Vibrators Carry the Conversation

[cali]

By HILARY HOWARD
Published: April 20, 2011


For years, vibrators were bought quietly in sex shops, and later online, arriving in discreet unmarked packages. They were rarely discussed, other than perhaps during a late-night girl-talk session fueled by many glasses of pinot grigio. But now you can find them advertised on MTV and boldly displayed at Duane Reade, Walgreens and other mainstream drugstores, mere steps from the Bengay and Dr. Scholl’s.

The newest model on the shelves is the Tri-Phoria ($39.99), created by the condom company Trojan after a study the company conducted in 2008 in partnership with the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University revealed that over half of American women had used vibrators, and of that group, nearly 80 percent had shared them with their partners. James Daniels, vice president for marketing at Trojan, said: “The idea really came from consumers. They kept telling us vibrators, vibrators. And we just laughed. And then we realized they were serious.”

The Tri-Phoria joins the A:Muse Personal Pleasure Massager by LifeStyles, which arrived in stores in January, and the Allure, by Durex, which made its over-the-counter debut in 2008; both models are $19.99. Alan Cheung, senior brand manager for Durex, said that sales of the company’s vibrating products are up 60 percent over the last six months, compared with the same period last year. “Consumers are definitely not shy about this kind of purchase in the retail environment,” he said.

This comes as no surprise to Rachel Venning, a founder of Babeland, a chain of sex-toy stores that opened a store in family-friendly Park Slope, Brooklyn, in 2008 to nary a ripple of protest. “I know women will buy them at Duane Reade, and as a lifelong cheerleader for sexual empowerment I’m thrilled at this development,” Ms. Venning said. “It’s one more step in the evolution of vibrators to just another consumer product, unburdened of its freight of shame, sexual defect and sluttiness.”

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/fashion/21VIBRATORS.html#

[TxVietVet]

1. Whatever it takes to make a woman happy.

:toast:

[Scuba]

2. Oh, if that was only all it took. n/t

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. What a very cool article!

Recommended.

;)

[Withywindle]

4. I approve of this message.

Get the shame out of it!

[Uncle Joe]

5. This thread needs some theme music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnf8CbswEss

Thanks for the thread, cali.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. An excellent choice!

[cali]

10. here, Peggy

this is for you. cool harmonizing. (nothing to do with anything, just thought you might like it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdLsJKprnXQ&feature=related

[cali]

7. lol. great pick, Joe.

[Teaser]

11. This one is more my style

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wv-34w8kGPM

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. I read that as a Tri-Phonia. I just assumed it was meant to serve every

port in the body.

[NV Whino]

9. Hmmm,

I wonder if there's an iPhone app?

[localroger]

12. Coming soon: vibrator as cell phone feature

Of course it will work about as well as the camera does, but that doesn't stop them from hawking it...

[CoffeeCat]

13. A friend of mine sells these products...

...for a company called Pure Romance. She organizes parties in homes and shows people
what they offer and explains everything. She is also a nurse and uses this as an opportunity
to educate, as well as sell these products and make some money.

This is a multi-level marketing company and I detest multi-level marketing. But somehow selling
sex toys works because these "parties" are held in homes, in a private setting. After my friend
does her selling speech, she takes individual orders in private. No one knows what someone else
purchased. All very discreet.

Usually, a ton of margaritas are served and they have loads of fun. My friend is often aghast
at how many women don't know where there g-spot is--and she's very happy to explain it all.
She's a total riot.

She also made 100k last year doing this.

I don't like the idea of going to a Walgreen's and buying a vibrator. Sex shops are sleazy and
it's pretty embarrassing when they put batteries in the vibrators to ensure that the vibrator works.
You're standing there with "Big blue" vibrating on the counter and everyone looking at you. ...not
that I would know anything about that. ;)

[juajen]

14. How funny!

We knew all about vibrators, well some of us, in the sixties and slightly before. I wondered if they would ever be talked about in polite company. G-spot education should be a required subject for all women and men, of course, separately taught. I once had a family friend who confided in me that he had to spend too much time making sure his wife had an orgasm. I looked at him kinda funny and said "have you ever heard of a g-spot? He looked blank for a moment, then said of course he had. I'm sure he went to the "do everything" cell phone and looked it all up. God, what an ignoramus! Of course, his wife was also uneducated, sexually. They are both republicans. Honest to God. Just sayin'.