You may have noticed that female sex toys such as dildos and vibrators are becoming more and more socially acceptable, with most women owning one, and characters on television or in films showing them off or discussing them regularly.

However, the same cannot be said about the male masturbation aid, and often a man who uses any sort of toy or masturbator can expect to be ridiculed or made the subject of gossip. Men who admit to using a blow up doll or fleshlight run the risk of appearing weird or desperate.

Why shouldn’t men be afforded the same rights as women to masturbate in whatever way they want? And how can women, who enjoy their own sex toys so much, dare to criticise or stereotype men who do exactly the same thing?

Sometimes it can be the fact that most masturbators are made to look like a real- life vagina, anus or mouth that gives the impression they are strange or disgusting. Add that to the idea of someone taking the trouble to blow up a life size doll to cuddle up to or bend into certain positions and this is where the idea of a desperate man alone in his bedroom begins.

Maybe society feels threatened by the idea that a relationship can so easily be replaced for some men. This could explain why masturbation aids are associated with loners and societies rejects. The truth is these men are simply replacing their hand, not a partner!

Another cringe factor for most women is the idea that men use a toy, and then forget to wash it. The mental image of repeated use of a germ ridden toy doesn’t bear thinking about, and can give the impression that the user is dirty or unhygienic. In fact any toy can be kept clean easily and doesn’t pose any risk of infection or illness.

Homosexual men are less stigmatised in this respect, and most women don’t find the idea of them using toys as cringe worthy as straight men. Maybe this shows that they really feel threatened by their silicone replacements, and are worried about being replaced by masturbators.

If you are a secret toy user or just considering buying your first masturbator, don’t be put off by social convention. It really doesn’t matter what other people think, and nobody needs to know what you use to achieve climax. Men are well known for using visual stimulus, and seeing your penis actually penetrating a lifelike orifice is the best visual stimulation available.  As technology moves forwards, it is certain that masturbation aids will become more sophisticated. Maybe one day the conventional blow up doll will be replaced with a silicone life size robot!

 

Article by Susan Wilkinson