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Margaret Thatcher attempted to get sex toys banned by watering down the 'deprave and corrupt' obscenity test
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| 31st December
2014
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| Thanks to Nick See
article from
independent.co.uk |
| A Margaret Thatcher butt plug |
Margaret Thatcher considered banning sex toys using an anti-pornography law as part of a public decency morality drive in the 1980s. Documents released by the National Archives reveal that the former prime minister was persuaded to consider a
change in the law by the anti-obscenity campaigner Mary Whitehouse, whom she met on two occasions. Leon Brittan, seemingly well versed about depravity law, and the home secretary at the time, wrote to Thatcher noting that there was a strong
case to be made for banning sex toys under obscenity laws. In September 1986 he wrote claiming that: Some of the items in circulation are most objectionable, including some which can cause physical injury.
He felt that sex toys could fall within the scope of the deprave and corrupt test of the 1959 Obscene Publications Act. Thatcher asked Brittan to prepare a new test, which could set a new bar for what could be considered
to offend good taste or public decency. But Brittan felt that taste was too imprecise a concept for the courts to be able to arbitrate on and the plan was abandoned. |
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Alarm clock cum panty vibrator found to stimulate sexy dreams
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| 14th December 2014
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| See press release from pr.com
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A British firm has launched what it claims to be the sexiest sleep-aid ever - a sex dream machine! Little Rooster, the creators of the alarm clock panty vibrator say they have invented a sex dream machine. Dream Rooster works by vibrating in the
underwear while the user sleeps. Says inventor Tony Maggs: I realised a sex dream machine was possible when my customers told me that Little Rooster, the world's first alarm clock that wakes you by vibrating in your
underwear, was giving them erotic dreams. Little Rooster stimulates you for about two minutes before waking you up. Dream Rooster can stimulate you for several hours!
Women simply slip Dream Rooster into their underwear before going
to bed. The vibrating leg rests against the clitoris and between the labial lips and the wide, flat body stabilises Dream Rooster by resting inside the underwear, against the user's front. Men insert their penis and testicles through the ring. The
ring both helps hold Dream Rooster in place and also transmits stimulation. Dream Rooster is held against the user's front by their underwear. |
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Introducing Tokyo's bar cum sex shop
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| 16th November 2014
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| See article from
metro.co.uk |
There's an interesting themed bar in Tokyo. Love Joule , in Tokyo's A Shibuya district is a love and sex bar dedicated to women or rather dedicated to women getting off. Customers and their boyfriends can come and browse sex toys and
discuss the best ones. You can buy a cocktail then browse a wall of sex toys featuring Lelo toys, silicone vibrators and anal plugs. You can down a shot and then talk Kegel balls. The focus is more talk than action though. |
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Giant inflatable butt plug vandalised in Paris
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| 19th October 2014
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| See article from
huffingtonpost.co.uk |
A giant inflatable butt plug has been destroyed by vandals in Paris. The 80 foot art work was installed at Place Vendome and was claimed to be a 'tree' by the artist Paul McCarthy. Past artwork by McCarthy seems to suggest that he has a
somewhat erotic sense of humour and a tree is an an unlikely explanation. Tragedy struck late on Friday night when the ambiguous structure was attacked and deflated. A police spokesman said: Individuals
have severed the cables that hold the sculpture in place, taking advantage of a momentary lack of a security guard.
Farnce's Minister of Culture, Fleur Pellerin, called the vandalism a n attack on creative freedom as well as a
physical attack on the artist himself.
