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The Toilet Seat
It is time to get sex out of the closet.
Though sex is considered a ‘dirty’ word in Indian society, the indispensable role it plays in our lives cannot be denied. The Toilet Seat takes a good look at how sex is perceived and portrayed in society, the social stigma attached to sex, especially the premarital and extramarital kind, and the perversions that suppression of sex can cause.
The book reflects upon the grey areas in relationships, the hypocrisy of people and the so-called values that bind people in a knot, redefines perceptions, and dispels myths with respect to love, sex and the female orgasm. It also gives valuable suggestions to improve relationships by understanding the sexual needs of partners and talking about them openly.
Well, what does the title of the book The Toilet Seat have to do with all this? Read on to find out
Though sex is considered a ‘dirty’ word in Indian society, the indispensable role it plays in our lives cannot be denied. The Toilet Seat takes a good look at how sex is perceived and portrayed in society, the social stigma attached to sex, especially the premarital and extramarital kind, and the perversions that suppression of sex can cause.
The book reflects upon the grey areas in relationships, the hypocrisy of people and the so-called values that bind people in a knot, redefines perceptions, and dispels myths with respect to love, sex and the female orgasm. It also gives valuable suggestions to improve relationships by understanding the sexual needs of partners and talking about them openly.
Well, what does the title of the book The Toilet Seat have to do with all this? Read on to find out
176 pages, Paperback
Published June 21, 2025
5 people are currently reading
6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 26, 2025
"The Toilet Seat" by Latha is not just a book, it is a scream. A scream that demands to be heard in a country where the word "sex" is still whispered, if spoken at all. With a title that’s deliberately unsettling yet metaphorically brilliant, she lays bare the collective discomfort, silence, and hypocrisies surrounding sex in Indian society. She dares to walk into a space that most would rather tiptoe around, speaking about sex, emotional intimacy, love, shame, desire, and societal expectations with a clarity and candour that’s both liberating and jarring.
At a time when discussions around sexuality are still either brushed under the rug or sensationalised, her voice becomes both necessary and revolutionary. The book is not about titillation, it’s about truth. And truth, when told unfiltered, is rarely comfortable.
The metaphor of a toilet seat is disturbingly accurate band that’s precisely why it works. It represents something used, hidden behind closed doors, necessary but considered impure. Much like how Indian society treats sex: vital yet vilified. She uses this symbol to reflect how conversations around sex, especially female sexuality, remain locked away in shame and secrecy.
The author delves into the psychological and physiological underpinnings of sex with impressive clarity. She doesn’t view sex through a clinical or moralistic lens but as a fundamental part of human existence that linked deeply with emotional health, identity, self-worth, and relationships. From the trauma of unspoken desires to the impact of cultural conditioning, she paints a holistic portrait of what it means to be sexually repressed in a conservative society.
One of the book’s strongest points is its gender-neutral tone and it’s not just a “women’s” issue. She gives voice to women stuck in loveless marriages and men emotionally castrated by society’s expectations. The emotional disconnect in relationships caused by lack of honest communication about needs, desires, and dissatisfaction is a recurring theme. She argues, poignantly, that many people are lonely in relationships, not because love has vanished, but because conversations never began.
In an era where pornography is consumed secretly but talking about sex is frowned upon, she exposes the hypocrisy of Indian morality. She doesn’t hold back while addressing the double standards applied to men and women, especially the assumption that women “lose interest in sex after a certain age” or that masturbation is shameful. The book questions if performing the role of a ‘good partner’ is more important than being sexually satisfied or emotionally whole.
She makes a powerful case for proper sex education not just for teenagers, but for adults too. Her thesis: ignorance breeds crime. When natural instincts are repressed or misunderstood, they can mutate into perversions. She believes that conversations are real, awkward, emotional conversations—and the first step toward reducing sexual violence and emotional decay.
✍️ Strengths :
🔸The biggest strength of the book is its fearless voice. She does not sanitise her message. She strips societal hypocrisy bare, sentence by sentence.
🔸The language is simple yet impactful. It feels like the author is having an intimate one-on-one conversation, not giving a lecture or sermon.
🔸This isn’t a theoretical book, it’s real, raw, and rooted in personal experiences. The examples, anecdotes, and reflections are emotionally resonant and strike a chord with anyone who’s felt disconnected in relationships.
🔸Some parts make you uncomfortable but in the right way. They challenge ingrained beliefs and provoke introspection.
🔸It touches on marital rape, female desire, emotional abuse, and neglect in partnerships topics rarely discussed in such plain language.
✒️ Areas for Improvement :
▪️One recurring issue is redundancy. She tends to circle back to the same arguments across multiple chapters, which can feel monotonous. The points are valid but could have been consolidated more effectively.
