Up the clits! When sex toys revolutionize female pleasure
The sex-tech market is one of the rare sectors that has not been impacted by the COVID health crisis. Indeed, since the first social distancing measures, sales of sex toys have exploded around the world. “Containment packs” have even been put in place by certain brands to meet demand.
And more generally, for several years, the range of sex toys has been expanding. We knew the traditional vibrator but “ sextech ” is transforming and giving way to new innovative technological products. “Womanizer” , “ Smart Wand ”, “ Satisfyer ”: so many intriguing names that designate the bestsellers in this growing sex toy market . Here we decipher this trend with you!
The booming sextech sector : the end of a taboo?
In a previous article , we talked to you about female pleasure which has been gaining visibility for several years. Concerning female masturbation, a study conducted by Ifop shows that nearly one in two French women (43%) declared in 2019 to have already used a vibrator, compared to just over one in three in 2012 (37%) and barely 9% twelve years ago (2007) (1). We therefore notice a real decline in the taboo on questions of female pleasure alone. And the boom in the erotic toy market is an example of this. For the past ten years, the sexual wellness industry has been booming. “ Sextech ” would also represent nearly 22 billion dollars (2). And no more gloomy sex shops next to train stations, today, real lovestores are opening their doors and offering the latest innovations to the public. Chic and glamorous boutiques such as those of the “Passage du Désir” brand, which also experienced an increase in sales of 136% during the second confinement in November 2020. Also, the possibility of being able to buy online, in anonymity, is an important characteristic to take into account in sex toy purchasing habits . Indeed, according to a Statista study carried out in 2017, 51% of men and 44% of women say they prefer to buy this type of product on online sales sites compared to respectively 23% and 20% for those who prefer to purchase in physical points of sale (3).
Films and series largely contribute to the normalization of these epicurean toys, the use of which was once perceived as “unhealthy” or a sign of sexual failure. We remember, for example, Charlotte and her “ rabbit sex toy ” in season 1 of Sex And The City or more recently the series Grace And Frankie where the two heroines launch into the sex toy business . Personalities such as actress Emma Watson or artist Lily Allen are speaking about it publicly and helping to deconstruct the prejudices linked to the use of these gadgets. Lily Allen has also launched a collaboration with the Womanizer brand and affirmed her desire to fight against the taboo surrounding this subject: “ Sex toys are still a taboo subject because they are associated with masturbation and female pleasure. And I think that female pleasure itself is a taboo. And for a taboo subject to no longer be taboo, we must talk about it often and honestly without shame or guilt.” Well said Lily!
The success of the Womanizer : innovation serving female pleasure
What exactly is the Womanizer ? It is one of the bestsellers in this sector, it is emblematic of the new generation of sex toys : “clitoris vacuum cleaners” (4). Unlike old traditional sex toys, these deeply stimulate the clitoris using suction technology combined with pulsed air. With its sophisticated design and vibrant colors, it appears like a true technological gem and promises powerful orgasms in less than five minutes. The Womanizer has completely changed the world of erotic toys and has enjoyed impressive success with nearly 4 million copies sold in 60 countries. And the brand recently released the eco-responsible Womanizer version, made from materials of organic origin, to enjoy eco-friendly !
The Lily Allen x Womanizer collaboration
The role of sex toys in the process of women's sexual emancipation
If they also allow fun for two, sex toys are also useful for getting to know your body, your desires and taking ownership of your intimate pleasure as a woman. According to Virginie Girod, doctor of history, “for 70 years, feminism has made it possible to rethink sexuality and to stop imagining it as the satisfaction of male pleasure. To cum with a partner, you must first cum alone. And sex toys like the Womanizer participate in a certain way in this conquest of the body and pleasure. » No more phallic form, the sex toy is rethought, redefined as a true design object in order to move away from the heterosexual normative schema of female pleasure and thus go beyond penetro-centered sexuality.
Written by Inès Perrein
Sources :
1. Where is the sex life of French women in 2019, Ifop study for ELLE carried out by self-administered online questionnaire from January 28 to 29, 2019 with a sample of 1,007 women, representative of the female population aged 18 and more residing in mainland France. https://www.ifop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/116130_Ifop_ELLE_Mag_2019.02.014.pdf
2. Dekonink, B. (2017, May 23). Major trends in the sector . The echoes. https://www.lesechos.fr/2017/05/les-grandes-tendances-du-secteur-171341
3. Statista. (2020, September 22). Preferred methods for acquiring a possible sex toy according to gender in France 2017 . https://fr.statista.com/statistiques/681814/mode-acquisition-privilegies-d-un-sextoy-selon-le-sexe-france/
4. Womanizer: the story of the sex toy that revolutionizes female pleasure. (2021, January 4). Madame Figaro. https://madame.lefigaro.fr/bien-etre/womanizer-histoire-du-sextoy-qui-revolutionne-le-plaisir-feminin-clitoris-311220-194296