LCSH adds Strap-on Sex
Jessamyn has a funny post on the addition of "Strap-on Sex" to the official Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) authorities file.* Apparently she has Sandy Berman's "Dildoes" LCSH application on her refrigerator.The record itself is at right. I particularly like the third citation, "Google search, August 30." Apparently the cataloger searched for and then found the term "strap-on dildo sex" in Google. Who would have thunk it?
Then there's the related term "pegging." It was new to me (it was invented in 2001). I turned to LibraryThing which is so often ahead of the curve on slang. For example, LibraryThing is hip to that whole "cooking" thing, where LCSH still calls it "cookery." But alas, no pegging books yet.
Our strap-ons tag isn't very detailed either, with only two books. (BDSM, by contrast, has been used 2577 times.)
My library talks (eg., at the LC, hit "launch in a new window") focus on how LibraryThing's tags can work better than LCSH for just this sort of thing. But not here—LCSH has us beat, I admit. I'll just have to take it, um, like a man.
*No direct link. You can search for it here.
posted by Tim at 9:08 PM
12 Comments:
As Wikipedia notes, pegging isn't quite synonymous with strap-on sex; it's actually a subset, referring only to sex "in which a woman penetrates a man's anus with a strap-on dildo." Though the Bend Over Boyfriend videos are supposedly quite popular, as far as I can tell there's only one book on pegging, The Adventurous Couple's Guide to Strap-On Sex, and the only copy in LibraryThing is untagged. I think the difference between the numbers of tags might be partly because BDSM is both difficult to do well and intellectual, because it's essentially manipulation of psychology, and hence lends itself well to books. Strap-ons, even if they do raise interesting questions about gender, are not that difficult to use.
Pegging is funny because its actually a very old term for sex, though maybe not as specific as Anonymous relates its current use as being. I rememebr that a band I liked, Cordelia's Dad, did a trad. arr.song called Peggin Awl which is a pretty clear tale of ribaldry and double entendre.
Apparently that copy is owned by a sex columnist. Probably a freebie.
There certainly must be some relationship between difficulty and the popularity of do-it-yourself books. (Indeed, Ms. Blue's books do seem to be popular according to difficulty.) But I'm guessing a lot of these books are either gag or display items... Put that book on your shelf and your next boyfriend knows what he's in for, I suppose.
I myself have no actual sex books, but I was always proud of my copy of J. N. Adams' Latin Sexual Vocabulary, as bright orange as the cover image suggests. I guess that telegraphed what potential girlfriends were in for too—philology!
Then again, philology has it's uses. As the John Malovich character in the film version of Dangerous Liaisons says, "We shall begin with some Latin terms."
Incidentally, that that quote has not been recorded ANYWHERE on the internet is, I think, proof positive that the web is an incomplete record of what's great. Okay, I'm biased, but that's the best line in the film!
Tim said: "Incidentally, that that quote has not been recorded ANYWHERE on the internet is, I think, proof positive that the web is an incomplete record of what's great."
Thanks Tim, your words have now been added to the google index...
Hip-hip hooray for strap-on sex being included in LCSH. I thought I'd never see the day.
As a librarian, former sex-educator, and lesbian, I am happy to report there are a few excellent texts (though never enough) that include at least a chaper or two on strap-on sex (and BDSM); two very different acts, I might add.
Here's a few links for both genres:
http://www.goodvibes.com/Item--i-6-3-BB-0401
http://www.goodvibes.com/Item--i-6-3-BB-0402
http://www.goodvibes.com/Item--i-6-3-RA-0601
http://www.goodvibes.com/Item--i-6-3-SC-0703
http://www.goodvibes.com/ItemList--Bondage-and-Fetish-Sex-How-tos--m-59
When they add the heading "Dirty Sanchez" I'll rethink my opinions on LCSH.
I was planning to discuss faceting today at a conference and the subdivision example is great.
Anonymous,
When someone publishes a book that requires a "Dirty Sanchez" LCSH, I'll rethink my opinions on humanity in general.
There ya go; I indexed the closet where my copy was just for you.
Hi its a nice article - you can get many strapon , strap on videos here also
Yeah, I totally agree with the author. Very good point.
email me at: carpenterz@tamu.edu
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