The Disappearance of Shere Hite review – heartfelt hymn to the forgotten feminist

This fascinating documentary serves as a reminder of the courage of the pilloried author of The Hite Report

For a while, Shere Hite was one of the most famous feminists on the planet. The author of the incendiary The Hite Report, first published in 1976, she lifted the bed covers and exploded numerous hitherto accepted truths about female sexuality, enraging the patriarchy in the process. Several more books followed, exploring the plight of contemporary men, women’s views on love and the inner workings of the family. Poised, chic and almost disconcertingly beautiful, Hite became a regular on US television debate and talkshows, gamely facing criticism of her methodology and personal attacks meted out by smirking 1970s chauvinists bristling with chest hair and animosity. The ferocity increased to such an extent that Hite ultimately renounced her American citizenship and made a new life in Europe.

Nicole Newnham’s heartfelt and sympathetic documentary offers a belated corrective to the erasure of Hite’s pioneering voice. It’s a fascinating and enraging film and a timely reminder of the courage of members of the feminist vanguard.