Gayle S. Rubin is a cultural anthropologist recognized as an influential theorist of sex and gender politics. Her work delves into a diverse range of subjects, from feminism and lesbian literature to sexual subcultures, with a particular focus on urban settings. Rubin analyzes how societal norms and power dynamics are shaped within sexual practices and identities. Her approach contributes to a deeper understanding of the complexities of sexuality and gender in contemporary society.
Gayle Rubin laid the foundation for queer theory as a graduate student at Michigan in the early 70s with the essay The Traffic in Women, which was followed a decade later by an equally influential essay, Thinking Sex. This volume collects her essays covering topics ranging from BDSM to feminist debates on pornography and sex to lesbian and gay history.