Jul 022014
 

Tristan and Coco from ANME 2014

Free event and autograph signing with model, reality-star, and entrepreneur Coco 

Good Vibrations, the legendary San Francisco-based retailer that takes pride in providing accurate information on sexuality and toys for grown-ups is proud to announce an in-store, free event and autograph signing with Coco, the reality-star, fitness coach, and model best known for starring with her husband, Ice-T in the reality show Ice Loves Coco.Coco will showcase her new line of sex-toys, Coco-Licious, sign autographs, and provide photo opportunities with fans. Coco’s fashion-forward toy line parallels her many roles and successes, with sleek, flirty styles accentuated with seamless curves and glittery touches.

 

FREE Event, Autograph Signing & Photo Op with Coco
Sunday, June 6 NOON – 2PM
Good Vibrations Lifestyle Boutique
189 Kearny St | San Francisco

*2 blocks from Montgomery St. BART/Muni. Parking: Union Square Garage, St. Mary’s Square

 

ABOUT GOOD VIBRATIONS
Good Vibrations is the San Francisco Bay Area based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding quality products, trusted information and educational materials to enhance one’s sex life. Visit online at, goodvibes.com. Please follow us on Twitter @GoodVibesToys

Jun 012014
 

GiVe

Pioneering Sex Positive Retailer Makes a Difference for Pride

Good Vibrations, the trusted San Francisco-based sex-positive retailer, announces its new nonprofit partners for the summer months, including Pride Month in June. The company is partnering with Planned Parenthood Shasta Pacific, Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center, and El/la Para Translatinas in San Francisco; AIDS Project of the East Bay in Oakland; the Billy De Frank LGBT Community Center in San Jose; and Fenway Health in Boston from May through July. Partnerships with these organizations were formed because June is Pride Month and each of the organizations has a strong commitment to serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer communities.

From May 1st – July 31st Good Vibrations’ customers can support these regional nonprofits in Good Vibrations’ San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Palo Alto and Brookline stores by making a financial gift at the time of their purchase in any Good Vibrations retail stores. 100% of your contribution goes to the nonprofit of your choice. Online shoppers can contribute directly to our web partner, Planned Parenthood Shasta Pacific, at checkout and learn more about the donations program on the GiVe Partner page.

Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen says, “We are delighted to partner with local nonprofit organizations that serve LGBTQ communities. For over 37 years Good Vibrations has partnered with hundreds of nonprofit and grassroots groups, including organizations that support LGBTQ health and sexuality. By donating products, advertising and sponsorship for fundraisers, along with a percentage of retail sales, we have provided much needed support for HIV/AIDS research, art programs, LGBTQ benefits, sexuality education, and much more. We are proud of that legacy and glad to continue.”

Summer GiVe Partners:

  • Planned Parenthood Shasta Pacific provides over 100,000 individuals with health care and education services at more than 30 sites throughout 17 Northern California counties. They reach people through health care services, education programs, and advocacy initiatives.
  • El/La Para Translatinas is an organization for transgender Latinas that works to improve the quality of life of TransLatinas in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • The Asian & Pacific Islander (API) Wellness Center’s mission is to transforms lives by advancing health, wellness, and equality for people of all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, and immigration statuses. They believe everyone deserves to be healthy and needs access to the highest quality health care.
  • The AIDS Project East Bay is a community based organization, dedicated to preventing the spread of HIV and supporting individuals infected with the virus through programs targeted at some of the most vulnerable and marginalized individuals in Alameda County.
  • The Billy DeFrank LGBT Community Center strives to be the LGBT community’s premier resource hub and a recognized leader in promoting health, strength, diversity and inclusiveness.
  • The mission of Fenway Health is to enhance the wellbeing of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and all people in our neighborhoods and beyond through access to the highest quality health care, education, research and advocacy.

 

To learn more about Good Vibrations GiVe program and to see this year’s beneficiaries, visit Good Vibrations’ GiVe Donations Sponsorship Page.

