The story below is taken from the October 2013 issue of AVN magazine, where we asked 10 sexperts to talk about future trends that they would like to see in the pleasure product industry. Each shared some interesting thoughts. Pictured here: Carol Queen.
Carol Queen
Writer and speaker, with a doctorate in sexology; co-founder of the Center for Sex and Culture; Staff Sexologist/Chief Cultural Officer at Good Vibrations. CarolQueen.com
The bump in BDSM-associated playthings post-Fifty Shades is well-known in our industry. What should be a companion trend: informational books and videos about this kind of play. Fifty Shades is NOT a how-to, though it has obviously been inspirational for many.
My list of suggestions: Sensuous Magic: A Guide for Adventurous Couples by Pat Califia; The Ultimate Guide To Kink by Tristan Taormino; Screw The Roses, Send Me The Thorns: The Romance and Sexual Sorcery of Sadomasochism; Fifty Shades of Play by Em & Lo; The New Topping Book and The New Bottoming Book by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy (these are more than beginner level; very excellent, but read one of the others first); The Toybag Guide: Basic Rope Bondage (there’s a whole series of small, specific Toybag Guides for different kinds of play); Erotic Bondage Handbook by Jay Wiseman; The Seductive Art of Japanese Bondage by Midori; Showing You the Ropes and Back on the Ropes by Two Knotty Boys; and Playing Well With Others: Your Field Guide To Discovering, Exploring and Navigating The Kink, Leather and BDSM Communities by Lee Harrington and Mollena Williams.
Also, many terrific designer vibes have been added to store shelves over the past several years. One style is particularly notable: the small, usually oval, hand-held vibe designed for external clitoral/vulva stimulation. Unlike many vibes, these are not designed for insertion, just external use; and unlike many of the small, portable vibes, they possess plenty of area and stimulate a relative lot of territory, not focused on a smaller spot like bullet and mini-vibes. Many women like insertion, of course, very much. But many new vibe users also think they should like insertion because using a sex toy is like having sex—it’s just that sometimes you do it solo instead of with a partner. But most women don’t orgasm from vaginal insertion alone. The vulva vibes let a user focus on the nerves most likely to appreciate vibration, and they’re a terrific addition to any toy box. (Big plus—they are for penile stroking too!) Examples of this style are the Laya; LELO’s Lily, Nea and Siri; Jimmyjane’s Form 3; the We-Vibe Touch; and OhMiBod’s Make Me Over.
Check back on AVN.com tomorrow for more on sex toy trends from Chauntelle Anne Tibbals.
To see the digital edition of the issue, click here.
