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Slate
Magazine-
October
2007
Article: A Sex Toy a Day Keeps the Doctor Away?
The medical uses of
dildos and vibrators.
Lisa
Lawless was interviewed for the online magazine Slate. Most of
this article was directly relayed to the reporter Michelle Tsai
by Lisa.
Earlier this
week, the Supreme Court declined to hear a nine-year-old case
challenging Alabama's ban on the sale of sex toys. The state law
prohibits the distribution of "any device designed or marketed
as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs
for anything of pecuniary value." The law, though, does make exceptions
for "a bona fide medical, scientific, educational, legislative,
judicial, or law enforcement purpose." What medical purposes do
sex toys serve?
Strengthening
muscles, for one thing. Women who suffer from incontinence or
a prolapsed uterus can exercise their pubococcygeal muscles—not
to mention have more satisfying orgasms—by doing Kegels. Those
muscles get an even better workout if you use weighted barbells,
balls, and spring-loaded devices. Men with prostate disorders
might use a dildo to massage themselves and drain the built-up
fluid. (Some doctors, however, believe this can be dangerous,
especially if the patient has an acute bacterial infection or
prostate cancer.) Some health professionals also believe that
woman can hasten recovery from surgeries like Caesarean sections
with the help of sex aides, which increase blood flow.
While sex
toys are often used recreationally, they can also improve sexual
function for people with certain medical conditions. Diabetes
and multiple sclerosis, for instance, affect nerve transmission,
which can dull sexual sensation. People taking medications for
high blood pressure and depression can also suffer side effects
that limit sexual response. And women who undergo hormonal changes
during menopause or who suffer nerve damage after surgery sometimes
find their clitorises to be less sensitive; a sex toy might be
necessary to increase arousal.
For men, doctors
might recommend a penis pump, though it's possible to buy one
without a prescription. For women, there are devices like the
Eros, which is basically a pump for the clitoris. The handheld
device features a small cup that pulses and sucks to enhance blood
flow to the clitoris; more blood flow in the area increases arousal,
which in turn helps the body lubricate itself and makes sex more
pleasurable.
Vibrators
were invented as medical equipment for treating female hysteria
and other pelvic disorders. For much more detail, see Slate's
slide show on the history of the vibrator.
So, is selling
a sex toy always illegal in Alabama? Probably not, since the statute
focuses on how a device is designed and marketed. Something that's
used as a vibrator but isn't marketed for erotic play might be
legit. The Hitachi Magic Wand, for instance, is often billed as
a personal massager rather than a vibrator.
Explainer
thanks Richard Carroll of Northwestern University Medical Schoo;,
Joy Davidson, author of Fearless Sex; Mike Fees of Fees & Burges;,
Lisa Lawless of the National Association for Sexual Awareness
and Empowerment; Rachel Maines, author of The Technology of
Orgasm; and Rachel Venning of Toys in Babeland.
See
article online with-
Lisa Lawless- Holistic
Wisdom & National Association for Sexual Awareness and Empowerment
(NASAE.org) Founder
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