ABOUT GOOD VIBRATIONS
Good Vibrations is the San Francisco Bay Area based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding quality products, trusted information and educational materials to enhance one’s sex life. Visit online at, goodvibes.com. Please follow us on Twitter @GoodVibesToys

RESOURCES:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/shasta-pacific/
http://ellaparatranslatinas.yolasite.com/
http://www.apiwellness.org/
http://www.apeb.org/
https://www.defrankcenter.org/
http://www.fenwayhealth.org/

Apr 252014
 

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Fresh off the success of The 2nd Annual Feminist Porn Conference at University of Toronto and her win at the 2014 Feminist Porn Awards, Tristan Taormino is set to lecture on feminist porn at Harvard University.

“I gave an anal sex workshop to a standing room only crowd at Harvard as part of Sex Week in 2012. I am thrilled to return to campus to talk about one of my passions: the radical potential of feminist porn to transform sexual representation,” says Taormino, who just won a 2014 Feminist Porn Award for her educational film Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Bondage for Couples, produced by Adam & Eve Pictures.

Tristan Taormino is the author of eight books on sexuality and relationships and editor of 25 anthologies. She is co-editor of The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure, the first collection that includes writings by scholars, academics, producers and performers about feminist porn, published by The Feminist Press; the book is a finalist for a 2014 Lambda Literary Award. As the head of adult film production company Smart Ass Productions, she has directed and produced twenty-four sex education and porn films including the groundbreaking series based on real female kink fantasies, Rough Sex,and the Expert Guide sex education series, which she created for Vivid-Ed. Her films have garnered 40 award nominations, 6 AVN Awards, and 9 Feminist Porn Awards. She was the first female director to win an AVN Award for Best Gonzo Movie for the debut film in her reality series Chemistry, and she received the Trailblazer Award at the Feminist Porn Awards in 2010. She is the host of Sex Out Loud®, a weekly radio show on the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network.

Her lecture, “Feminist Porn: The Politics of Producing Pleasure,” will be on Wednesday, April 30 at 8:00 pm at the Fong Auditorium (Boylston Hall) on the Harvard campus. It is sponsored by Harvard University’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Her appearance is also sponsored in part by Good Vibrations and Sportsheets, the two companies for which Taormino serves as Brand Ambassador. Tristan will be raffling off prizes from Good Vibrations and Sportsheets at her talk.

Jan 302014
 

sportsheetssm_adjustable_handcuffs_4

Sex educator Tristan Taormino has teamed up with Sportsheets and Good Vibrations to make this a very special Valentine’s Day! Tristan hand picked some of her favorite Sportsheets and Sex & Mischief toys to create Tristan’s Kinky Essentials Gift Box, available at Good Vibrations.

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This special gift set is chock full of kinky tools for some fun bondage and roleplay. Celebrate this Valentine’s Day in style with quality toys including: the signature Door Jam Cuffs (as featured in Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Bondage for Couples), Steele Balls (Kegel balls), the Doggie-Style Strap, Bondage Tape, Cuff Love (soft adjustable cuffs), Red Rubber Tickler, Soft Blindfold (as seen in Tristan Taormino’s Guide to Kinky Sex for Couples) and a Riding Crop. All the tools you need to bring some kink into your life, packaged in a beautiful box, ready to give to that special someone. Instead of flowers and candy, give your sweetie what they really want: a hot night of sexual adventure with the promise of more to come!

And if you want some bedtime reading to go with it, why not check out Tristan’s e-book 50 Shades of Kink: An Introduction to BDSM, perfect for beginners curious about the world of kink. If you’re a little more advanced, then The Ultimate Guide to Kink: BDSM, Role Play and the Erotic Edge is a great read. If you’re looking for fantasy material, try Best Lesbian Bondage Erotica.

Jan 272014
 

tristan and coco

This Friday on Sex Out Loud I can’t wait for you to hear my chat with Coco, entrepreneur and star of Ice Loves Coco, about building sexual self confidence, keeping long term relationships hot, and what she thinks about anal sex. Plus, three industry veterans — Shay Martin from Vibratex, Tantus CEO Metis Black, and Good Vibrations’ Coyote Days — talk sex toy trends and reveal what they see for the future of sex. This show is part 2 of a series of interviews recorded at the PleasureWorks booth at the 2014 Adult Novelty Manufacturers Expo in Burbank, CA. You can listen to part 1 here.

