Isadora Wing is the ideal straight, female maverick. A little sassy, a little promiscuous, the protagonist of Erica Jong’s best-selling novel Fear of Flying finds herself trapped in a lackluster marriage. Her husband does not beat her, nor does he drink or gamble—he does nothing wrong. Yet, Isadora is not happy; she is not free. In a desperate attempt to find some sense of life and purpose, she cheats on her husband. Slut. Whore. Society shames those who are not monogamous, but should we? In his erotic novel Macho Sluts, Patrick Califia discusses the idea of liberation through sex. In his mind, Isadora is simply trying to “fuck her way to freedom.” By doing who and what she wants, when she wants, Isadora puts herself first. With her happiness a priority, she can better process her desires. Isadora’s affair with Adrian is not only about sexual satisfaction—it is about defining herself through her sexuality. In the conclusion, Isadora ends her affair and lives alone. Only when she feels completely independent can she return to her husband and be happy. I hope to show that many straight, female mavericks try to follow her path and fuck their way to freedom, but it is not the actual act of sex that sets them free. Rather, it is the dénouement and the analysis of their actions during the aftermath that truly liberate them.
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