Alice Bunker Stockham byla průkopnickou lékařkou a zastánkyní sociálních reforem, která se zasazovala o rovnost pohlaví a sexuální osvětu. Svým dílem a přednáškami se snažila bořit společenská tabu a prosazovat zdravý životní styl. Stockham také věnovala pozornost ekonomickému postavení znevýhodněných žen a aktivně hledala způsoby, jak jim pomoci k soběstačnosti. Její snaha o praktické vzdělávání žen a dětí, inspirovaná návštěvami ve Švédsku, položila základy pro zavedení domácích a hospodářských kurzů ve Spojených státech.
Focused on women's health and well-being, this classical work has been significant throughout history. Alpha Editions has republished it in a modern format to ensure its preservation for future generations. The book has been reformatted and retyped, providing clear and readable text, unlike traditional scanned copies. This effort highlights the importance of the content while making it accessible to contemporary readers.
Karezza Ethics of Marriage delves into the practice of Karezza, which prioritizes emotional and spiritual connections in sexual intimacy over mere physical pleasure. Alice B. Stockham presents techniques to enhance arousal and consciousness during intercourse, emphasizing the significance of consent, communication, and fidelity. Drawing from her medical background and personal experiences, she offers insights and testimonials from couples who found Karezza transformative. This book serves as a thoughtful exploration of alternative approaches to sexuality and relationships, framed within a Quaker-Christian perspective.
Alice Bunker Stockham worked as a gynecologist and activist for women's rights and family planning; in Karezza she discusses the fundamentals of a successful marriage, whereby both partners are sexually and emotionally fulfilled. For Stockham, a healthy marriage was one in which the woman enjoyed freedom to pursue her hobbies and activities; where sexual relations serve to strengthen and preserve the marital union; where a household is harmonious to the point of maximizing the offspring's chances of a successful life. Arriving at this ideal situation, whereby several ethical tenets are attained by the couple, is not easy - the author, using her career and experiences as a grounding, offers suggestions and practical advice in support of her treatise. At the time Stockham published this text in 1903, there was little formal marriage guidance or counselling available. The notion that a married couple should consult a professional, that the union be steered back to prosperity and joy, was simply inconceivable. It is thus that Karezza, as a series of ideas and principles, was pioneering for its time. Stockham's arguments, soundly and eloquently stated, make the case for a successful marriage, and the social, psychological and spiritual benefits which result.