June 8th 2024.
Sex toys have been a part of human history for thousands of years, believe it or not. From rabbits to bullets to G-spot stimulators, the variety of these pleasure-inducing devices has only increased over time. In fact, the sex toy industry is experiencing a major boom in recent years, with a projected global value of $52.7 billion by 2026 and a further $80.7 billion by 2030.
But as much as we enjoy the pleasure they bring us, sex toys can also become outdated in appearance quite quickly. Take, for example, the iconic episode of Sex And The City where Miranda introduces her friend Charlotte to the Rabbit vibrator. Charlotte becomes addicted to it, choosing self-pleasure over dating and socializing. Can we blame her though? The Rabbit vibrator is a game-changer.
However, when we re-watch the episode now, it's hard not to notice how different the Rabbit looks compared to the more updated models of the 2020s. This got me thinking, when exactly did sex toys first come into existence? And how have they evolved throughout history?
According to sexologist and expert, Gigi Engle, sex toys have been around since the beginning of humanity. In fact, the oldest sex toy discovered was 28,000 years old and was found in a cave in Germany. While there is some debate over whether it was actually a sex toy or not, the object shows signs of being used for pleasure, rather than any practical purpose.
In 2023, historians also uncovered a wooden object at a Roman fort on Hadrian's Wall that was likely used for sexual pleasure. And there have been multiple other archaeological findings that suggest the Romans were just as sexually adventurous as we are today.
But there are also some myths surrounding sex toys that have been debunked over time. For instance, it was previously believed that sex toys were used to treat "hysteria" in women. However, this has been proven false and the first electric vibrator was actually invented by a British physician in the early 1880s for medical purposes.
It wasn't until the late 1960s, during the sexual revolution, that vibrators were re-introduced as explicitly sexual objects. And with the rise of feminism, female pleasure became a topic of discussion, leading to the acceptance and empowerment of using sex toys.
In the 1970s, the Hitachi Magic Wand was released and quickly became an iconic sex toy, despite the company initially marketing it as a back massager. This coincided with the Women's Liberation Movement, which brought women's sexuality to the forefront and created a safe space for them to explore and enhance their sex lives.
Today, sex toys are becoming more inclusive and marketed towards people of all genders. They are also seen as a way to enhance partnered sex rather than replace it. And as sex toy companies continue to thrive and promote a positive and open attitude towards sexuality, it's clear that we have come a long way in prioritizing pleasure and destigmatizing the use of sex toys. After all, they are our friends, not our enemies.
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