Collections : [Barnard Archives & Special Collections]

Nancy Friday was an author and pop psychologist active from the early 1970s into the 2000s, whose work dealt with women's sexuality, gender roles, and family dynamics. She was known for her unabashed discussion of challenging topics, especially taboo sexual fantasies, and her insistence on showcasing women as autonomous sexual beings; Friday often faced backlash for her writing from feminists and conservatives alike. Most of the materials in the Nancy Friday collection cover her adult and professional life from 1970-2000s, including some materials from her early life and adolescence. In addition to the hundreds of letters sent to Friday about people's sexual fantasies, the collection also includes professional correspondence with publishing houses, book drafts, contracts, and recorded interviews.