▪️At times, the author makes sweeping statements like postmenopausal women losing interest in sex or all Indian households being sexually repressed. While the intent is understood, more nuanced, intersectional perspectives could have added intellectual depth.
▪️Though Latha touches on the psychological aspects, some arguments feel anecdotal rather than empirically grounded. Incorporating relevant studies or expert interviews could have strengthened the credibility.
In conclusion, it is not a book you read and forget. It lingers. It agitates. It makes you want to go back and have conversations you've been avoiding with your partner, with your parents, with yourself. In a country where women are taught to whisper their needs and men are taught to bury their emotions, the author's voice is both a rebellion and a balm.
Yes, it has its flaws like some repetition, a narrow experiential focus, and a tendency to overstate. But these are minor in comparison to the courage it takes to write a book like this in a society like ours. It’s not a polished academic study, it’s a visceral, bold, confessional call to action.
At a time when discussions around sexuality are still either brushed under the rug or sensationalised, her voice becomes both necessary and revolutionary. The book is not about titillation, it’s about truth. And truth, when told unfiltered, is rarely comfortable.
The metaphor of a toilet seat is disturbingly accurate band that’s precisely why it works. It represents something used, hidden behind closed doors, necessary but considered impure. Much like how Indian society treats sex: vital yet vilified. She uses this symbol to reflect how conversations around sex, especially female sexuality, remain locked away in shame and secrecy.
The author delves into the psychological and physiological underpinnings of sex with impressive clarity. She doesn’t view sex through a clinical or moralistic lens but as a fundamental part of human existence that linked deeply with emotional health, identity, self-worth, and relationships. From the trauma of unspoken desires to the impact of cultural conditioning, she paints a holistic portrait of what it means to be sexually repressed in a conservative society.
One of the book’s strongest points is its gender-neutral tone and it’s not just a “women’s” issue. She gives voice to women stuck in loveless marriages and men emotionally castrated by society’s expectations. The emotional disconnect in relationships caused by lack of honest communication about needs, desires, and dissatisfaction is a recurring theme. She argues, poignantly, that many people are lonely in relationships, not because love has vanished, but because conversations never began.
In an era where pornography is consumed secretly but talking about sex is frowned upon, she exposes the hypocrisy of Indian morality. She doesn’t hold back while addressing the double standards applied to men and women, especially the assumption that women “lose interest in sex after a certain age” or that masturbation is shameful. The book questions if performing the role of a ‘good partner’ is more important than being sexually satisfied or emotionally whole.
She makes a powerful case for proper sex education not just for teenagers, but for adults too. Her thesis: ignorance breeds crime. When natural instincts are repressed or misunderstood, they can mutate into perversions. She believes that conversations are real, awkward, emotional conversations—and the first step toward reducing sexual violence and emotional decay.
✍️ Strengths :
🔸The biggest strength of the book is its fearless voice. She does not sanitise her message. She strips societal hypocrisy bare, sentence by sentence.
🔸The language is simple yet impactful. It feels like the author is having an intimate one-on-one conversation, not giving a lecture or sermon.
🔸This isn’t a theoretical book, it’s real, raw, and rooted in personal experiences. The examples, anecdotes, and reflections are emotionally resonant and strike a chord with anyone who’s felt disconnected in relationships.
🔸Some parts make you uncomfortable but in the right way. They challenge ingrained beliefs and provoke introspection.
🔸It touches on marital rape, female desire, emotional abuse, and neglect in partnerships topics rarely discussed in such plain language.
✒️ Areas for Improvement :
▪️One recurring issue is redundancy. She tends to circle back to the same arguments across multiple chapters, which can feel monotonous. The points are valid but could have been consolidated more effectively.
▪️At times, the author makes sweeping statements like postmenopausal women losing interest in sex or all Indian households being sexually repressed. While the intent is understood, more nuanced, intersectional perspectives could have added intellectual depth.
▪️Though Latha touches on the psychological aspects, some arguments feel anecdotal rather than empirically grounded. Incorporating relevant studies or expert interviews could have strengthened the credibility.
In conclusion, it is not a book you read and forget. It lingers. It agitates. It makes you want to go back and have conversations you've been avoiding with your partner, with your parents, with yourself. In a country where women are taught to whisper their needs and men are taught to bury their emotions, the author's voice is both a rebellion and a balm.
Yes, it has its flaws like some repetition, a narrow experiential focus, and a tendency to overstate. But these are minor in comparison to the courage it takes to write a book like this in a society like ours. It’s not a polished academic study, it’s a visceral, bold, confessional call to action.
June 25, 2025
“Basically, it is not the sex that gives pleasure, but the true partner gives it. Therefore, sex can be termed as an art in itself, a kind of act that is good when properly enacted, but to enjoy it thoroughly, it also needs the cooperation of the mind as well as a clear heart and soul.”
