Anais Nin-creating a language for female sexuality

 Anais Nin was one of the first women to fully explore the realm of erotic writing, and definitely one of the most prominent women in the modern west to write erotica. She was at first based in France, and than later in the U.S and became good friends ( and lover) to a blossoming literary circle in the 1930's/40's including Henry Miller, Edmund Wilson and  James Agee to name a few.

I recently delved into two of her famous erotic works Delta of Venus and Little Birds, not only did I immediately recognize her poetic imagery of animal lust and emotional bonding, but also her undeniable female perspective on the sexuality of her characters.  As a writer, feminist, and sex-positive human I couldn't help but be in awe of the way Nin's stories incorporate the reversal and ambiguity of genders. Stereotypes of the sexual desires of men and women are often flipped upside down. An example of this would be that many of her female characters exemplified masculine aspects of sexual initiators, aggressors, and separators of love and sex.

her writing technique was a way that she could assert her feminine identity in sexual matters.

“I had a feeling that Pandora's box contained the mysteries of woman's sensuality, so different from a man's and for which man's language was so inadequate. The language of sex had yet to be invented. The language of the senses was yet to be explored.”

― Anaïs Nin, Delta of Venus

she found resistance in trying to publish her writing which I suppose is not surprising. A woman openly writing about sexuality and sexual adventures was probably considered horrific and socially inappropriate back in the 30's/40's. Because of this lack of publication, she was free to creatively write in any way she pleased with no limitations, and isn't this the beauty of being an artist? I am inspired by her controversy and her projection of womanhood in a time in history when her work was belittled and criticized simply because she was an unconventional bohemian artist and woman. I see her writing as a unique guide to anyone who has questioned their sexual desires or who wants insight into love, confusion and sexual pleasure for both men and women.

Here is more on Anais Nin and a list of some of the erotica and other diary works I would recommend

- Delta of Venus

- Little Birds

- Under a Glass Bell

- A Spy in the House of Love

- The Diary of Anais Nin

- Henry and June