Review of Flick by Doctor Kate Lister
Title: Flick
Author: Dr Kate Lister
Genre: Non-Fiction, Feminism, History
Year Published: 2026
My Rating: 5/5
Blurb:
Meet the women throughout history who, quite literally, came before us.
From the host of award-winning History Hit podcast Betwixt the Sheets..
There is a common misconception that before modern day feminism, women throughout history simply lay back and thought of England or their respective place of origin; that the modern ‘sex positive’ movement is a radical break from the past. But women demanding better sex did not arrive with free love or the Rampant Rabbit. It has been a very long fight indeed.
From Ancient Mesopotamian sex goddesses to the contraceptive pill, Kate Lister takes us through history to show us how women’s sexual pleasure was controlled, understood and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed.
FLICK is a rousing history of women enjoying sex with themselves, sex with each other, and occasionally sex with men as well.
Review
I was immediately attracted to Flick upon first glance; its cover was instantly alluring and the synopsis felt nothing short of revolutionary.The book focuses on the history of female sexuality (despite the lack of primary sources written by women) - including motherhood to menopause. It's a non-fiction book that doesn't feel dry; Dr Lister gives witty, tongue-in-cheek commentary to break up the gloominess cast by the power of the patriarchy.
Despite the bawdy and playful tone of most Dr Lister's commentary, she highlights serious problems in any patriarchal society. She explores its nature from millennia ago up until the present where, despite the many steps women have taken towards equality, there is still a numerous amount of issues women face.
Dr Lister emphasises the disparity between the importance of sexual pleasure between men and women; female sexuality is still seen as shameful or not even thought of at all. Her statements are always backed by citations, and the statistics and other facts given are nothing short of shocking. I'll give one example as to not spoil the entire book: marital rape was sadly not outlawed until 1991. These statistics are all examples of how women have always been seen as a baby-making factories and vessels of pleasure, where they should be seen as people. People with their own dreams and sexualities, and how they deserve their own pleasure and personhood. Dr Lister names the numerous women - despite their caveats - that have helped us achieve freedoms on the road to equality and I enjoyed learning about them.
Overall, Flick was a deeply fascinating, funny and even heart-breaking read that I'd recommend to anyone. Women need to value their own pleasure and identity while eschewing any sense of shame or meekness. Thank you, Dr Lister, for making noise in a world where women are not supposed to.