I think this is my first time writing a full book review- the mini review I wrote of The Ultimate Guide to BDSM doesn’t count imo- which is pretty cool! I’m not super sure how to write book review- so forgive me if it’s not the neatest review in the world- but I hope it’s still helpful.
I want to start by saying A Hand in the Bush: The Fine Art of Vaginal Fisting uses language I would not use when writing about this subject. It does pretty much exclusively use the word ‘woman’ to refer to people with vaginas and pretty much exclusively talks about cis women, with one exception where it mentions that trans women’s post-op vaginas are generally less stretchy than cis women’s vaginas. I definitely understand if this gendered language turns people off, and I think in a different context I would definitely find it difficult to get past this language. However, I’m kinda used to cissexist language in BDSM non-fiction at this point- the vast majority of BDSM non-fiction books I’ve been recommended was written in the 1990s, and many of the language choices show their age. I don’t know why there’s such a heavy 90s trend in these books- maybe it’s just that these were the ones that got enough traction to be still recommended, maybe gen-x were just a bit kinkier than the rest of us- but it’s something I’ve learnt to live with. The use of ‘woman’ only language in A Hand in The Bush is something I personally can live with because this book was originally published in 1997- it is literally older than me, and I recognise the times were different.
With that disclaimer out of the way, what is A Hand in The Bush? Mostly guide and partly poetry/story collection, this short book focuses on vaginal fisting- what it is, why people do it, how to do it, and what risks to be aware of when doing it. It has a pretty clear structure, with chapters on frequently asked questions about fisting, the anatomy of a vagina, safety information, and how to actually engage in fisting. Some of the structure decisions do seem odd- like relegating information on ejaculation, self-fisting, the risks of mixing drugs and fisting, and what to look out for as signs that fisting has gone wrong to appendices rather than including them in main chapters- but the book is (for the most part) clearly laid out.
There are a bits of information in this book that are wrong. I’m giving the author the benefit of the doubt by assuming these are things she did not know in 1997 but that I now know in 2020- such as the fact that there is absolutely no evidence any kind of spermicide or lube is linked to reduced HIV transmission risk, and in fact nonoxynol-9 (a spermicide ingredient suggested by the author) is linked to a higher risk of HIV transmission.
There are also missing bits of information- the author correctly states that oil based lubes will damage latex barriers, but doesn’t mention this isn’t the case with nitrile gloves, despite presenting them as an alternative to latex gloves- and opinions I deeply disagree with- the author recommends Astroglide for vaginal use, which is something I would never do, and discusses the risks of using poppers while fisting in the same breath as using methamphetamines while fisting, which I don’t think is a fair or reasonable comparison even under a ‘never use any kind of drugs while fisting’ mentality[ref]This, to be clear, is the responsible thing to do/say. But I’m also realistic enough to know that people will use poppers during fisting[/ref]. But there is also a whole lot of information that’s very true and useful, presented alongside really helpful and informative diagrams.
Pretty much none of the information in A Hand in The Bush was new to me aside from some positioning tips, but in fairness I am a person who very much flags red. For people new to vaginal fisting or who have never vaginally fisted before, I think it’s a really good introductory text, as long as it’s used as just that- an introduction, always bearing in mind that some of the information is outdated and endeavouring to do further research. A Hand in The Bush does make me wish we had/I knew of a more modern guide to vaginal fisting[ref]Maybe I should write one? Thoughts??[/ref], but for the most part I am glad it exists.
Buy A Hand in The Bush: The Fine Art of Vaginal Fisting for $12.99
This post was not sponsored and this product was purchased with my own money. Affiliate links were used in this post