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The pursuit of realistic sex dolls
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| 21st September 2014
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| See article from
smh.com.au |
Sex dolls used to be inflatable and made of vinyl or latex and had only a passing resemblance to reality. Most of the more sophisticated dolls we see now are created by artist Matt McMullen, who about a decade ago was experimenting with materials for
sculpture. He started working on a lifelike silicone female mannequin and documented the progress on his website He then became inundated with requests if they could be used as sex dolls. The demand was so strong that he decided to make the dolls
anatomically correct and the extremely life-like RealDoll.com was born . Over the years, the company has perfected the dolls to make them look even more realistic; they are custom-produced with a variety of wigs, skin and eye colour, genitalia
type and size, and other body proportions. A basic doll retails for $6000 upwards. The movie Lars and The Real Girl features a RealDoll, with an extensive scene showing the RealDoll.com website. However, Lars didn't order the doll to use as
a sex toy. He acts as if she is human, by giving her a name, Bianca, and pretending she is his girlfriend. He introduces her to his family and the people in his small community. Lars is very concerned to keep the relationship between him and Bianca pure,
and she sleeps next door with his brother and sister-in-law. The story may sound a bit silly but it's an endearing movie and has a lovely ending. Apparently RealDolls are quite popular in Australia. Dr Cathleen Maslen from the University of
Western Australia has studied the RealDoll subculture and believes that despite the sexual marketing, not all the men who order them perceive their dolls as sexual objects. Some men view them as an alternative to having a relationship and take pleasure
in buying them clothes and dressing them up. McMullen believes that for men without a choice, or with social interaction problems, having a doll as a companion or for physical needs is better than having no one. In Japan, a high-tech industry is
constantly looking at ways to make dolls look more real. The dolls have realistic-to-touch skin and authentic-looking eyes, and some have moveable joints. They are sold under the name of Dutch Wives, a reference to hand-sewn leather masturbation puppets
made by the 17th -century Dutch sailors who were trading with the Japanese. |
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What one million sex toy sales reveal about our erotic tastes, kinks and desires
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| 15th September 2014
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| See article from
jonmillward.com |
Lovehoney.co.uk asked what insights Jon Millward could discover hiding in their anonymised sales data from 4.5 million transactions in the last 10 years. The average Lovehoney customer spends a little over six minutes
perusing ten pages of the site. When they place an order, they spend ?35 . Men on average spend ?5.73 (19%) more per order than women. 1 in 5 customers chooses to pay extra for next day delivery. Men are a bit keener than women to get their packages the
following day: 23% of male customers choose the speedy option, compared to 19% of women. Half of women and one-third of men who place an order with Lovehoney buy a vibrator. ...Read the full
article
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High resolution sex dolls are a hit in Japan
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| 18th August 2014
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| See article from
mirror.co.uk |
Japanese sex dolls are now so life-like that they come with authentic-looking eyes and skin that feels real to touch. One maker, Orient Industry, will even customise a doll to your exact requirements so you can choose her bust size, hair colour, eyes
and everything about her right down to moveable fingers. The company says its new range of dolls, made of high quality silicone, are so good they are being mistaken for real women and boasts that anyone who buys one will never want a proper
girlfriend again. The dolls are sold under the name Dutch Wives', which is a Japanese term for a sex doll. Priced at a little over £ 1,000 each, sales suggest they are a roaring success. Company
spokesman Osami Seto said: The two areas we identified as really needing improvement were the skin and the eyes. We feel we have finally got something that is arguably not distinguishable from the real thing.
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An upcoming cock ring called SexFit that will record sexual performance metrics for boasting on the internet. Hopefully there will exist a facility to edit out the quickies
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| 16th August 2014
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| See article from
huffingtonpost.co.uk |
Spring 2015 will see the release of Bondara's SexFit, a wearable device which claims to be able to measure and track your sexual performance. Fitting onto the penis like a standard cock ring, the WiFi-enabled SexFit provides a number of
straightforward functions like vibration and restriction of blood flow. LED lights will pulse in rhythm acting like a metronome. The device will track key metrics such as calories burned, time spent and thrusts per minute. This data can be stored
and uploaded to the internet for Social media sharing. |
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Vibrator doubles as pendant
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| 15th August 2014
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| See article
from dailymail.co.uk |
Crave's Vesper is a slim, stainless steel vibrator that doubles as a pendant. The titillating necklace comes in silver, rose gold-plated and 24k gold-plated varieties, starting at $49. The nail-shaped necklace has low, medium and high vibrating modes,
is USB rechargeable and is described as whisper quiet. As a necklace, it has sleek and minimal lines that enable this product to be both a subtle fashion statement as well as a statement piece, depending on your mood and outfit, says
designer Ti Chang, who founded the company with entrepreneur Michael Topolovac. Crave is currently taking pre-orders for the product, which comes with free engraving for messages under 60 characters. |
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Katie Price looks to put her name to a line of sex toys
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| 7th August 2014
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| See article from
heatworld.com |
Katie Price has apparently decided she wants to expand her business endeavours and create a line of special Katie Price sex toys. The former glamour model is reportedly hoping to launch the line later this year. She thinks it's time sex toys go
mainstream, a source told the Sun on Sunday. |
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Sex toy reviewer earns 15k from advertising and reviews
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| 6th August 2014
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| See article from
lincolnshireecho.co.uk |
A mum of two from Lincolnshire earns £ 15k a year through testing and reviewing sex toys. Cara Houiellebecq is having up to 15 orgasms a week and has an office crammed with more than 2,000 toys. Cara
worked at a sex toy website for two years before leaving in February 2012 to set up on her own - and she has now won Best Erotic Journalist at the ETO awards for two consecutive years. She has manufacturers from all over Britain sending her free
toys to be reviewed and she also writes articles for companies as an industry consultant. ...Read the full
article |
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Ann Summers reports success of its promotion
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| 4th August 2014
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| See article from
au.ibtimes.com |
A sharp rise in the sale of sex toys has been reported in the UK as Brits celebrate National Orgasm Day. Sex toy retailer Ann Summers told the Daily Star after a thorough research in sales of their saucy products. it was found that there has been a
sharp spike since last week's advertisement hit the internet. The combined effects of celebrating National Orgasm Day and recent release of the Fifty Shades of Grey promo have jointly contributed to these roaring sales of kinky toys.