Sex Out Loud airs every Friday at 5 pm PT / 8 pm ET on the VoiceAmerica Variety channel. You can listen on your computer, phone, or tablet, find all the ways here!

shay vibratexVibratex is a 30 yr old family company run by Dan and Shay Martin. We are known for creating unique, fun, quality vibrators and toys. Our Rabbit Pearl was the one and only vibe featured on “Sex and the City” which spawned a whole industry of vibrators. The ergonomics and quality of our materials are of the upmost importance to us and have always set us apart from other products on the market. Our dual backgrounds in engineering and biology have allowed us to steer clear of poor designs and inferior materials. Relationships with our manufacturers in Japan have also allowed us to develop a lasting relationship with the Hitachi corporation. Vibratex is the sole import agent for Hitachi to bring in the Magic Wand. We work closely with them to bring in the most reliable, most loved electric vibrator available in the world market. We are small but very dedicated company that has always designed our own and never copied trends or designs. And we have fun making people happy.

Good Vibrations is a diverse, woman-focused retailer providing high-quality, sex-positive products and non-judgmental, accurate sex information through our clean and comfortable stores, catalog, web site, wholesale division, product and movie production lines in order to enhance our customers’ sex lives and promote healthy attitudes about sex. We recognize that sexuality touches on every aspect of our lives and that many people face challenges around positive sexual expression. Our goal is to help everyone we come into contact with to discover ways to experience sexual pleasure, health, and well-being. Since sexual diversity is a core component of the human experience and each person’s sexuality will change over the lifespan, we welcome all forms of consensual sexual expression, desire, and fantasy. Good Vibrations strives to be an agent for social change, through the lenses of sexuality, diversity and ethical business practices. Both within our organization, and throughout the communities we serve, we are committed to fostering respect, promoting supportive communication, providing access to educational resources and strongly advocating for women in leadership roles. Coyote Days is a queer femme making a living buying & developing sex toys for Good Vibrations.

Metis_Headshot_4-08_webMetis Black founded and built Tantus, Inc., a sex toy manufacturing company that has helped change the profile of sexuality products. She has used Tantus to mainstream silicone products and educate the industry on material safety and sexuality. Metis’ success has brought her accolades inside and outside of her industry. Her articles on material safety standards in sexual products and the chemistry of personal products such as lubricants have been widely published. Some of her publishing credits include Good Vibrations Online Magazine, On Our Backs, Adult Novelty Business, XBiz, and The Free Speech Coalition. Plus she has been the “go to” industry person about sex toy material safety, quoted in hundreds of articles online and in print. Over the last decade, Metis has proven to be a champion for sex educators and a mentor to other small business owners.

Born as Nicole Austin (March 17, 1979), commonly known as Coco, is a television personality, glamour/fitness model, actress, dancer, author, fashion designer, entrepreneur, internet sensation and dog mom to supermodel Spartacus and Maximus. Coco was born in Tarzana, California and brought up in Palos Verdes, California. In April 2011, Coco, along with husband Ice T opened up their life to the world as they appeared on E! hit reality TV show “Ice Loves Coco” which focuses on her business ventures and dedication to her marriage, family, friends with humorous moments and the lessons learned, the real modern day “I LOVE LUCY”. Coco has also entered the world of writing as she released her new fictional novel entitled “Angel” with Forge a division of McMillan publishing which was released in September 2011. Coco is today’s modern woman, continuing to elevate, creating new opportunities, teaching woman of all ages how to be fit, sexy and confident, living with old fashion marriage values that work and always climbing the never ending ladder of success.

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Jan 242014
 

Print
TORONTO (January 24, 2014)—Building on a year of unprecedented media attention for the feminist porn movement, registration opens today for The 2014 Feminist Porn Conference, which takes place April 5 and 6, 2014 at the University of Toronto. The Feminist Porn Conference brings together academics, students, cultural critics, sex workers, activists, fans, performers, directors, and producers to explore the intersections between feminism and pornography as well as feminist porn as a genre, industry, and movement. It includes sessions devoted to both academic and non-academic presentations, film screenings, two keynote talks, and networking time. New this year, there is a business track featuring workshops on production and filmmaking, legal issues, marketing and branding, social media, and web-based technologies.

