A history of Sex Toys
Where do Sex Toys Come From?
A detailed history of human sexuality is not exactly a topic that you will be able to read up on under "S" for sex in your average community library. Foucault's History of Sexuality makes a bold attempt, but it goes no further than the Victorian era. Finding a detailed history of the, until very recent taboo topic of sextoys, meanwhile, is next to impossible. One thing is clear: sex toys have been around for thousands of years and is here to stay. With a product variety that includes bud chums and butt plugs to panty quakers and penis pums, erotic games and latex clothing to fluffy love cuffs and go girl gel spray, things have definitely heated up in the bedroom with the dawn of the new millennium.
In ancient Greece some research documents claim that in many parts of the Middle East, the earliest sex toys were fashioned out of dried camel dung. This was coated with a hard resin, presumably to block the order and prevent the 'dildo' from crumbling and breaking up.
However, the first "official" documented use of a dildo comes from Ancient Greece, where merchants sold something called an olisbos. Fashioned from stone, leather, or in some cases wood, the olisbos became a tool bought primarily by single women - or so the cultural evidence would have us believe. Fortunately, we know that dildos and a tantalizing variety of adult toys are enjoyed by people of both sexes, from all walks of life.
Renaissance Italy In true Italian style, Renaissance Italy also made its contribution to sex history. Here olisbos became diletto, from the Italian for delight. Even with a liberal amount of olive oil as lubricant, the diletto was not as comfortable as today's models although it must have done something for moisturizing the skin. But as evidenced by today's booming adult toy industry, the dildo continued to evolve and grow in popularity.
Victorian Era It was around the mid-nineteenth century when the world was first introduced to the rubber dildo. Of course these rubber dildos were much more comfortable and 'life-like' than anything offered previously.
It was also during the Victorian Era when the world was first introduced to the vibrator. At the time, vibrators were prescribed to treat a condition known as "hysteria". This term is derived from the Greek hystera, meaning "uterus," and reflects the ancient and patently false notion that psychiatric disorders in women spring from disturbances in the uterus. At the time, women were not regarded as sexual beings, and the use of a vibrator for sexual pleasure would have been regarded as scandalous. In turn, vibrators grew in popularity by being marketed as massagers.
By the early twentieth century vibrators began to appear in early erotic cinema. Their popularity was stunted in the 1940s, when the advertisement of such products experienced a steady decline.
Today In the last 30 years sex toys have experienced a renaissance or shall we say more like a revolution with blunt headlines like "Could your relationship use a vibrator?", used candidly in mainstream publications. Unfortunately, the seventies saw the proliferation of substandard products with a generally sexist tone to their marketing. During the eighties things began to improve thanks to a new attitude pioneered by organizations and companies like San Francisco's Good Vibrations.
The nineties saw a continuation of this trend with numerous sex-positive boutiques providing a comfortable place to shop for sex toys. In fact, couples are encouraged to spice up their sex life with sex toys. According to statistics, sixty percent of women in relationships have used a vibrator and almost half have used them with a man.
No longer do you have to imagine heavy-duty, phallus-shaped machinery with rotating beads and a swiveling head when you hear the word vibrator. Nowadays they come various discreet shapes and sizes that make them infinitely more couple-friendly. In fact, sex and enjoying sex has become such a common tea time topic that women are encouraged to experiment with sex toys and vibrators. According to the sexperts, only 30% of women are able to climax from intercourse, which means most need additional clitoral stimulation.
Luckily our male friends don't have to feel left out. Some types of adult toys have the power to stimulate make and female partners simultaneously. If it's awkward to pass your vibrator back and forth to use on each other, these multitasking toys can provide a solution. Products such as a vibrating penis ring provide pleasure for him as well. And because they cannot be used without him, no worry that he might feel left out or inadequate because these sex stimulants cannot be used without him. There's only one thing left to say good vibrations!
