In–home sex toy party consultants: New avenues for information on sexual and reproductive health

Background: Women have concerns with regard to their sexuality that occur across the lifespan. Previous research has documented that while women often turn to medical providers to discuss health issues, physicians rarely address sexual health topics with patients and many women feel uncomfortable bringing it up themselves. As a result, women who have experienced difficulty in discussing sexual health issues may turn to alternative sources to gain information about these sensitive topics.

Methods: Data were collected from 1197 women in 45 states who facilitate in-home sex toy parties for other women. Data were analyzed to assess the types of sexuality related information and advice women sought during the most recent party facilitated by the study participant.

Results: Participants reported that women attending in-home sex toy parties asked a range of questions about their sexual health. More than half of the participants reported that one or more women, at their most recent party, had told them that they have previously experienced negative reactions to lubricants. Participants also reported being asked about genital pain (18%) and painful intercourse (21%). Further, consultants were frequently asked about products that would make sex more comfortable (55%) and lubricants that were not irritating to the vagina (59%).

Conclusions: It appears that women attending these in-home sex toy parties take advantage of the opportunity to discuss their sexual health challenges with the party facilitators. From a public health perspective, these parties and their facilitators may provide an important avenue for disseminating sexual health information to women.