Men do it, women do it, even extremely famous celebrities do it?
No matter how many inroads are made to the public about sexual awareness and eliminating the feeling of shame that overwhelms some due to their own urges or desires, the sex toy industry still finds itself fighting an uphill battle of misunderstanding, repression, and embarrassment. People are still worried they will be judged for getting a helping hand because it runs on batteries, or afraid that if their secret habit is found out, they’ll be viewed as dirty or perverted.
But talk is cheap, and seeing is believing. The faster people who are afraid or unsure can be shown a lack of negative consequences for owning and using sex toys, the faster these feelings of shame will evaporate.
Luckily for the repressed among us, we live in a celebrity happy culture that is only too interested in the sex lives of our famous. Thankfully, many of those famous faces are leading the way – as Hollywood has always done when it comes to changing the perceptions of society about certain ‘unacceptable’ practices – by speaking honestly and frankly about what is, after all, a completely natural biological function.
There’s a very good reason many female celebrities turn to little battery-operated friends. The pressures of fame come intact with a nosy media and invasive paparazzi. Finding a ‘friend with benefits’ can be nearly impossible, so satisfying sexual needs with a vibrator can be incredibly tempting. A vibrator can’t run off to the tabloids afterwards and spill all your innermost secrets. It also isn’t just using you to get a leg up in the industry.
But what’s a story about celebrity sex without some name-dropping?
Desperate Housewives Teri Hatcher and Eva Longoria-Parker both admit to using vibrators. Hatcher is more circumspect, merely admitting that her lack of desire for a big love match means her vibrator gets more of a workout – admitting, with a single declaration, that her sexuality is healthy, normal, and something she has every right to attend to herself, in or out of a relationship. Parker, on the other hand, reveals that masturbating is what led her to enjoy sex for the first time in her life. In fact, it was such a revelation to her, that she now gifts her favorite toy to all her girlfriends!
And the list goes on. Popular culture is beginning to accept the use of vibrators as commonplace and references them without embarrassment. Musical artists like Eminem and Missy Elliot have waxed poetic to a backbeat of sexual freedom and empowerment. It may not seem like the most crucial of causes – whether or not people use adult toys isn’t exactly the most calamitous issue facing the world at the moment.
The late David Carradine frequented the same sex shop in Tarzana for years before his death. His passing was tragic, but the way he lived his life influenced his performances and elevated the quality of his time on earth. People snicker when they report that someone famous likes to be tied up, or shops for sex toys, but the fact is, the person being made fun of is probably having a lot more fun than you are.
But it’s not simply a matter of advocating the use of toys; it’s advocating the right to our bodies, and our own desires, without someone telling us we’re wrong. Everyone has a voice, but a famous voice reaches the farthest – and hey, if you’re only doing it because Jenny McCarthy is (and she is), that’s still a great place to start.
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