE POINT OF VIEW
This is a fascinating book from a male perspective. Forget about men wanting to get into a threesome or loving to watch woman-on-woman action. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sean from Seattle

5.0 out of 5 stars provides new understanding
I think many or most women are more sexually 'fluid' than at an extreme. however this is missed by a lot of people. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Katie

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
New! See all customer communities, and bookmark your communities to keep track of them.
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


   


Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Need a Wrench with Great Impact?

Shop for impact wrenches at Amazon.com
Tough jobs require the power of a wrench that won't back down. A variety of impact wrenches are available for any number of projects at prices you'll like.

Shop for impact wrenches

 

Big Savings in Books

Bargain Books
Find great titles at fantastic prices in our Bargain Books Store.
 

Dive into Summer Reading

Summer Reading for Kids and Teens
Don't even think about hitting the beach without browsing the books in our Summer Reading Store. Discover bestsellers, paperback picks, beach reads, and more terrific titles all summer long.
 

Best Books

Best of the Month
See our editors' picks and more of the best new books on our Best of the Month page.
 

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Where's My Stuff?

Shipping & Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue shopping: Top Sellers

Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates