Mainstreaming The Whole Sex thing

When I want the latest buzz on what’s shakin’ in the sex toy and adult novelty business I turn to trusted industry periodicals like ASB (Adult Store Buyer) Magazine, AVN Novelty Business Magazine or Storerotica Magazine. Hardworking industry insiders keep me abreast (so to speak) of what's happening in the ever-changing world of what we used to call (ahem)…"marital aids”.  I never expect the mainstream media to cover this beat even though we all know that sex sells and sells big; tens of billions of dollars annually BIG. 

So imagine my surprise when I happen upon a lengthily article in that bastion of conservative capitalism, Forbes Magazine, that sings the praises of those rugged pioneers who are tirelessly laboring to bring adult products to Main Street.  Pioneers indeed! 

   At least there's one bright spot in this dreadful economy. The cash-strapped masses may be spending less on restaurants and entertainment, but not necessarily on the quality of their sex lives--and manufacturers of sexual aids are broadening their lines to meet the demand. 

    To wit: Trojan now offers a condom that comes with a disposable vibrating ring. Durex, another condom maker, sells a vibrator and a line of lubricants. Even Philips Electronics (nyse: PHG - news - people) has joined competitor Hitachi (nyse: HIT - news - people) in the vibrator business. "We're much more open now to experimenting sexually," says Louis Friedman, chief executive of Liberator, a maker of sex toys in Atlanta. "We’re seeing countless new products being sold to a much larger audience than people realized. Even the more conservative retailers have begun to come around." 

    Indeed, Wal-Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people), Walgreen (nyse: WAG - news - people) and Target (nyse: TGT - news - people) now peddle sexual aids, including condoms, lubricants and personal massagers. Walgreen's Web site features a "sexual wellness" tab, behind which are listed not only contraceptives and fertility tests, but also pleasure-enhancing dietary supplements, romance-themed costumes and games, massage oils and lotions, and the "Emotional Bliss Femblossom" vibrator. (Representatives from Walgreen's and Target were unavailable for comment; a Wal-Mart communications manager would say only that the chain "has a diverse mix of shoppers who visit our stores each day, and we are committed to providing customers with the selection of products they expect to find in our stores.") 

    See the entire article here: http://www.forbes.com/2008/12/19/sex-industry-recession-ent-manage-cx_cv_1219sexbiz.html
 
This is particularly mind-blowing in light of that fact that there are still several states in the union (Alabama, Virginia, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina among them) that prohibit the sale of adult novelties, particularly dildos.  I mean, we all know what a corrupting influence a faux penis can be on the virtue of our women folk. 

Do you realize that it was only in February 2007, just in time for Valentine’s Day don’t cha know, that a federal appeals court ruled that a Texas prohibition against the sale of dildos and masturbation sleeves violated the 14th Amendment? 

The normally conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the state’s ban on the grounds that it violated the right of ordinary citizens "to engage in private intimate conduct in the home without government intrusion."  You GO 5th Circuit! 

This is real progress, sex fans!  Even though we all know it’s the bottom line of the giant retailers that is stimulating this evolution, not our country’s abiding concern for individual rights.  But hell, I’m pragmatic enough to accept progress in whatever guise it may cum. 

And I suppose it’s reassuring to know that in these troubling economic times one can find quality sex toys that will provide years of pleasure for under a hundred bucks.  Ok, so it ain’t a holiday in the Caribbean.  But who can afford that extravagance right now?

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