“So you’re sex-positive?” asked the woman standing in the kitchen of my mother’s farm. We had just met.
“Ehrm…you betcha!” I said as I tried to inconspicuously ogle the generous portion of side-boob pouring from the edges of her tank like lava from a boobcano of joy. Side-boob is a lot harder to inconspicuously ogle than cleavage since you have to come at it from the side all shifty and crab-like.
I had no idea what being “sex-positive” meant, even though I write about sex and this was pretty recently. But I liked this new friend, and we had been having a nice talk about body image, sex, veganism, and I as I already stated…the side boob.
I had a general idea what she meant; the name “sex-positive” explains it pretty well. But I didn’t know this was, you know, a movement.
Where have I been? I thought as I Googled the term two minutes after she left. I quickly learned that “sex-positive” is the idea that if a sex act is safe and consensual, then it should be viewed as a positive, healthy thing. Sex-positivity also encourages sex education and addressing sex, and pleasure, as something natural that should be embraced. So, yep, sex-positive. I sure am.
If this movement has been around since the 60s, why am I just hearing the term now? Sure, I just jumped on the Smartphone trend a couple months back and my most well-loved electronic is my Hitachi Magic Wand, but I’d like to think I’m not that culturally clueless, especially when it comes to sexuality.
Here I am practicing sex-positivity at Babeland last weekend. See my lack of side boob? Us ballerina boobed ladies often have a fascination for all things large breasted due to our lack…
You know how once you become aware of something, you start to see it everywhere? Like when you try to get a highlighter out of your bag in college bio, and accidentally fling a tampon at the guy who sits across from you, and although you’ve never really noticed him before you will now see him EVERYWHERE until you graduate three years later? Like that.
Well this week, Trojan is embracing sex-positivity by vending vibrators out of hot dog carts. For free! The company aims to give away 10,000 vibrators,which, according to them, is the largest sex-toy give away EVER. But why? To promote themselves? Well sure. But also to embrace sex-positivity. Insert zillions of weenie jokes here.
Trojan’s VP of Marketing, Bruce Weiss, said they are “fostering an open dialogue about sexual health and creating unique moments that get people ‘buzzing’ about sex and pleasure.” Get it? Buzzing. Oh, you clever man! Basically, the company wants to make the vibrator “main stream,” and is advertising it not only as a method for female pleasure, but as something to be used by couples.
Now obviously Trojan has an ulterior motive—if vibrators are more mainstream, and they sell vibrators, well then they will now sell more of them. But I’m down with the marketing scheme anyway and, as a vegan, I’m just excited that something is coming out of a hot dog cart that didn’t once have a pulse.
Along with their NYC give-away, Trojan has a few new commercials rolling out about their new product, the Trojan Twister. The commercial shows a man doing household chores and suggesting he and his wife watch “Desperate Bride Makeover” in the hopes of having a Trojan Twister night. Stereotypical and kind of degrading? You bet. Bringing sex toys into the mainstream? Sure thing.
Condom commercials have been around for years now, but condoms promote safe sex, not necessarily good sex. Certainly not sex aided by toys. But the sex toy industry is a $15 billion dollar industry—so clearly, people out there have been buying these toys and hopefully using them.
Handing sex toys out on the street supports the idea that not only is female pleasure important but it should be something couples are pursuing together. And in that light, it helps destroys any dumb belief that vibrators give men “competition” (what a ridiculous notion. My Hitachi puts out 120 volts of power. You show me a man who can do that), or that they are something to be used solely when your partner isn’t around.
While using sex toys during sex may seem obvious to the more sexually enlightened, as far as the mainstream goes, sex toys have been something discussed in private, hidden in sock drawers and given as gag gifts. I know that singing Justin Bieber Toothbrush isn’t for your mouth!
Now they’re being given out on the street? Shameless marketing campaign, sure, but it says something about where society is at in terms of sexual-positivity, does it not? Are we becoming more open toward embracing pleasure in all forms—even methods that require AAA batteries? Will we soon be seeing vibrators in stores alongside condoms and lubricants?
As much as 50 Shaded of Grey rubs me the wrong way due to its terrible craftsmanship, it definitely has brought the dominant/submissive relationship into the mainstream in a way that used to be reserved for locked bedrooms and fan sites. People are now publicly embracing sexual concepts that, even when practiced, were considered a bit taboo and not discussed openly. Parents have enough trouble giving their teens a sex talk. Will parents soon be talking to their kids not only about sex, but about masturbation and toys and dominant/submissive relationships? I can see a great conversation with my future procreations…
“Now look, just because he might call you a dirty little slut in bed doesn’t mean he really thinks you ARE one! So you don’t have to feel ashamed if you like to be a little degraded. It happens sometimes. But don’t tell your father! Okay good talk. Now go finish your homework!”
The pleasure carts will be making rounds throughout NYC on the 8th and 9th (that’s today and tomorrow, folks!). The company will be updating locations on their Trojan Vibrations Facebook page.
[UPDATE: Yesterday, when Trojan's Pleasure Carts were supposed to start handing out vibes, Mayor Wet Blanket Bloomberg put a stop to their O-inducing distribution, claiming they were causing issues with "traffic." Pfft. We can all make assumptions about Bloomy's sex life. Zzzzz, bothering!]
The things you miss living in BFE. I’d have been taking these things by the box-load to give away as Christmas presents for years to come.
you are awesome. : )