More Thinking on Ethical Sex Toys

Last week I answered this question from a reader who felt ripped off by the poor quality products, and poor customer service she received at her local sex shop. In response I proposed a number of questions to ask in advance to suss out if the sex shop your buying from is any good.

Just a few days ago Violet Blue alerted us to a statement made by a major U.S. retailer, suggesting that they are going to phase out any sex toys that contain a specific chemical compound of concern, phthalates.

And tonight I came across a wonderful (if somewhat idealistic) checklist put together by Petra Boynton to help people think about whether the sex shop they're buying from is ethical.

Petra included ethical sex toys as one of her predictions for what's to come in 2007, specifically she predicts that we'll hear more about it from the media. I think Petra's right about this. On the one hand the media will take almost any excuse to talk about sex toys, and the are-they-ethical angle is as good as the does-the-g spot-exist angle or the women-owned-sex-shops...oh-my! angle.

My prediction is that ultimately the stories will fall flat and that the majority of these stories will take the opportunity to use fear about "toxic sex toys" to subtly assure people that sex toys are just a laugh, and don't offer any significant sexual health benefits, and really, if you want good sex you've got to get it from your opposite sex partner. We'll wait and see...