DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of Masturbation

Pop quiz: what do cornflakes, mermaids, and influencers all have in common? If you guessed masturbation, you would be correct! If you were stumped, then look no further than Dr. Eric Sprankle's DIY: The Wonderfully Weird History and Science of Masturbation for an incredibly well-researched book that will answer this question and every question you've ever had about self-pleasure. Throughout this book, Dr. Sprankle explores how masturbation, which he defines as "simply a moment of pleasure," has found itself at the center of centuries worth of discourse and debate. Using his signature irreverent humor, Sprankle provides his reader with a detailed yet approachable overview of peer-reviewed literature, exploring the history and science of masturbation through a feminist, sex-positive, and unembarrassed lens that is deeply refreshing.

Throughout DIY, Sprankle conducts a stimulating exploration of the existing research on self-pleasure and how it is used, abused, or ignored within cultural dialogues. Sprankle examines communities that deplore masturbation as pathological and unhealthy, providing a nuanced discussion of the history and current state of these ideologies before soundly refuting them using scientific evidence. Communities discussed include the church, health/wellness influences, the subreddit r/NoFap, and fringe racist/antisemitic conspiracy theorist groups. Sprankle details how each of these groups, even the more obscure ones, have an impact on the dialogues around self-pleasure, with extremists pushing the discourse further and further into pseudo-scientific radicalism. DIY refutes the misinformation that abounds in these communities while also demonstrating a complex understanding of the reasons harmful ideologies can permeate these spaces in the first place. Through this high-level analysis, Sprankle shows us that much of what we know about masturbation is, in fact, myths we need to rethink.

Aside from dismantling harmful ideologies around masturbation, DIY also explores the world of sexual education. Sprankle devotes several chapters to the discussion of how self-pleasure is achieved, writing informatively about the different kinds of sex toys, their origins (the oldest found sex toy is over 28,000 years old!), and their uses. Sprankle also discusses the different formats in which self-pleasure can be achieved, as well as how to healthily overcome barriers that may prevent one from engaging in it. I especially enjoyed Sprankle's discussion of self-pleasure as an avenue to understanding oneself. Sprankle movingly articulates how one can find personal fulfillment through sexual exploration and the greater self-knowledge that results from it. I find that self-pleasure is often overlooked or completely ignored in sexual education due to the insidious narratives spun around masturbation that we have previously discussed. I believe one of the most impactful parts of DIY is how it reframes self-pleasure as a beautiful experience, expertly showing how masturbation is not the shameful act we have been led to believe it is but, instead, a quintessential part of the human experience.

Another aspect of DIY that I particularly appreciated was Sprankle's discussion of senior sexuality. This is another topic that often gets left out of the discourse around self-pleasure, and I was happy to find that DIY devotes a whole chapter to its exploration. Sprankle begins by addressing the discomfort many feel when discussing the sexuality of seniors and how that often means their needs and desires become devalued. He immediately establishes that the aging have the same sexual desires and needs as all humans, even though they are sometimes viewed as asexual by the general public. Sprankle then details how this presumed asexuality leads to the loss of sexual autonomy, showing the restrictions that assisted living facilities and physical limitations pose on the sexually active as they age. Sprankle raises many thought-provoking questions about how we view senior sexuality, challenging our internal squeamishness on the subject and arriving at profoundly astute conclusions as a result.

As a long-time fan of Dr. Eric Sprankle and his notorious social media presence, I was so excited to finally get my hands on this book and it did not disappoint. Sprankle dedicates DIY to "the ‘bators and the haters," and his wit-filled writing on both subjects will have you laughing while you question everything you thought you knew about masturbation. I recommend this book for everyone who wants to get a deeper understanding of an often misunderstood subject while also thoroughly enjoying themselves (no pun intended).