Australian Women's Book Review: Online

Hecate's
Australian Women's Book Review

ISSN 1033-9434
Editor:  Barbara Brook
Contributing Assistant Editor:  Katie Hughes
Photomontage:  Set in Stone, Adele Flood

Volume 12, 2000

Talking about safer sex

Love, Lust and Latex, edited by Julie McCrossin, Family Planning Health, NSW, 163 pages, pb., $16.95

Reviewed by Nicola Thomson

Love, Lust and Latex is intended as a resource for young people interested in the issue of sex. Julie McCrossin has been recruited by the organisation, Family Planning Health (formerly Family Planning NSW), to delve into the sex lives of some well-known Australians in order to bring home important messages about safer sex, in particular, to young people. It contains twelve interviews with famous Australians in their twenties and thirties. While McCrossin's chatty and informal style makes for an enjoyable and slightly voyeuristic read, I'm not sure how valuable this book is as a guide for young people negotiating safer sex.

There can be little argument that the more safe sex resources available for young people, the better, and Love Lust and Latex certainly adds to these. There is a helpful glossary of STDs and sex terms included in the book and McCrossin's introduction has some worthy insights into sex and relationships. Yet, considering some of the innovative sex resources available to young people, such as the series of Streetwize comics, and ANCARD's Keep it Simple Guide to Safe Sex (1998), Love, Lust and Latex seems rather pedestrian. Other resources use the often effective method of placing messages and hints for safer sex firmly within the context of young people's experience and lives. Unfortunately, because of the selection of interviewees - who are almost all above the age of thirty (and apparently all currently having safe sex) - the discussion of unsafe sex is always in the past tense.

The selected interviewees are this book's greatest limitation as an educational resource. Sarah Macdonald and Adam Spencer may have a youth following, but it is unlikely that the majority of personalities interviewed would generate a great deal of interest for young people. Furthermore, almost all the people McCrossin talks to appear to have a white, Australian and middle-class background. Given the different nuances and perspectives brought to the issue of sexuality generally, and sexual behaviour, in particular, by one's cultural background, interviews with people from a wider range of cultures would have led to a more useful book.

Young people have difficulty in negotiating safe sex for various reasons. Whilst the book discusses these, it does not explore them in such a way that could be of use in aiding these negotiations. The issue of power is good example of this.

Natasha Stott-Despoja says that “no matter how strong you are there is often a power dynamic between men and women”, yet offers no advice on this subject. This is a very serious issue for young women and can be a clear obstacle to practising safe sex (see for example the extensive research detailed by Janet Holland et al in the British study The Male in the Head). The issue is raised again, in a later interview, when McCrossin suggests to Sarah McDonald that some young women reading Love, Lust and Latex may find it hard to be as “assertive and confident” as Sarah is in her personal sexual negotiations. The reply McDonald gives is logical - she points out that why be embarrassed about insisting on condoms when this guy is about to “go into you” - but how does this translate practically for young women? Not well.

Love, Lust and Latex has information that could interest young people, but will not necessarily equip them with the skills to help them negotiate to have safer sex. For that, educators, and young people themselves had better look elsewhere.

Nicola Thomson is the Consumer Liaison Worker for people on methadone and other opiate pharmacotherapy programs at VIVAIDS (Victorian Drug User Group).

Hecate's Australian Women's Book Review

ISSN 1033-9434		Editor: Barbara Brook Contributing Assistant Editor: Katie Hughes *Photomontage: Set in Stone, Adele Flood*
Volume 12, 2000

Talking about safer sex Love, Lust and Latex, edited by Julie McCrossin, Family Planning Health, NSW, 163 pages, pb., $16.95 Reviewed by Nicola Thomson Love, Lust and Latex is intended as a resource for young people interested in the issue of sex. Julie McCrossin has been recruited by the organisation, Family Planning Health (formerly Family Planning NSW), to delve into the sex lives of some well-known Australians in order to bring home important messages about safer sex, in particular, to young people. It contains twelve interviews with famous Australians in their twenties and thirties. While McCrossin's chatty and informal style makes for an enjoyable and slightly voyeuristic read, I'm not sure how valuable this book is as a guide for young people negotiating safer sex. There can be little argument that the more safe sex resources available for young people, the better, and Love Lust and Latex certainly adds to these. There is a helpful glossary of STDs and sex terms included in the book and McCrossin's introduction has some worthy insights into sex and relationships. Yet, considering some of the innovative sex resources available to young people, such as the series of Streetwize comics, and ANCARD's Keep it Simple Guide to Safe Sex (1998), Love, Lust and Latex seems rather pedestrian. Other resources use the often effective method of placing messages and hints for safer sex firmly within the context of young people's experience and lives. Unfortunately, because of the selection of interviewees - who are almost all above the age of thirty (and apparently all currently having safe sex) - the discussion of unsafe sex is always in the past tense. The selected interviewees are this book's greatest limitation as an educational resource. Sarah Macdonald and Adam Spencer may have a youth following, but it is unlikely that the majority of personalities interviewed would generate a great deal of interest for young people. Furthermore, almost all the people McCrossin talks to appear to have a white, Australian and middle-class background. Given the different nuances and perspectives brought to the issue of sexuality generally, and sexual behaviour, in particular, by one's cultural background, interviews with people from a wider range of cultures would have led to a more useful book. Young people have difficulty in negotiating safe sex for various reasons. Whilst the book discusses these, it does not explore them in such a way that could be of use in aiding these negotiations. The issue of power is good example of this. Natasha Stott-Despoja says that “no matter how strong you are there is often a power dynamic between men and women”, yet offers no advice on this subject. This is a very serious issue for young women and can be a clear obstacle to practising safe sex (see for example the extensive research detailed by Janet Holland et al in the British study The Male in the Head). The issue is raised again, in a later interview, when McCrossin suggests to Sarah McDonald that some young women reading Love, Lust and Latex may find it hard to be as “assertive and confident” as Sarah is in her personal sexual negotiations. The reply McDonald gives is logical - she points out that why be embarrassed about insisting on condoms when this guy is about to “go into you” - but how does this translate practically for young women? Not well. Love, Lust and Latex has information that could interest young people, but will not necessarily equip them with the skills to help them negotiate to have safer sex. For that, educators, and young people themselves had better look elsewhere. Nicola Thomson is the Consumer Liaison Worker for people on methadone and other opiate pharmacotherapy programs at VIVAIDS (Victorian Drug User Group).