There are so many things I love about Betty Dodson.  She dedicated most of her life to teaching women how to experience pleasure and orgasm.  The impact of her work speaks for itself.  Betty has connected countless women with their bodies, and her teachings continue to inspire women even after her death.  She dealt with a lot of criticism, but she never let it distract her from her mission.  She knew how important pleasure was to quality of life, and she believed all women had a right to experience pleasure.  

Despite not having a formal education in health sciences, Betty knew more about pleasure than most medical professionals.  She was progressive, not only with her teaching methods, but in her ability to support women all over the world of all ages and abilities.  Betty believed that pleasure is abundant, and women could experience pleasure from birth until death.   

As we age, it can be difficult to accept the changes that happen to our bodies.  Society makes it seem like after menopause, women “dry up” and are no longer sexual beings.  Granted, menopause can cause some bumps in the road, but it is by no means the end.  For some women it is only the beginning.  Betty was orgasmic her entire life, but she didn’t experience sexual liberation until she was older.  Betty didn’t join the orgy scene until she was 40, and she didn’t experiment with kink until her 60s.  Betty was not afraid to reinvent herself, nor did she shy away from exploring her sexuality and gender.  She was a lifelong masturbator, capable of having orgasms until she passed away at age 91.  

Betty had a simple way of looking at the world.  She broke things down in a way anybody could understand.  She didn’t overcomplicate instructions, or rely on wordy explanations.  Betty taught by demonstrating.  She would never ask anyone to do something that she wouldn’t do first.  Women trusted her, and she made them feel safe.  Her willingness to be vulnerable paved the way for other women to follow suit.  If Betty could do it, we could do it.    

Betty led by example not only in her career, but also in her life.  She was certain that women could experience pleasure for their entire lives, and she demonstrated that ability in erotic recess up until her death.  She knew how important it was for women to see someone of advanced age experiencing pleasure and having orgasms.  Betty shared her body and her orgasms with all of us to demystify pleasure, and inspire women to develop a healthy relationship with their bodies.  We are so used to seeing a narrow representation of female nudity that most of us have no idea what an older body looks like until we start aging.  Seeing Betty nude was always refreshing.  She was so natural and raw.        

Betty was sex positive, but she was also death positive.  In many ways, the two go hand-in-hand.  The trust we have in our bodies to provide pleasure, is the same trust we must have in ourselves to face death.  Betty was content with her life.  She knew that her time was coming, and she faced it bravely.  She had a great run.  Betty had a rich sexual life until she passed.   She lived life fully.

Betty believed death was the final orgasm.  She trusted that her body would know what to do, and that death was nothing to fear.  Many people assume advanced age or end-of-life is a non-sexual time, but pleasure can actually provide a great deal of physical and emotional comfort.  Pleasure connects people to their bodies, and helps strengthen the trust we have in ourselves.  Masturbation is a powerful tool to provide peace during times of stress.  Pleasure reminds us of what the body is capable of.    

Women are orgasmic for their entire lives.  Up until she passed, Betty radiated raw, sexual energy, and was a role model for how to age fearlessly.  She was confident that pleasure would support her until the very end.  Witnessing the later years of Betty Dodson was inspiring and comforting.  Death comes for all of us, but it doesn’t have to be negative or scary.  It is the natural conclusion to life.    

Betty’s death was a huge loss to our community.  We had her on this planet for 91 years, but it doesn’t feel long enough.  Her teachings will live on, and we will continue to see the impact of her work for decades to come, but we must also take note of the role pleasure played at the end of her life.  In a way, Betty’s death was her final gift to women.  She went first and showed us that we are safe, and our bodies will carry us through.  When you live in pleasure, there is nothing to fear.    

Rachel is currently in training as a Bodysex Coach. 

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