Specifically, bondage-style accessories have witnessed increased sales. Ann Summers said that within an hour of the trailer release, there was a 55% surge in web traffic which was followed by sale of more than 500 pairs of handcuffs.
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LoveHoney hopes that the Fifty Shades movie hype will generate a bonanza of sex toy sales
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| 31st July 2014
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| See article from
business-standard.com See trailer from YouTube |
The trailer of the upcoming erotic film Fifty Shades of Grey is hopefully set to spark a 1 million pound boom in the UK sex toy industry. The Daily Star reported that the film will play in generating estimated average sex toy sales of 2
pound per adult over the course of the next year. Lovehoney, who is the official supplier of all Fifty Shades sex toy merchandise, will be releasing a new range of toys to tie in with the movie which is out on Valentine's Day and are expecting a
surge in sales and a bondage bonanza . |
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Gaga vibrator includes a camera for self health monitoring
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| 18th July 2014
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| See article
from dailymail.co.uk |
A new sex toy featuring an in-built camera aims to help women perform health checks and watch for any changes that could indicate an STI or health problem. The technology, which was created by Svakom, a US-based company, claims to give women a
'multi-sensory' experience, while allowing them to keep a check on their health. The Gaga, as it is known, aims to provide pleasure with information. The design comes with a USB charger cable for a laptop or smartphone app allowing women to
perform personal check-ups. The Gaga can also be controlled by another person using its wireless app. The new technology aims to help women learn what is normal for them, and look out for any abnormal changes, which could imply a health problem or
STI. |
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| 17th July 2014
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| Why It's No Longer a Dirty Little Secret See article from
huffingtonpost.com |
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Swedish sex toy store introduces the Suarez Nipple Clamp
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| 8th July 2014
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| See article from
sports.ndtv.com |
The online store Oliver & Eva has unveiled a Suarez nipple clamp in the form of the footballer's head, teeth bared, for 33 euros ($45). According to the website, the pressure of the bite can be adjusted depending on the mood . Maybe (Suarez) will be proud to spread a bit of pleasure and love, despite his error on the field,
store director Tobias Lundqvist said in a statement. The store was inspired after Suarez chomped down on Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini's shoulder during a June 24 World Cup match. |
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| 7th July 2014
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Meet Bad Dragon, a website that specialises in fantasy sex toys. See article from metro.co.uk
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Dildos feature in US advert for gun safety
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| 4th July 2014
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| See article from
huffingtonpost.com See video from YouTube |
A gun safety advocacy group is using sex toys to start a conversation around gun safety and responsibility. An ad released Thursday titled Playthings shows two young boys running around, playing with large, brightly colored dildos as if
they're swords. If they find it, they'll play with it, the narrator says, so always lock up your guns. |
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Hand free mounting for iPad and Fleshlight
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| 29th June 2014
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| See press release from digitaljournal.com
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Interactive Life Forms, makers of Fleshlight brand products, the world's leading male sex toy, has announced the release of its newest innovative accessory, the Fleshlight LaunchPAD. The Fleshlight LaunchPAD securely holds the popular Apple iPad as
well as a Fleshlight or Flight product enabling the user to enjoy the full Fleshlight experience while enjoying content or communicating live with a friend via applications like Facetime or Skype. The unique placement of the Fleshlight product in
relationship to the iPad allows the user to fully immerse himself in POV - Point of View - pornographic content. Brian Shubin, COO of Interactive Life Forms, said: Annual tablet sales are now surpassing
the number of PC sales with an estimated 70 million iPads being sold across the US in 2013 alone. The Fleshlight LaunchPAD is a great addition to the current Fleshlight owner's experience.