dugganIn addition, conference organizers announced the opening and closing keynote speakers: Professor Lisa Duggan and filmmaker/performer/artist Courtney Trouble. Lisa Duggan, Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University, will give the opening keynote on April 5. Professor Duggan is a historian, journalist and activist who has published widely on feminist and queer sexual politics. She is the author of Sapphic Slashers: Sex Violence and American Modernity and The Twilight of Equality? Neoliberalism, Cultural Politics and the Attack on Democracy. She is co-author with Nan Hunter of the seminal collection Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture and co-editor with Lauren Berlant of Our Monica, Ourselves: The Clinton Affair and National Interest.  She is also co-editor with Joseph DeFilippis, Kenyon Farrow and Richard Kim of A New Queer Agenda, a special e-book edition of The Scholar and the Feminist Online.

“Lisa Duggan is one of the most powerful voices for radical sexual politics of our time. A scholar, journalist, educator, and activist, Duggan is a leading authority on the feminist sex wars and queer politics. Her keynote will provide both the historical context and the call to arms we need as activists, academics, and artists working on the front lines of the new sex wars,” says Mireille Miller-Young, Professor of Feminist Studies at UC Santa Barbara and co-editor of The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure. Miller-Young and Professor Constance Penley, last year’s keynote speakers, will both present at the 2014 conference.

courtneytrouble-avn-2014Fresh from the red carpets of the 2014 AVN Awards and the XBIZ Awards, where she received multiple nominations, performer, director and artist Courtney Trouble will be the Closing Keynote speaker at the 2014 Feminist Porn Conference. Courtney Trouble is a porn star, photographer, award-winning pornographer, and founder of TROUBLEfilms, IndiePornRevolution.com, and QueerPorn.TV. The director and creative force behind over 22 queer porn films (including  Girl Pile, Live Sex Show, Trans Grrrls, Lesbian Curves, Hard Femme: Lesbian Curves 2) and endless online conent, Courtney is the recipient of numerous Feminist Porn Awards (including Best Website, Best Trans Films, Best Dyke Film, and Most Diverse Film) and countless adult industry honors, including 8 XBIZ 2014 nods (a first in queer porn history), and won Director of the Year at the BBW Fan Fest Awards in 2013. “Courtney invokes that ’70s spirit of rebellious adult moviemaking while also being ahead of the trends when it comes to sexuality in art,” wrote AVN staffers in the feature “Game Changers: 30 Women Power Players in the Adult Industry.”

Courtney Trouble’s films speak to an extremely fluid, authentic, and hardcore version of graphic sexual imagery and feature queer, trans*, and genderqueer performers as well as performers of color and size. Her films have been screened at film festivals throughout North America and in Australia, The Netherlands, Mexico, Greece, France, Israel, Denmark, Spain, and the UK. Trouble contributed a piece to the first issue of the academic journal Porn Studies and directed “Chapter One” of Michelle Tea’s Valencia: The Movie/s, a film that consists of 21 directors’ unique takes on the legendary queer memoir. Most recently, Trouble released the boundary-breaking film Trans Grrrls: Revolution Porn Style Now, which brings porn and feminism together directly to center trans women in queer porn. Trans Grrrls is nominated for 2014 Trans Porn Award for Best Film.

“Courtney Trouble’s contributions to feminist porn cannot be understated; she sets the standard for DIY, radical, artistic movies that represent incredibly diverse performers and sexualities. Political and provocative, I’m confident that Courtney’s keynote speech will educate, challenge, and inspire everyone in the audience,” says Tristan Taormino, founder and producer of the conference.

The Feminist Porn Conference is made possible by the generous sponsorship of The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies, Good Vibrations, GoodVibrationsVOD.com, The Feminist Press, Good for Her, The 2014 Feminist Porn Awards, and Sex Out Loud. The conference is part of the largest gathering of feminist pornographers in the world, four days of feminist porn that includes The Public.Provocative.Porn Screening and Panel and The 2014 Feminist Awards and Gala, both presented by Good for Her.

Dec 112013
 

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Good Vibrations Opens Eighth Store in San Francisco’s Union Square

Downtown Shoppers Enjoy Upscale Version of Classic Sex Positive Retailer

Good Vibrations the trusted San Francisco Bay Area based company that takes pride in providing accurate sexual health information and quality sex toys, is set to open its eighth location just steps from San Francisco’s Union Square and the Financial District. Just steps from the Montgomery BART stop, the upscale lifestyle boutique will feature premier pleasure products and an enticing array of lingerie and accoutrements to explore, educate, and empower one’s sex life and sexual health.

