Gillian Anderson declares women’s pleasure is their ‘right’: ‘Let go of the shame!’

17 October 2023

Gillian Anderson thinks women’s pleasure is a “right”.

Gillian Anderson thinks women’s pleasure is a ‘right’

The ‘Sex Education’ actress, 55, who plays therapist Jean Milburn in the Netflix comedy, is about to launch a book about female fantasies and says women need to let go of any feelings of “shame” they have about being pleasured.

She told Net-a-Porter: “Pleasure is a right. It’s not trivial. It’s not frivolous.

“We’re trying to encourage women to let go of the shame, the guilt, the negative messaging around it.”

Mum-of-three Gillian’s upcoming book will be published by Bloomsbury in 2024.

It came after the actress called on women to write to her with their unshared sexual fantasies, beginning with the words ‘Dear Gillian’.

It was inspired by Nancy Friday’s 1973 bestseller ‘My Secret Garden’, which was a groundbreaking project at the time that gave women an anonymous platform to reveal their innermost desires.

Twice-married Gillian said about her version: “This is about women, and specifically the women who have written in… it was important for me that we have as many voices as possible.”

Gillian had thought she could produce the book by being sent handwritten letters, but due to data protection fears an online portal was used.

It locked away contributors’ letters from any data collected about their writers. Gillian added: “The only way to make this work was to find a way to guarantee that they couldn't be linked back to the writer.”

She says as editor of the book she has her work cut out as she said the project received enough submissions to fill “ubers” of volumes.

Gillian’s other upcoming work will soon include appearing as broadcaster Emily Maitlis, 53, in ‘Scoop’, a behind-the-scenes drama that delves into Prince Andrew’s disastrous Newsnight interview.

Despite having no plans to ditch acting as she ages, Gillian says she the past few years have seen her move “more into the driving seat” of her career.

She added about getting more assertive with her choices: “(I’m starting to) have conversations about what I like.

“What would I like to see out there? What would I like to be involved in that maybe I haven’t had a chance to yet, or that I feel hasn’t had a voice that needs a voice?”