Betty Dodson
With a brush in one hand and a vibrator in the other, she revolutionized female sexuality by championing masturbation as a feminist act of self-knowledge.
1929–2020 (age 91)·American sex educator·Birthday: August 24·The Silent Generation
Biography
Betty Dodson began as a painter of the female form, her New York art exhibitions celebrating eroticism in an era of repression. In the 1970s, she pivoted dramatically, turning her loft into a workshop space where she taught women to reclaim their bodies. Her tool was the 'bodysex' workshop, where, in a radical departure from clinical sex education, women gathered to learn about their anatomy, use mirrors to look at their genitals, and masturbate together. Her illustrated manual, 'Sex for One,' became a controversial bestseller, arguing that solo sex was the foundation of sexual liberation and confidence. Dodson, with her frank, unapologetic, and often humorous approach, directly challenged the anti-pornography wing of feminism, aligning herself with the 'pro-sex' movement. She taught generations of women that pleasure was a personal right, not a negotiated concession, transforming private shame into public power.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Betty was born in 1929, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Betty Was Born
The biggest hits of 1929
#1 Movie
The Broadway Melody
Best Picture
The Broadway Melody
Betty's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1929Born
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1934Started school
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1942Became a teenager
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1945Could drive
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1947Could vote
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Turned 21
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1959Turned 30
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 40
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 50
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1989Turned 60
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 70
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 80
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2020Died at 91
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Authored the groundbreaking book 'Sex for One: The Joy of Selfloving,' which popularized the term 'selfloving' for masturbation.
- Pioneered the 'bodysex' workshop in the 1970s, where women learned about their anatomy and masturbation in a group setting.
- Exhibited her erotic art in New York galleries in the 1960s, challenging obscenity laws and cultural taboos.
- Was a prominent voice in the feminist sex wars, advocating for sexual pleasure as central to women's liberation.
Did You Know?
She was a successful commercial artist and illustrator before focusing on erotic art and sex education.
She appeared on The Phil Donahue Show in 1979, demonstrating the use of a vibrator on national television.
She worked closely with sex researcher Dr. Leonore Tiefer on women's sexual health issues.
In her eighties, she maintained a popular website and blog, continuing her sex-positive advocacy online.
“Masturbation is the primary sexual activity for the entire human race. It’s the one thing we all have in common.”