Founded in 1977 by a couples’ therapist who wanted to help pre-orgasmic women, Good Vibrations has long insisted that pleasure is everyone’s birthright and that adults should have access to quality products and sex education. The elegant new Union Square location is a far cry from the small, utilitarian vibrator store of the seventies, but the philosophy and commitment to “pleasure to the people” is the same. The elegant presentation of quality products curated by knowledgeable staff makes it a welcome addition to this and other upscale neighborhoods, and marks a major shift in cultural trends.

Situated on Kearny Street near Sutter Street, Good Vibrations will showcase their design-centric, forward-thinking vendors in a stylized boutique setting where comfort and ambience are key. Good Vibrations has always been a destination retailer for adults desiring a safe, well-lit, comfortable and well-stocked place to shop for quality pleasure products.

Executive Vice President Jackie Strano says, “It feels fantastic to bring our unique brand of quality products and sex education to the Financial District and Union Square neighborhoods of San Francisco. World renowned as an epicenter of culture, theater, restaurant, hotel, and shopping destinations we proudly take our place alongside some of San Francisco’s old world charm mixed with modern sophistication. Locals and tourists alike will be able to engage with our brand of sex positivity at this prime location.”

Stay tuned for more details about the upcoming grand opening reception set for early February. Featuring free sexy prizes, promotions, and tasty bites and sips

ABOUT GOOD VIBRATIONS
Good Vibrations is the San Francisco Bay Area based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding quality products, trusted information and educational materials to enhance one’s sex life. Visit online at, goodvibes.com. Please follow us on Twitter @GoodVibesToys

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Good Vibrations — the women-friendly sex toy store promoting quality sex toys, vibrators, sex education, and pleasure since 1977.

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Dec 032013
 

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Good Vibrations QUICKIES Erotic Shorts Competition Comes to the Castro

Erotic Film Fest Keeps it Short and Sweet with Sexy Cinema from Around the World

SAN FRANCISCO: Good Vibrations invites you to enjoy some lively loving at the 8th annual QUICKIES Indie Erotic Shorts Competition on Friday, December 6th at the Castro Theatre where filmmakers from around the world show their stuff in 7 minutes or less. Funny, serious, explicit, romantic, straight, queer, kinky, and more, the Quickies celebrates the range of sexuality with a fun and sexy party and screening.

Don your gay apparel and come early for the NSFW debauched holiday pre-party in the Castro Theatre mezzanine where film goers warm up for a night of sexy cinema with festive cocktails, live music by the Undulations, inappropriate burlesque by Red Hots Burlesque, and sexy give-aways from the Good Vibrations Wheel of Pleasure. Then it’s onto the erotic short film competition where the audience decides who gave it best, and the film with the most applause wins $1,500.

This high-quality collection with a comedic bent includes a wide variety of tastes and budgets, reflecting a more diverse and entertaining sexual range than in mainstream media. Awarded SF Weekly’s “Best Place to See Your (Talented and Attractive) Neighbors Naked,” this year’s finalists include neighbors from Denmark, Spain, Australia, Germany, France and the United States with films like “I Fucking Love IKEA,” “Biodildo,” and “After Midnight Bedtime Stories,” exploring everything from sexy furniture assembly to sci-fi three-ways and erotic historical fiction.

A panel of saucy queens MCs this collection of sexy films, including Good Vibrations’ own Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen, and San Francisco drag legends D’arcy Drollinger, Trixxie Carr, and Hugz Bunny, lending insight and laughs to the unusual experience of watching erotic cinema with strangers.

Good Vibrations QUICKIES Short Erotic Film Competition
When: Friday, December 6th
Time: Pre-party 7:00pm – 8:00pm, Screening 8:00pm – 9:30pm
Where:Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/508203
More details: www.goodvibesquickies.com

Sponsors & Partners:
Good Vibrations would like to thank and acknowledge the following sponsors and partners for their friendship and support: LELO, Stockroom, Pink & White Productions, Leather Etc., San Francisco Bay Guardian, East Bay Express, Bay Area Reporter, Speakeasy Beer, Hot Cookie, The Sausage Factory, Evolution Fresh Juice, the Phoenix Hotel, and the Center for Sex and Culture.

