- Learn how sex positivity in LGBTQ+ history helped foster acceptance
- Discover the role of queer sex toys in inclusive spaces
- Explore the importance of authentic representation and creativity in the pleasure industry
According to a 2023 survey, around 9% of adults identify as LGBTQ+ worldwide. Individuals who identify as part of the queer community come from a variety of backgrounds, bringing with them various experiences and needs. The history of LGBTQ+ individuals has been fraught with discrimination, misinformation, and demonization. While strides have been made to foster inclusivity, much work remains.
Challenging stereotypes through authentic advertising and media has been an effective way for garnering acceptance, especially when it comes to queer sex toys. Sex positivity movements have made shopping for unique adult toys more accessible, socially acceptable, and easier than ever. Online sex shops provide an excellent resource for those looking to explore their sexuality in a safe and discreet way.
Normalizing the use of his and hers adult toys has been an essential step in sex positivity and LGBTQ+ history. With the use of inclusive speech and marketing for queer sex toys, those involved in the pleasure industry ensure that LGBTQ+ voices are welcomed and represented. Read on and learn more about the role that unique sex toys play in LGBTQ+ history, and why inclusion, creativity, and visibility are more important than you think.
Fostering Acceptance and Challenging Discrimination With Queer Sex Toys
Sex toys have long been targets of discrimination and criminalization, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. Queer sex toys have been around since the Stone Age and are widely used by people from all walks of life. Some of the first modern sex toys were used in the Victorian era as medical devices, including unique vibrators and rectal dilators. However, as LGBTQ+ history has shown, the stigma behind the use of sex toys has created unnecessary barriers for those who want to enjoy them.
Dildos, in particular, are an excellent example of how queer sex toys can be inclusive and universal, as they are popular with all genders and sexualities. Dildos come in all shapes and sizes, and while they are usually intended to mimic the look and feel of a penis, they can take many shapes. The dildo is an important sex toy in LGBTQ+ history because it has many uses and is designed to stimulate both the prostate and the G-spot. Dildos are inclusive and versatile in this way, and can be used alone or in conjunction with a harness to create a personalized experience. Some dildos also feature built-in unique vibrators, and others have suction bases, making them easy to enjoy for solo sessions. Double-ended dildos also offer partner play in an inclusive way and can be enjoyed by a variety of different pairings. The humble dildo may have even been the original sex toy, as historically, samples made of bone or leather have been found all over the world. Now, dildos and other queer sex toys are emblems of sexual expression and liberation.
Creating Community and Inclusive Spaces
The discussion of LGBTQ+ history wouldn’t be complete without including the Stonewall Rebellion of 1969. That year, gay bars and their patrons rose up in protest after years of harassment and raids. As a result of the riots, thousands took to the streets worldwide in response, and thus, the first gay pride event was born.
The Stonewall Rebellion was a key example that proved just how important inclusive spaces are to the queer community. Identifying as queer is still criminalized in many places, and straight and queer sex toys are also seen as taboo and even illegal in many places. Creating safe spaces like bars, clubs, and queer-friendly places to buy quality sex toys helps to add visibility and end stigmas in a sex-positive way.
In the 1970s, sex shops in New York and San Francisco made LGBTQ+ history by being some of the first spaces to offer queer sex toys. Places like Good Vibrations offered a safe, discrimination-free space to explore adult toys for women. Feminist sex shops like Eve’s Garden offered workshops and sex education, providing a safe space for learning how to use unique adult toys.
Authentic Representation
Pioneers in LGBTQ+ history have fought against discrimination and lobbied for inclusivity through authentic representation in queer sex toys. While it’s true that dildos can be used by anyone, specifically labeling and marketing items, like anal toys for men, helps to create a more queer-friendly environment. Words have meaning, and by authentically marketing items like clit massagers to women of all sexual identities, sex shop owners can help create a sense of inclusion and help erase stigmas. For women, in particular, the use of female sex toys has long been marginalized, but feminist and queer sex industry workers have helped change perceptions and shape LGBTQ+ history for the better.
The next time you’re looking to buy adult sex toys online, consider the way that LGBTQ+ history has shaped the industry. If it weren’t for the work of feminist sex shops selling queer sex toys, offering education and a safe space, toys may not be as easy to access today. In our ever-changing society, it’s important to continue speaking out and supporting sex-positivity. Honoring LGBTQ+ history is important to research and remember so that everyone can have access to his and hers adult toys without discrimination or persecution. Whether you’re an ally or a proud member of the queer community, everyone deserves to express themselves and find pleasure in a safe and accessible way.
