Beverly Whipple, a nurse, psychologist and sex educator whose work helped bring the G-spot into mainstream discussion, died Monday at her home in Voorhees, New Jersey. She was 85. Her husband, Jim Whipple, said she died from complications of an illness consistent with Alzheimer’s disease.
Whipple co-wrote “The G Spot: And Other Recent Discoveries About Human Sexuality” with Alice K. Ladas and John D. Perry. The 1982 book explored female sexual pleasure and the idea of a sensitive area on the upper vaginal wall. It became a New York Times bestseller, was translated into 19 languages and sold more than a million copies.
Her accessible way of discussing sexuality and her open attitude toward sexual tastes and orientations reached audiences around the world. In a 1981 appearance on “The Phil Donahue Show,” Whipple demonstrated on a plastic model of female genitalia, identifying an area she described as sensitive. She told viewers that it could be difficult to locate on oneself but that a partner might find it more easily.
The demonstration drew giggles from the studio audience, but Whipple appeared unfazed. Later, when host Phil Donahue asked an older audience member whether she had expected to discuss the subject on television, the woman said she had not.
Sources: The New York Times Science.