CWC Docs: The Disappearance of Shere Hite

Whatever happened to Shere Hite? The feminist writer and researcher made significant waves in the 1970s for her groundbreaking research on the female orgasm, conducting thousands of anonymous surveys among American women about their private sex lives. The result was her landmark 1976 publication The Hite Report, which candidly explored a myriad of sexual taboos, concluding that women don’t need penetration to achieve orgasm—other methods of stimulation are much more effective. The book became a worldwide bestseller, making her both an instant sensation and a target, yet her name is virtually unknown among younger generations. The Disappearance of Shere Hite charts her fascinating story from repressed childhood to celebrity figure on New York’s Upper West Side, her establishment-rocking writings on gender and sexuality, and the media’s aggressive campaign to discredit and bury her life’s work. Director Nicole Newnham combines extensive archival materials and interviews to present the flamboyant and charismatic life of Hite, the era in which she worked, and the opposition that triggered her withdrawal from public life.

Director Nicole Newnham will join moderator Kyna McClenaghan for a post-screening discussion of The Disappearance of Shere Hite (2023).