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The sex toy trade is blossoming across Africa as people become increasingly relaxed with the idea of buying them, but most governments are behind the times, and out of step with the desires of the people.
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| 18th June 2014
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| See article from
thisisafrica.me |
You don't need to be a private detective to discover that sex toys are bought, sold and used almost anywhere you care to look in Africa. At the same time though, the sale of sex toys is illegal in many countries where they're being sold, although some
governments are seemingly relying on social shame -- which is fading fast -- as a means of regulation. Basically, what seems to be happening is that the governments are anti-sex toys, but the people aren't. The Internet has made it easier for anyone
who wants a sex toy to bypass the law, but it's importers who shoulder the risks, since they're the ones likely to have their good seized at Customs. This probably accounts for the relatively high prices of sex toys in many countries. Countries
such as Zimbabwe and Mauritius have actively said no to bedroom trinkets but, being popular holiday destinations, there are websites that offer tips on how to sneak your sex toy in when going on holiday. Sex toys are very much legal
in South Africa. In fact the country now has one of the most liberal constitutional and legal frameworks in the world on matters sexual. You cannot throw a stone anywhere in the country without hitting an Adult World. Incidentally, the chain, which has
60 stores nationwide, is currently embroiled in a tiff with the ANC for opening a store opposite Parliament in Cape Town. Taboo surrounding sex toys in Kenya has pretty much faded, especially in Nairobi where more and more sex shops are opening.
Kenyan laws prohibit the sale of pornography and obscene materials, but according to Nairobi lawyer Humprey Manyange, there is no law in Kenya that prohibits the sale, distribution or circulation of sex toys under the Penal Code or any other law.
Sex toys on are not so openly available In Zimbabwe. The law covering sex toys and peep shows in Zimbabwe is confusing. According to Zimbabwe Revenue Authority's director of legal and corporate services Florence Jambwa, the importation of the toys
into the country is prohibited under the Customs and Excise Act. However, Censorship Board secretary Isaac Chiranganyika said whoever intended to import or trade in sex toys had to seek permission from the board. He also said, Anyone who wants to do
that business should first bring them [toys] to our offices for [testing and] approval. Sex toys are contraband in Nigeria, at least according to government officials. Nevertheless they are starting to become more popular in the country, even
in the northern States that abide by Sharia law. Either government officials have enough wahala on their hands to add chasing after sex toy importers to the list or they know they'll be onto a losing battle if they do. There are shops selling sex
toys in Ghana, offline (in Accra, at least; some street hawkers even sell them) and online (Area 51, GH erotic; you can even WhatsApp your order), though, again, the government considers sex toys obscene and have been known to close down sex
shops. And women in Swaziland throw product parties, and have been calling on the government for years to legalise the sale of sex toys, stating that there's no valid reason why women should be deprived of their inviolable right to choose
how they pleasure themselves. It seems that Africans are sending the message: Governments, we want our sex toys, and we will get them any way we can, whether you like it or not! |
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Website launches online tool to design dildos ready for 3D printing
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| 16th June
2014
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| See
article from
dailymail.co.uk See article from
dildo-generator.com |
An enterprising German website provides an online tool that lets people design sex toys from scratch. Users create different shapes and adjust the height, curviness, colour and angle of the toys to make a 3D model This model can then be printed on
public or private 3D printers Ikaros Kappler used programming language Javascript and 3D library Three.js to build his extrusion/revolution generator . Users of the website are greeted with an outline of a basic sex toy and can
manipulate different points on the 2D drawing to change its shape to suit their preferences. The height, width, curviness, angle and the colour can be altered by selecting various options to create strange shapes, the likes of which may not be on
offer at places such as Ann Summers. A design immediately appears as a colourful rendered 3D model to reflect the changes made to the initial basic shape. A small box on the right-hand side of the generator displays information about the
design, such as the toy's height, weight and volume, so that the amount of silicon to make it can be calculated. The tool in theory, allows anyone to print out a sex toy of their own design. The cost of 3D printers is falling all the time, but
many affordable consumer offerings only allow people to print objects made from crude strings of molten plastic, meaning the result is not smooth or professional looking, but high-end printers are currently are able to make high quality objects.
