“An Erotic Phenotype” by Sherman P. Bastarache
Posted on November 1, 2022
by Reader Views
An Erotic Phenotype
Sherman P. Bastarache
Idein Publishing (2021)ISBN 978-0992159429
Reviewed by Jill Rey for Reader Views (11/2022)
The essence of “An Erotic Phenotype” is to take a human interaction, specifically sex, and break it down piece by piece into everything that goes into it. From orgasm to outer beauty, a man versus a woman, language, and so much more, author Sherman P. Bastarache expertly informs readers in depth on the observable characteristics of sexual desire and excitement.
“An Erotic Phenotype” is a deep take on one author’s understanding of the science and development of female and male as it relates to sexual arousal. Chapter by chapter Bastarache takes readers deeply into one topic at a time as he seeks to break down the interaction of sex and its environment. Chapter one dives right into the topic of orgasms, including an interesting description of how female and male genitalia form the ejaculate process. From there, readers are thrust into feelings, body mapping, hormones, the brain, genes, and so much more. As a female, I learned so much about my own body and desires as well as that of my male counterpart.
“Before anyone can understand what it means to be non-heterosexual in nature, one would need to be non-heterosexual in nature. You cannot form an opinion on a topic or practice you cannot understand.” (p. 161)
Recognizing when his own experiences or insights are limited, Bastarache is vulnerable at times and scientific in others, creating a well-rounded and objective read. With no topic off limits he even addresses fight, flight, freeze, and friend, touching on the body’s response to danger of sexual assault, rape, and other non-consensual acts, providing a comprehensive study of the body for readers to digest.
One of my favorite chapters, chapter 11, happened to evoke the idea that women are the true intellects. Going so far as to introduce the concept that men didn’t invent fire or knives, but rather women did to accomplish the tasks they needed to, to provide for their families and survive. This concept and idea, along with the support he provides, shows how Bastarache isn’t afraid to challenge assumptions. Crafting a well cited and elaborately articulated read, the structure of “An Erotic Phenotype” provides detailed support to the concepts introduced and overall premise of the book. Informative, insightful, and thought provoking.