ABOUT GOOD VIBRATIONS
Good Vibrations is the San Francisco Bay Area based retailer trusted for more than three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding quality products, trusted information and educational materials to enhance one’s sex life. Visit online at, goodvibes.com. Please follow us on Twitter @GoodVibesToys

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Good Vibrations — the women-friendly sex toy store promoting quality sex toys, vibrators, sex education, and pleasure since 1977.
Nov 152013
 

The infamous sex toy reviewer and blogger Epiphora did a fantastic sex toy gift guide on the November 15 episode of Sex Out Loud, so we are sharing it here! –Tristan

Vibrators

LELO Mona 2 vibratorMy #1 pick is the Mona 2 vibrator from LELO. I’ve become so obsessed with this toy lately that I’m pretty sure everyone’s getting sick of hearing about it. But it covers all the bases: it’s rechargeable, strong, fully submersible in water, and the shape is just awesome. It has a bulbous end for great G-spot stimulation, but it’s also sort of tapered on one side, so it sits nicely between the labia when used clitorally. It also has incredible range in terms of vibration, so a person who doesn’t know how much power they need yet can find out.

As a bonus, it comes in a box that’s already perfect for gift-giving. You can literally just toss a bow around it and be done. Which is great because I’m already having flash-forwards to how much peppermint schnapps I’m going to have to drink while I wrap presents this year, just to make it bearable.

We-Vibe Touch vibratorLELO Mia 2 vibrator
If you’re looking for a solid clitoral vibe, my favorite rechargeables are the We-Vibe Touch and LELO Mia. The We-Vibe Touch is one of the most powerful rechargeable clit vibes I’ve ever tried, which, of course, I love, and the LELO Mia is USB rechargeable, so it’s basically the best travel vibe ever.

Pleasure Works Silver Bullet vibratorPleasure Works Diving Dolphin vibrator sleevePleasure Works Wild Hare vibrator sleeve
Pleasure Works makes a couple 100% silicone sleeves called the Diving Dolphin and Wild Hare, and those fit over any vibrator with a diameter of an inch or so. They fit perfectly over the Silver Bullet, which consequently is an excellent starter vibe, and they give it some extra grip, too, which is awesome.

Dildos

Vixen Creations VixSkin dildos

Some of my favorite dildos of all-time are the dildos made by Vixen Creations. They have a dual-density pure silicone called VixSkin that is highly detailed, delightfully squishy, and will last a lifetime. I’m addicted to it, to put it mildly.

Tantus Rocket dildoPleasure Works Siren dildoLELO Ella dildo
I’m also a big fan of G-spot dildos. If your gift recipient is new to G-spot stimulation, a really simple silicone dildo with a good G-spotting head will do the trick. I really like the Tantus Rocket, the Pleasure Works Siren, and the LELO Ella.

njoy Pure Wand dildoNobEssence Seduction dildoJopen Key Comet G Wand dildo
But if they’ve already found their G-spot and want to up the ante a bit — perhaps even learn to squirt — I absolutely adore the njoy Pure Wand, which is stainless steel, the NobEssence Seduction which is made of wood, and the Jopen Key Comet G Wand, which is half-glass and half-silicone. All of them are basically G-spot homing missiles, so you can’t go wrong.

Fun Factory Stronic Eins pulsatorTantus Splash dildoCrystal Delights Crystal Twist
But what if the person you’re buying for already has a hefty sex toy collection? I’d suggest a toy that offers a truly unique sensation, and I would know which ones do because I have a very discerning vagina. I suggest you check out Fun Factory’s Stronic line. These toys do not have traditional motors; they actually contain weights that move back and forth. Yes, like a Shake Weight. Except for your vagina. And a lot more useful. The Stronics are not cheap, but I think they’re worth it. And I don’t say that a lot about $200 toys.

If $200 is a bit much, and I don’t blame you there, look up the Tantus Splash or Crystal Delights Crystal Twist. These two dildos are oddly shaped, yet feel so wonderful because of it.

