The idea of a “sex strike” is nothing new — Aristophanes first detailed women using their sexuality to end The Peloponnesian War in the ancient Greek play “Lysistrata.” And now in her new book, “The Uncoupling,” best-selling author Meg Wolitzer tells the fictionalized tale of the modern-day women of Stellar Plains, N.J., who, under a magical spell, begin to say “no” to sex en masse.
Is this your first foray into magical realism?
Absolutely. It was definitely new territory for me, but I like to entertain myself when I write. I thought it was really in service to the story that all the women in the suburban town fall under a spell. But we’ve all come under spells when you think about it. Falling in love requires being drawn to a person in a way you don’t understand. Literature puts you under a spell. And if J.K. Rowling can run with it, why can’t I?
There’s hardly a more nuanced topic than women’s sexuality.
I kept hearing middle-aged women say things like, “I am done with that.” Their relationship to love and sex has changed and I was struck by that. It was a topic worth exploring. For me, that is the center of “The Uncoupling.” There are a lot of different reasons women feel ambivalent toward sex — from middle-aged malaise to the hook-up culture. And I didn’t want to write a book about whiny woman complaining about their inadequate sex lives. That’s the last book I wanted to write.
How did you uncover “Lysistrata”?
I’ve always known about “the sex strike play.” But I started really thinking about it during the Bush administration and these wars that grind on and on.
Follow Dorothy Robinson on Twitter at @DorothyatMetro.
A City Council committee on Monday gave preliminary approval to legislation that could create a…
Eagles fans and those who plan to travel to some away games this year are…
By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI Associated Press Philadelphia has mandated all city employees to return to their…
Pro-Palestinian protesters ignored a request by Drexel University's president to disband their encampment on Monday…
By JONEL ALECCIA AP Health Writer People with HIV can breastfeed their babies, as long…
By MARYCLAIRE DALE AP Legal Affairs Writer The family of the youngest person ever executed…
This website uses cookies.