Big Pharma, Women, and the Labour of Love

In 2010, Thea Cacchioni testified before the US Food and Drug Administration against flibanserin, a drug proposed to treat low sexual desire in women, dubbed by the media the "pink Viagra." She was one of many academics and activists sounding the alarm about the lack of science behind the search for potentially lucrative female sexual enhancement drugs.

In her book, Big Pharma, Women, and the Labour of Love, Cacchioni moves beyond the search for a sexual pharmaceutical drug for women to ask a broader question: how does the medicalization of female sexuality already affect women's lives? Using in-depth interviews with doctors, patients, therapists, and other medical practitioners, Cacchioni shows that, whatever the future of the "pink Viagra," heterosexual women often now feel expected to take on the job of managing their and their partners' sexual desires. Their search for sexual pleasure can be a "labour of love," work that is enjoyable for some but a chore for others.

An original and insightful take on the burden of heterosexual norms in an era of compulsory sexuality, Cacchioni's investigation should open up a wide-ranging discussion about the true impact of the medicalization of sexuality.

“"Big Pharma, Women and The Labour of Love by Thea Cacchioni is smart and crisp, and of compelling interest to every Canadian interested in sex or money - so, pretty much everybody."”

"Big Pharma, Women and The Labour of Love by Thea Cacchioni is smart and crisp, and of compelling interest to every Canadian interested in sex or money – so, pretty much everybody.”

-- Holly Doan Blacklocks Reporter, August 29, 2015

‘Cacchioni’s empirical material is at its strongest and her analytical sharpness is most challenging when applied to the labour of love.’

-- Ericka Johnson Science and Public Policy, August 2016

‘Thea Cacchioni’s book is a significant, substantive treatment of contemporary women’s sexual practices and experiences… The book is a must read for therapists who address clients’ sexual relationships and sexual practices.’

-- Maureen C. McHugh Women’s Reproductive Health vol 3:02:2016

‘This book is a joy to read… It is important to recognize this book as relevant documenting evidence for a historical moment, a moment when the ‘pink Viagra’ is approved for women’s consumption – whether they want it or not.’

-- Nayantara Sheoran Appleton Journal of International Women’s Studies vol 17:04:2016

Thea Cacchioni is an assistant professor in the Department of Women’s Studies at the University of Victoria.

In 2010, Thea Cacchioni testified before the US Food and Drug Administration against flibanserin, a drug proposed to treat low sexual desire in women, dubbed by the media the "pink Viagra." She was one of many academics and activists sounding the alarm about the lack of science behind the search for potentially lucrative female sexual enhancement drugs. In her book, Big Pharma, Women, and the Labour of Love, Cacchioni moves beyond the search for a sexual pharmaceutical drug for women to ask a broader question: how does the medicalization of female sexuality already affect women's lives? Using in-depth interviews with doctors, patients, therapists, and other medical practitioners, Cacchioni shows that, whatever the future of the "pink Viagra," heterosexual women often now feel expected to take on the job of managing their and their partners' sexual desires. Their search for sexual pleasure can be a "labour of love," work that is enjoyable for some but a chore for others. An original and insightful take on the burden of heterosexual norms in an era of compulsory sexuality, Cacchioni's investigation should open up a wide-ranging discussion about the true impact of the medicalization of sexuality.

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