Anal Toys

Fun Factory Bootie butt plugnjoy Pure Plug butt plugNobEssence Romp butt plug
If your gift recipient has never tried anal play, I would suggest the Fun Factory Bootie, a little silicone plug with a curved tip. It’s cute, small, and it has a great base.

If they’re more well-versed in anal, they’ll love the njoy Pure Plug, which is stainless steel, or the NobEssence Romp, which is wood. Both feel amazing and really have that “wow” factor when you open them because they’re so gorgeous.

Kegel Balls

LELO Luna Beads kegel balls

My favorite kegel balls — and I’ve tried quite a few — are the LELO Luna Beads. These are inserted vaginally and can be worn around, to make mundane tasks less excruciating. Oh, yeah, and they tone the PC muscles, too. But mostly the sensation of the inner balls rolling around is just really fun.

Sleeves

Fleshlight line-up

Fleshlights are awesome. My boyfriend is super picky about sleeves, but he loves the luscious material used to make Fleshlights… as do I (you can sometimes find me casually fingering one). There are about a million to choose from, from basic orifices to extremely detailed porn star vulvas. There’s even a build-your-own option.

Other Stuff

Sportsheets Under the Bed Restraint System

If you want to veer off the traditional sex toy path, there’s always the Sportsheets Under the Bed Restraint System. This thing basically turns any bed into a bondage playground, complete with both wrist and ankle cuffs. And when you’re done, you can just toss the straps and cuffs under the mattress, effectively hiding them away from your kids… or in my case, my cats.

Sliquid lube is the best

And finally, I must mention lube! It’s the best. Everyone should use it. My favorite brand is Sliquid, because all of their lubes are glycerin- and paraben- free. I say get some lube samples and stuff them in a stocking. Plus then you can do a lube flight and find out what both of you like.

Can’t decide?

If you can’t decide, and if I’m overwhelming you with suggestions, see if your favorite sex shop does gift certificates (hint: Good Vibes, Babeland, SheVibe, Early to Bed, Come As You Are, and Tantus all do). One thing you can do is make a list of potential toys to show your partner — you could even put together a sex toy brochure or menu or something — but leave the final say up to them. This shows that you put some effort and research into it, but ultimately you’re giving them the reins. People love having the reins.

Oct 282013
 

EldersTaormino

Tristan Taormino welcomes Dr. Joycelyn Elders and Jackie Strano to Sex Out Loud on Friday, November 1, 2013 at 5:00 pm Pacfic time, 8:00 pm Eastern time on the VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network. Taormino interviewed Dr. Elders in person at CatalystCon West in Woodland Hills, California, where Elders gave the closing keynote talk last month.

During the interview, Dr. Elders recalled growing up in rural, segregated, poverty-stricken Schaal, Arkansas and how it ultimately impacted her lifelong dedication to public health. Dr. Elders talked about her appointment as U.S. Surgeon General by President Bill Clinton in 1993 and how she was forced to resign over a controversy about her public statements about safer sex, masturbation, and sex education. Elders and Taormino discussed abstinence-only sex education, the current state of HIV/AIDS, and how we can empower young people around their sexuality.

dr eldersDr. Joycelyn Elders, the first person in the state of Arkansas to become board certified in pediatric endocrinology, was the sixteenth Surgeon General of the United States, the first African American and only the second woman to head the U.S. Public Health Service. Long an outspoken advocate of public health, Elders was appointed Surgeon General by President Clinton in 1993. In 1995, she returned to her alma mater, the University of Arkansas School of Medicine, as a faculty researcher and professor of pediatric endocrinology at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital. In 1996, she wrote her autobiography, Joycelyn Elders, M.D.: From Sharecropper’s Daughter to Surgeon General of the United States of America. Now retired from practice, Dr. Elders has teamed up with the University of Minnesota Medical School, which has created The Joycelyn Elders Chair in Sexual Health Education to advance the design, evaluation, and dissemination of essential sexual health curriculum for all individuals as well as training for allied health care providers and education professionals.

“It was an honor and a privilege to speak to Dr. Elders,” says Taormino. “She is such an inspiration to sex educators everywhere. She’s bold, unapologetic, and fearless about her commitment to comprehensive sex education in our country. Plus, she’s very feisty—I can’t believe some of the things she said!”