- Latha, The Toilet Seat
Latha has candidly approached taboo topics in and around sex, with sensibility. She has imbibed a gender-neutral tone whilst writing and dissecting the intricate layers of desire, consent, and power dynamics, allowing readers of all identities to find resonance and reflection in her narratives. The points put forth by her through careful examination of psychological aspects of sex are thought-provoking and hard-hitting. She hopes that talking about the art of sex openly will reduce the crime rates of rape and other associated evils. The conversational writing style feels as though Latha is having a heart-to-heart talk with her readers. Though a short read, it needs the foresight of an aware audience for her words to sink in.
The metaphor of a ‘Toilet Seat‘ which is the title makes perfect sense as it's placed in a closed, claustrophobic room. The word sex, is also spoken in hushed tones mostly in closed spaces and is not a topic open for public discussion.
’The Toilet Seat’ critically examines the satisfaction of good sex and the repercussions of ignorance towards understanding sexual desires. It's a bold, reflective and a must-read!
- Latha, The Toilet Seat
Latha has candidly approached taboo topics in and around sex, with sensibility. She has imbibed a gender-neutral tone whilst writing and dissecting the intricate layers of desire, consent, and power dynamics, allowing readers of all identities to find resonance and reflection in her narratives. The points put forth by her through careful examination of psychological aspects of sex are thought-provoking and hard-hitting. She hopes that talking about the art of sex openly will reduce the crime rates of rape and other associated evils. The conversational writing style feels as though Latha is having a heart-to-heart talk with her readers. Though a short read, it needs the foresight of an aware audience for her words to sink in.
The metaphor of a ‘Toilet Seat‘ which is the title makes perfect sense as it's placed in a closed, claustrophobic room. The word sex, is also spoken in hushed tones mostly in closed spaces and is not a topic open for public discussion.
’The Toilet Seat’ critically examines the satisfaction of good sex and the repercussions of ignorance towards understanding sexual desires. It's a bold, reflective and a must-read!
July 5, 2025
The Toilet Seat by Latha is a bold book that fearlessly dissects and challenges old notions about love, pleasure, and sex, and encourages you to talk and discuss openly about sex and relationships. It takes on topics that are often considered taboo in Indian society.
It doesn’t shy away from confronting deep-rooted norms and questioning the constructs built around love, relationships, and marriage. It also touches on topics like loveless marriages, monotonous routines, and emotional detachment that lead to sexual frustration.
The writing style is intimate and conversational, and it provokes thought. The author draws from her own observations and experiences, sharing anecdotes and reflections without holding back.
While the book is absolutely bold and conveys an important, strong message, the execution fell short for me. Some parts seemed to circle around the same points in different words.
I also feel that the book reflects mainly the author’s personal experiences, leaving little room for opposing viewpoints. Many statements are generalized, which not everyone may agree with or relate to.
Overall, it is a bold and fearless book that tackles difficult topics, but it could benefit from more balance and a broader expression of diverse experiences beyond the author’s own lens.
It doesn’t shy away from confronting deep-rooted norms and questioning the constructs built around love, relationships, and marriage. It also touches on topics like loveless marriages, monotonous routines, and emotional detachment that lead to sexual frustration.
The writing style is intimate and conversational, and it provokes thought. The author draws from her own observations and experiences, sharing anecdotes and reflections without holding back.
While the book is absolutely bold and conveys an important, strong message, the execution fell short for me. Some parts seemed to circle around the same points in different words.
I also feel that the book reflects mainly the author’s personal experiences, leaving little room for opposing viewpoints. Many statements are generalized, which not everyone may agree with or relate to.
Overall, it is a bold and fearless book that tackles difficult topics, but it could benefit from more balance and a broader expression of diverse experiences beyond the author’s own lens.
December 13, 2023
About the book 📖: ✍️This title perfectly suits this book and its content. ✍️This book is not aimed at giving solutions to having good sex or an enjoyable life. It is also not a search-based text on sex. ✍️It is an attempt at a critical analysis of the way sex is perceived & practiced and the social stigma attached to the very word. ✍️We don't think too much about sex; we're merely thinking about it in the wrong way. ✍️Well, it is obvious because anything with a taboo attached to it creates interest in us. ✍️This book is an outcome of the author's shock, surprise, disgust, love, and questions. ✍️Sex education's importance is clearly explained in this book and she insists that parents want to take the initiative to educate them on this topic and it's learning has to start from home. ✍️I appreciate the author's boldness in bringing this topic to the limelight through her thought of writing this book and open talk about various facts related to this topic and her experiences through real-life discussions with the people she comes across in her life.
July 26, 2023
The book explores the sensitive topic of human sexuality with specific examples in the Indian context . It is informative and provokes us to reflect on our attitudes towards sex. I found some sections repetitive and a rant against insensitive husbands. I liked the core message that sexual intimacy is an expression of love between people and that, without love, sex cannot be fulfilling.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews