The raunchy-feminist series Fleabag had just scored four Emmy awards, porn consumption was trending upward for viewers of all identifications, and womxn were snatching up sex toys at greater rates than ever in the pursuit of personal pleasure. And when COVID first hit, it quickly became clear that the deadly virus would only fast-track our pleasure prediction to come true. Joshua Gonzalez, MD, is a board-certified urologist who is fellowship-trained in sexual medicine, specializing in the management of male and female sexual dysfunctions.
Suzanne Sinatra is the founder of Private Packs: a company with a vision is to make genital comforting a discreet and dignified experience. Back in April, Vice reported that at least five major sex-toy companies had far, far exceeded their monthly sales projections. And sexologist Alexandra Fine, CEO and co-founder of pleasure-forward company Dame Products , agrees that self-service has become a hallmark of the always-inside lifestyle.
Many pleasure companies have set up camp at the forefront of sex-education conversations, hosting somehow-intimate Zoom workshops with focuses including mindful sex, couples communication, and every once-taboo topic in-between.
Afrosexology , a platform focused on creating space for Black people to discuss sexual exploration, has likewise ramped up its event schedule. What all of this evidence supports is that sex is not only an act, but a complicated, fun, and even political topic that many folks are choosing to engage with while in quarantine. The pandemic environment has also unlocked new ways to be sexually explorative beyond using new toys and accessories like vibrators, bondage sets, and sex swings. Of course, it would be untruthful to say that quarantine has been all virtual sex clubs and orgasms.
Some of the people who have been able to use this moment as a pause from the rapid pace of daily life may be able to realize what they really want to get from their sex lives. For more people than many realize, the first step toward pleasure may be treating existing pain. While the future may bring hesitancy around and caution exercised regarding sexual experiences with new partners, Astroglide sexual health ambassador and urologist Joshua Gonzalez, MD , very much hopes that the explorative, curious practices ushered in by COVID will stick around long after the pandemic is over.