The second half of the show will feature Jackie Strano, Executive Vice President of Good Vibrations, the presenting sponsor of Sex Out Loud. Strano was at CatalystCon West for Dr. Elders’ keynote. “Dr. Elders is one of my personal sex positive icons for her bravery and for telling a simple and necessary truth during a climate of intense fear around sexuality in this country’s history,” says Strano. “For the last 19 years, Good Vibrations has dedicated the month of May as ‘Masturbation Month’ in homage to Elders’ bravery and commitment to pleasure, sex positivity and sex education.” In their interview, Taormino and Strano talk about the state of sex education in America, why sex-positive retail stores are so important, and how Good Vibrations has paired with various non-profit sex-positive organizations to raise money and awareness.

jackie stranoJackie Strano is the Executive Vice President of Good Vibrations the legendary feminist sex positive adult retailer founded in 1977. Strano is an award winning and best-selling adult filmmaker of explicit and non-explicit sex-ed movies, a sex educator for over 20 years, author, performer, producer, and has lectured at conferences, universities, and appeared on HBO, various documentaries, and featured in Cosmo, Playboy, Self Magazine, Salon, The Village Voice, and various independent newspapers throughout the country.

“Tristan continues to deliver high quality shows week after week on Sex Out Loud,” says Karen Dana, Executive Producer of the show at VoiceAmerica. “Not only does she have top-notch guests from a variety of fields, but her conversations with them are thoughtful, provocative, and inspirational. That’s what makes Sex Out Loud the highest-rated show on the entire VoiceAmerica Network.”

Sex Out Loud airs live on Fridays at 5 pm Pacific / 7 pm Central / 8 pm Eastern on The VoiceAmerica Variety Channel. All shows will be available in Tristan Taormino’s Content Library on The VoiceAmerica Variety Channel for on-demand and podcast download. It is sponsored by Good Vibrations, Astroglide, We-Vibe, and Sportsheets.

About Sex Out Loud®:

Sex Out Loud explores the world of sexuality from every angle with host Tristan Taormino®, who interviews leading authors, educators, artists and icons and gives listeners an uncensored, inside look at alternative sexual practices and communities. Guests have included Dan Savage, Susie Bright, Jessica Valenti, Kandi Burruss, and Margaret Cho. Sex Out Loud airs live on Fridays at 5 pm Pacific / 7 pm Central / 8 pm Eastern on The VoiceAmerica Variety Channel; it is the number one rated show across the entire VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network. Tristan Taormino is an award winning author, sex educator, speaker, and filmmaker. She is the author of seven books and editor of twenty-five anthologies. She has appeared on Melissa Harris-Perry, Joy Behar: Say Anything, HBO’s Real Sex, Ricki Lake, and The Howard Stern Show. She lectures at top colleges and universities and teaches sex and relationship classes around the world.

About Good Vibrations:
Good Vibrations is a diverse, woman-focused retailer providing high-quality, sex-positive products and non-judgmental, accurate sex information through our clean and comfortable stores, catalog, web site, wholesale division, product and movie production lines in order to enhance our customers’ sex lives and promote healthy attitudes about sex. We recognize that sexuality touches on every aspect of our lives and that many people face challenges around positive sexual expression. Our goal is to help everyone we come into contact with to discover ways to experience sexual pleasure, health, and well-being. Since sexual diversity is a core component of the human experience and each person’s sexuality will change over the lifespan, we welcome all forms of consensual sexual expression, desire, and fantasy. Good Vibrations strives to be an agent for social change, through the lenses of sexuality, diversity and ethical business practices. Both within our organization, and throughout the communities we serve, we are committed to fostering respect, promoting supportive communication, providing access to educational resources and strongly advocating for women in leadership roles.

About VoiceAmerica/World Talk Radio, LLC:

World Talk Radio, LLC is the world leader in online media broadcasting and the largest producer and distributor of live internet based talk radio and TV, delivering more than 200 hosts broadcasting to eight niche community based channels and over 1,000 hours of programming weekly on its VoiceAmerica™ Network and WorldTalk Radio Network as well as live and on-demand video content on VoiceAmerica.TV. World Talk Radio, LLC is one of the pioneers in internet broadcasting, producing and syndicating online audio and video, offering an innovative, effective and comprehensive digital broadcast platform.

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