* NOT SAFE FOR WORK *
Remember Truth or Dare?
Covertly huddled together in the corners of dingy school hallways, sitting at the back ends of buses, crouched in the basements of our childhood homes – we played the eponymous game in our awkward, fumbling youth.
I recall one particular question during Truth that was frequently asked in rather hushed, thrilled tones: Have you ever masturbated?
The boys would smile knowingly, admitting to their pleasure bombastically, sometimes even high-fiving. The girls would cast their eyes away, shaking their heads violently. No. That’s so gross. I don’t do that.
Unfortunately, we learn early on what society dictates: that sexual pleasure should be delineated precisely across the gender binary.
As Dorian Solot elucidates in her spectacular I Love Female Orgasm: The Extraordinary Orgasm Guide, “Although most boys figure out how to bring themselves to orgasm by age thirteen, half of girls don’t have their first orgasms until their late teens, twenties, or beyond. Teenage girls widely agree that they get the message loud and clear that masturbation is something boys do, but girls don’t, can’t, or shouldn’t. The cultural focus on intercourse tells young women to expect they’ll begin to experience sexual pleasure once they have sex with a man (whether or not they’re even interested in sex with men). Nearly all teen boys, on the other hands, experience sexual pleasure long before they get their hands – or other body parts – into a partner’s pants…Young women are sold provocative clothes but aren’t taught where to find their own clitoris.”
These days, I’m always overjoyed to find educational resources on sexual pleasure that are available for young women, especially those that are actually fun to read! A month ago, we shared with you this smart phone app that teaches you how to masturbate called HappyPlayTime, complete with adorable and approachable drawings.
Now, meet my new favorite web comic – Oh Joy Sex Toy!
The comic is definitely NSFW, and for people 18 and up. It’s also deliciously sexy!
The comic made its debut in April this year, but is updated regularly – every Tuesday (mark your calendar, y’all!). It’s written and illustrated by Erika Moen, a fabulously talented freelance cartoonist and dedicated sex toy enthusiast. She promises that she will review a variety of sex toys, making sure to touch upon the beautiful range of human anatomy and leave no stone unturned, as well as “no vibrator left unused, no nipple left unpinched.”
And oh, she doesn’t disappoint – check out some of my fave reviews: the Share (a double dildo), the Le Butch (a harness), and the NJOY pure plug (I’m pretty sure you can guess what that is!). She even reviews alternative methods of female sanitary products, like the Moon Cup.
The best part about OJST? It’s actually diverse and inclusive of all identities! That’s really hard to find when talking about the sex industry, which is mostly dominated by white, cis-gendered bodies. To counter this harmful homogeneity, OJST “strives to be relevant to all different genders, body types, and sexualities.” Hallelujah!
When Erika reviews her alluring friends, she doesn’t usually use a cartoon drawing of herself to illustrate her point (she’s only a modest exhibitionist, she explains), instead utilizing a wide array of gender-neutral characters who are more than happy to test out her products. This makes her cartoon helpful for everyone, regardless of race, gender, sex, or body type.
Here, Erika talks about one of her favorite porn films titled Crash Pad, which is filled with people of different races and identities from cis to genderqueer to transgender, to everything in between. Awesomely enough, the actors even use protection, sliding on condoms and dental dams “without a pause.”
So what are you waiting for? Dive right in! Your Tuesdays are about to get so much more tantalizing.
Source: Oh Joy Sex Toy
Photos via OhJoySexToy, feminismis4everyone, tumblr, Bitch Magazine
