G-Spot Researcher Beverly Whipple Dies at 85
Nurse, psychologist and sex educator Beverly Whipple, co-author of the 1982 book on the G-spot, died at her New Jersey home.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Sex Life
Beverly Whipple, a nurse, psychologist and sex educator, died at her home in Voorhees, N.J., at age 85, her husband Jim Whipple said. Her husband said her death resulted from complications of an illness consistent with Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
Whipple co-wrote "The G Spot: And Other Recent Discoveries About Human Sexuality" with Alice K. Ladas and John D. Perry, a book that helped popularize public discussion of the G-spot. Her death marks the loss of one of the figures most associated with bringing the topic into mainstream conversation.
The book was a New York Times best seller, sold more than one million copies and has been translated into 19 languages. Its commercial reach is documented, but the extraction offers no comparison to other titles in the field.
The players
Beverly Whipple
A nurse, psychologist and sex educator who co-authored the 1982 book on the G-spot and demonstrated the area on national television.
Alice K. Ladas
A co-author of The G Spot book with Beverly Whipple and John D. Perry.
John D. Perry
A co-author of The G Spot book with Beverly Whipple and Alice K. Ladas.
The details
In 1981 Whipple appeared on "The Phil Donahue Show," where she demonstrated the G-spot by inserting her finger into a plastic replica of female genitalia and pressing on a sensitive area of the upper vaginal wall. The appearance preceded the 1982 publication of the book she co-wrote with Ladas and Perry.
Timeline
1981: Whipple appears on The Phil Donahue Show.
1982: The G Spot book is published.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Whipple dies at her home in Voorhees, N.J.
Culture Shift
Whipple's 1981 demonstration on The Phil Donahue Show and her 1982 book with Ladas and Perry were early steps in bringing female sexual anatomy into open national conversation. Her death at 85 marks the passing of one of the researchers who helped move that discussion from clinical texts into popular media.
Readers who first encountered the G-spot through Whipple's work may find that the book remains widely available in translation. The extraction does not describe changes to availability or pricing.
The takeaway
Whipple's work showed that openly discussing anatomy with clear language can change how the public thinks about sexual health. Her legacy lies in the books and broadcasts that made that conversation possible.
Further reading
Explore more on Sex Life to see how researchers like Whipple shaped public understanding of intimacy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The New York Times.