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New male sex toy, a vibrating sheaf
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| 6th June 2014
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| See article from
huffingtonpost.co.uk See
Pulse from amazon.co.uk |
Yet quite why no one has really thought of Pulse is baffling - effectively a vibrating sheath that can be slipped on like a glove (or a sock) around the penis , whether or not it is erect. It's the invention of brand new company Hot Octopuss ,
founded by friends Julia Margo and Adam Lewis, as a response to a growing demand for male sex toys. It can also be used solo or a deux, depending on your preference. Promotional Material The state of the
art PULSE male masturbator is a beautifully crafted piece of gadgetry, enveloping your full length and massaging the frenulum with powerful oscillations. USB rechargeable and powered by patented by PulsePlate technology. Perfect for hands-free shared or
solo use, this futuristic stroker features expanding silicone wings for a snug, sensual fit. Drizzle with your favourite water-based lubricant to enjoy this male sex toy at its sexy best.
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Customer sues US city for requiring people to get a doctor's prescription to be able to buy a sex toy
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| 16th May 2014
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| See article from
wsbtv.com |
A customer is suing the city of Sandy Springs in Georgia over an ordinance that requires people to have a prescription, or a medical or scientific reason, to buy a sexual device. Melissa Davenport and her attorney, Gerry Weber, filed the suit
because they want the government out of the business of regulating private lives. She told a reporter that the sex toys saved her marriage and that's why she filed the lawsuit. The ordinance in question prohibits the selling of sexual
devices unless the customers have a bona fide medical, scientific, educational, legislative, judicial or law enforcement purpose. This means people need a doctor's prescription, or some kind of proof of medical need before being able to buy sex toys.
Weber says the ordinance violated the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, which provides a right to privacy. |
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LoveHoney attributes an increase is sales of male sex toys to the Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon
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| 6th May 2014
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| See
article from
dailymail.co.uk |
Lovehoney report that sales of sex toys to men have soared since the publication of Fifty Shades of Grey in 2012. Written by British E L James, it's sold over 100 million copies worldwide and is currently being made into a very softcore
Hollywood film. Grey, a gorgeous billionaire with a Red Room for his BDSM antics, has inspired British men to be better and more adventurous in bed, according to Love Honey. They credit the book's phenomenal success and - the TV show Sex and
the City - for transforming the male sex toy market, which is now worth a staggering £10 million a year and is predicted to be the fastest growing sector of the sex toy industry in 2014. Tracey Cox working with LoveHoney says:
Sales of male sex toys have been steadily increasing over the last decade and it is the fastest growing sector in the market. We think lots of men will try out these new toys in the hope of improving their
performance in bed. And lots of women will buy the products for their partners for the same reason! Cox highlights a range of male sex toys including: the Adjustable Stamina Ring, a silicone ring designed to make erections last longer
and look more impressive and the Stamina Ring Set, doughnut-shaped rings in three sizes for contrasting tightness and intensity. Finally, the Intense Stimulation Stamina Sleeve is used to intensify 'solo sex and Extreme Sensation Personal Lubricant can
be used safely on both men and women. |
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Good Housekeeping Magazine hits the headlines for running a sexy toy survey
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| 20th April
2014
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| See article from
theguardian.com |
The May edition of Good Housekeeping magazine, made headlines this week with a feature it sweetly and discreetly trails on its cover as our most intimate test ever . A hundred Good Housekeeping readers, aged between 30 and 80, have tested a
range of vibrators to find out if they're hitting the spot (If you're interested, the stylish, pebble-shaped Je Joue Mimi was the winner, scoring 77 out of 100 and collecting accolades for not being scary ). ...Read the full
article |
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Sex toy summer fun
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| 5th April 2014
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| See press release from
journalism.co.uk
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With the temperature slowly rising across Britain, couples all over are making it a very kinky spring in anticipation for one of the naughtiest summers since records began. It seems as though there's more than one catalyst for
ladies and gentlemen all over to get a little frisky this year, with the growing trend of taking sex toys to festivals and the pending World Cup getting every man out there hot under the collar, both being decisive factors. Furthermore, with the growing
variety of adult toys on the market and social acceptance towards their use added to the mix, comes a cauldron of kinkiness, which looks set to explode somewhere around August. It was reported last year of the sharp rise of sex
toys being taken to festivals, with happy campers looking for a bit of fun in the sun.
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12th February 2014
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From the Google Glass Sex app to a very friendly robot, there are more ways than one to push your buttons See article from
theguardian.com |
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