What most people know about their sex toy includes how to turn it on and how to use it to get themselves off. There’s nothing wrong if that’s all you know and all you want to know. Sex toys are designed to enhance pleasure and make you feel amazing.
But if you want to know a little more and be the fun one at your next happy hour meetup, here are a few things you probably didn’t know about sex toys.
Sex Toys are Ancient
Your mom’s generation didn’t discover sex toys. Sex toys are older than most people realize. Dildos have been found from 30,000 years ago, and we know ancient Roman, Greek, and Chinese cultures had sex toys, too, although they were primarily for married women.
The First Vibrator was Medicinal
That’s right, the next time you need a day off of work, get your doctor to write a note saying you need to stay home with your vibrator. Early mechanical vibrators from the late 1800s were invented to help women with “hysteria” — an illness that was miraculously cured through repeated orgasms. Because doesn’t an orgasm make everything better?
Sex Toys Aren’t Above the Law
Some states still have laws on the books against sex toys. Technically, in Alabama, you can’t buy sex toys, although you can order them online. In Texas, you’re not allowed to own more than six sex toys. We want to know — who’s stopping by to count them?!
Some States Love Sex Toys
Not everyone’s a hater when it comes to mechanized sex and love. Certain states buy the most sex toys, and it’s not who you think it would be. The top sex toy buying states are South Dakota, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, and West Virginia.
Women Use Sex Toys…A Lot
So you probably already know plenty of women use sex toys, but did you realize how many? A third of all women in the U.S. own a vibrator, and half of all women have used a sex toy at some point. Of the women who masturbate at least once a week, 60 percent of them use a sex toy when they wank.
Men Don’t Mind Sex Toys
The popular belief is that men get freaked out when their female partner brings a sex toy into bed with them. No so. Nearly 70 percent of men are fine with it, and many men have used sex toys with their partner.
Makin’ Bank
Sex toys are practically recession-proof. Sales of a lot of things go down during a recession, but not sex toys. Those sales increase. On average, we spend $15 billion per year on sex toys. The five most popular sex toys people buy are vibrators, dildos, lube, anal toys, and penis rings. Sex toy sales go up in February around Valentine’s Day, too.
Sex Toys Make Women Healthier
Women who use vibrators and other sex toys tend to take better care of their reproductive health. They go to the gynecologist more frequently and are more likely to do self checks of their vulva and vagina. Which makes sense because it’s hard to get yourself off and use your vibe if things stop working down there.
Thank You, Fifty Shades
Love it or hate it, but Fifty Shades of Grey inspires plenty of sexy, kinky fun in the bedroom. Since the books and movies were released, sales of bondage toys increased 50 percent. Even more surprisingly, sales of Ben Wa balls increased 350 percent!
Sex Toys Do More Than Vibrate
Of course, not all sex toys vibrate. Some squeeze, penetrate, or let you get kinky. But vibrators can do more than vibrate and pulsate, too. They heat up, suck, and blast both air and sonic waves. You can also operate some sex toys from an app on your phone. Isn’t technology great?!
Vibrators Used To Be Sold Next to Toasters
Back in the early 1900s, vibrators were known as “personal massagers.” Yeah, we know what was getting massaged. But that meant you could find your next vibrator in catalogs next to a toaster, sewing machine, or even refrigerator. It was only when sex toys became popular in porn that they were removed from mass marketing.
Conclusion
Most people think sex toys are a relatively new invention or that very few people use one. Not so. People have been using tools and toys to get themselves off since the day they realized they had opposable thumbs. We wouldn’t be surprised if the dildo didn’t happen right before the wheel or fire. Sexual pleasure really is that important to most people.
Did you learn anything about sex toys in this post? Let us know in the comment section!
