History of Sex Toys

Historians will have to search far and wide to find any household item that has changed in function as little as the sex toy, while managing to fluctuate in social acceptance so much. After all, we as humans have not changed biologically, so of course we are still sexually stimulated in the same manner as we were years, even centuries ago. However, technology, both in sales and design of sex toys, has changed the industry and its products immensely.

The evolution of today’s sex toys must not neglect an examination of how they have progressed into what they are today. They’re “household items” in all but the sense that if you own one, you more than likely prefer to keep it well hidden. So how is it that, in a society that now discusses these matters more freely, we have slowly become more ashamed of our affinity for sex toys, only to in recent years, grow more comfortable again?

Oldest Known Sex Toy

In the early 2000s, the oldest known sex toy, the dildo, was discovered by a German University team in Swabia (southwest Germany). Due to its shape, extremely polished nature, and 8" length, anthropologists and historians accept this piece as being used to stimulate the female. This piece once served the same purpose and function as today’s variants of the dildo, despite that this dildo is about 28,000 years old, an artifact dating back to the Paleolithic era. Interestingly enough, this is one of the only representations of male genitalia found from this era. For females, it’s a different story. Many representations of females have been found from this time with highly exaggerated features, which is almost indisputable proof that these representations were used as an early form of sexual stimulant, not art, as some would claim. The same can be said with reasonable certainty about this ancient sex toy.

19th Century Sex Toys

Fast forward to the late 19th century. Sex toys became prevalent for medical use. During the Victorian era in the year 1869, a steam powered vibrator was developed for use not by females, but by the doctors treating them for hysteria. According to Galen, an anatomist at the time, this so called hysteria was caused by the retention of female ejaculation fluid. Interestingly enough, this practice of doctors stimulating their female patients did not begin with the vibrator but rather by doctors manually stimulating the genitals, but this lead to rather tired hands, so the vibrator was developed. Although manually operated vibrators had been developed, they were horribly inconvenient. The invention electricity quickly resolved this issue. Fast forward to the early 1900s, Hamilton Beach developed an electric vibrator for the consumer, although it was still widely considered to be a medical device. As home use became more prevalent, vibrators began appearing in pornography, and doctors ceased using them as a treatment method because of the stigma that now accompanied the devices.

The Development of Sex Dolls

In the early 20th century, realistic sex dolls began being manufactured, complete with life-like parts and a tube filled with oil to mimic the excretion of natural lubricant. In the 1970s, latex, silicone, and vinyl became the principle materials for these sex dolls and, at the same time, dildos and vibrators were manufactured with these same materials. Fast forward to 2011 and big box retailers such as drug store chains began selling these items, a throwback to the era when the use of sex toys were socially accepted as a form of medical treatment.

Now that sex toys are novelty items designed for pleasure and not practicality, there are few to no regulations on the design. As modern electronics and technology begin to play a bigger role in the use of these “toys,” it is questionable if we can continue to get away with so few rules. Not only are toys powered by electricity today, but some are programmed to send electrical impulses to the user for an even more stimulating experience. Some devices also make great use of digital and programmable technology, such as the Kiiro, which is a device for both males and females. The user’s actions with the toy are remembered, and the opposite sex will receive the effect produced by the data that is programmed. For those without a second user, the device can be synchronized with pornography. The Gaga, another device, is a vibrator featuring a smartphone-controlled camera on the end, allowing others to see inside the vagina as the device is being used. With these devices, virtual reality sex is on the rise, and not too far off. The Love Palz provides each partner with their own toy, and provided that they are paired with computers, the other can feel exactly what the other is doing. It’s as close to virtual sex as computers can take us.

The blow-up doll concept has also made great strides since its inception. Sex dolls aren’t merely pricey gag gifts anymore. There are now markets for dolls that clock in at the upper four figure price range. These dolls are basically sex robots, with moving body parts, and physical and verbal responses to the actions of the user. Not only are they life-like in action, but in appearance as well. Sex dolls have quickly progressed from looking like a human-shaped beach ball, to mannequin appearing figures, to strikingly detailed devices that at a distance, look and sound like a real human.

Sex Toys and the Digital Age

Before the demand for this technology began to grow, something major in the industry had to change. Sex shops were incapable of carrying these extremely expensive and intricately detailed sex toys because the market segment that was willing to pay for them was not large enough locally to justify the expensive inventory. Perhaps they could be custom-ordered, but then the user would be unable to read reviews and look at what they were purchasing. Another issue with purchasing at retail stores was the shame that was associated with it. Many customers were embarrassed to be seen in a sex shop, and many were too fearful to even set foot in one of these shops, let alone browse and put thought into a purchase. The internet solved both of these problems. When it became possible to have these items shipped globally, an inventory of expensive and fetish-specific items became plausible. These items could now be purchased while hiding behind a computer screen and delivered at the door. Amazon alone has an estimated 60,000 different items that could be classified as sex toys.. There’s surely something for everyone and everyone has access to these devices, privately if need be. The advent of internet sales also allows for marketing to be used to create brand recognition and affinity, so it is no surprise that sex toys grow more commonplace with every sale. After all, just about everyone has inadvertently stumbled across an ad for these items while browsing the internet.

Although sex toys and pop culture have transformed hand-in-hand, arguably, no single event has contributed more to the industry than the release of the erotic book-series-turned-film Fifty Shades of Grey. The movie is centered around the growth of a relationship in which one of the main characters has a strong fetish for bondage. The movie became so popular that the popularity of bondage toys skyrocketed with it. As well as growing in popularity, these bondage toys were finally free from some of the stigmas of strangeness, due to their role in the film. In fact, there are entire Fifty Shades of Grey product lines on the market. There are two sequels to this movie scheduled for release in the next few years, and it’s highly likely that the trends set by the first movie will continue.

Future of Sex Toys

There are two main predictions that manufacturers, industry analysts, and designers are predicting and bearing in mind as new products are developed. First of all, the trend in sex toys, particularly vibrators and other smaller devices, will become more prominent, and will slowly shed the negative stigma that once plagued the industry. This will be largely due to the advancing of technology, which will inevitably lead to more availability and affordability. The technological advancements will also continue to push the envelope of devices that interact with the user, or users, to provide a more pleasurable and strikingly realistic experience. Many toys will be developed to work in tandem with apps, and pornography is slowly being integrated into the fold as many toys now feature the ability to provide an experience concurrent with what is being displayed on the computer. In conclusion, sex toys have always served the same basic purpose, but yet have evolved incredibly, from being made of stone and being used in total secrecy, to being acceptable to purchase and use, and harnessing the power of modern technology.