Empire of Orgasm
“A compelling―and astonishing―work of journalism … a profound exploration of consent, sexual agency, and the contradictions of female power.” ―Emily Chang, author of Brotopia
A cautionary tale of sex and salvation for the wellness generation: how orgasmic meditation turned into a cult.
OneTaste hoped orgasm would change the world. Emerging in the midst of the late-aughts for-profit wellness boom, the company was unwavering in its faith in orgasmic meditation, or OM, a fifteen-minute practice featuring a woman being clitorally stimulated by a clothed, usually male partner. Nicole Daedone, the group’s magnetic and cunning founder, envisioned a world where OM was as widespread as yoga.
But Daedone’s vision came with a price: behind the militant loyalty she inspired and her millions of dollars of sales was what former members describe as a cult of manipulation, abuse, and coercion driven by a relentless quest for control. And by the time the FBI showed up at her door in 2023 with an indictment alleging she conspired to commit forced labor, even Daedone herself was no longer safe.
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praise
“A carefully written exposé of an ‘infinite game' built on lust for wealth and power―but on mere lust, too." ―Kirkus (starred review)
“Ellen Huet has written a harrowing, exquisitely crafted account of perhaps the strangest cult in history and the almost biblical downfall of its larger-than-life leader. You won't be able to put this book down." ―Brad Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Amazon Unbound
“With her ultra-vivid reporting, Ellen Huet guides us through a surreal San Francisco subculture where sex served as currency and the boundary between empowerment and exploitation was obliterated. This isn’t just a tale of one cultish company―it’s a mirror held up to tech’s dark side, so full of greed and self-delusion." ―Ashlee Vance, New York Times bestselling author of When the Heavens Went on Sale and Elon Musk
“In Empire of Orgasm, Ellen Huet deftly pens a thrilling tale on the collision of founder worship and cult behavior. Huet brings an engrossing, inside-the-room look at the rise and fall of an exploitative machine fueled on Silicon Valley hype." ―Eliot Brown, bestselling author of The Cult of We
“Don't try to imagine what wellness industry die-hards will do in the name of women's empowerment, because the truth is far more outrageous. Ellen Huet's jaw-dropping insider access feels like a sleepover at the San Francisco warehouse where OneTaste devotees worked, ate, slept, hooked up, and showered in groups. A detailed, nuanced, and compelling account of a woman who cultivated an army of pleasure seekers, was celebrated as a trailblazer, and ultimately faced charges for her push to sell hands-on sexual enlightenment to the masses." ―Sarah Berman, author of Don't Call It A Cult
About the Author
Hi, I’m Ellen Huet.
photo by Bree Rossi
I’m an award-winning journalist, a features writer at Bloomberg News, and the author of Empire of Orgasm.
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