Sex Guides

In the days since the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests began in the spring, we have been finding ways to heal and be better, slowly but surely. We’ve transformed our anger into action. We joined book clubs to learn more about racial justice. We’ve initiated difficult conversations about race in our own communities. We voted a problematic president out of the White House.

But one area of racial justice that’s often overlooked is right in the center of our homes: the bedroom. 

Vibrators, clit stimulators, Magic Wands, nipple clamps and cock rings are getting us through this wild slice of history. 

We talk freely about the role that masturbation plays in our everyday lives, but it hasn’t always been that way. From the Victorian era (1800s) until the 1970’s, it was fairly taboo to talk about masturbation. From the 1920’s to the 1950’s, sex toys were marketed as household appliances or self-massagers, even though it was common knowledge that these products were used for sexual pleasure.

As a tribute to the sex toy legends that paved the way for our Lioness Vibrators, we’ve put together a list of noteworthy sex toys throughout history.

It’s no question that the pandemic has upended our lives in every way imaginable, but what impact did it have on our sex and masturbation habits?

While a number of stories in the media may lead you to believe that everyone is buying more sex toys and having more sex, we have evidence that those bedrooms are not actually that buzzy. Sure, many of us are spending more time at home. But we think there are some very real implications from living through these unprecedented times.

The takeaway? COVID sex and its alleged sex toy boom is an ambiguous conclusion at best. Using Lioness Vibrator product usage as our guide, we’ve observed far more convincing evidence of a significant drop-off in masturbation frequency as the year wore on relative to 2019 for the same users.

We looked at anonymous aggregate usage statistics from 1879 Lioness users who were active in 2019 and 2020 and nearly 40,000 sessions recorded from January 1, 2019 through December 12, 2020. There were 19,578 total sessions in 2019 and 19,481 total sessions in 2020*. We supplemented this data with a user survey to better understand what’s going on from a qualitative perspective.

This report is not only the world’s largest physiological data set on sexual behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s also the world’s biggest study done on real world, in-the-bedroom-where-sex-happens sex (rather than in the confines of a research laboratory) in general!

I am a survivor of rape. After it happened, I felt like something precious had been stolen from me. 

I isolated myself from my friends and loved ones. I struggled with low self-esteem and found myself trapped in an abusive relationship. Worst of all, I felt like I couldn’t trust my body anymore. 

My body froze completely underneath my assailant, and I couldn’t forgive myself for staying quiet.

Being sexually assaulted changed my life, but I can’t let that define who I am. I learned that there’s no correct way to respond to something so horrible and that I should thank my body for surviving. 

You might have heard terms like “daddy issues,” “thirsty,” or “dramatic” to describe the behavior of women and femmes who face difficulties with unhealthy relationships and sexual patterns. Attachment theory—the study of how childhood attachment patterns affect how we act in adult relationships—can help explain some of these patterns, no slut-shaming undertone required.

Maybe you’re a serial monogamist trying to see what the wild world of casual dating has to offer. Maybe you find yourself constantly chasing emotionally unavailable people. Maybe you can’t figure out why you can’t stop texting bae 85 times in a row when you’re upset.

When you’re ready to break out of a pattern that no longer serves you, attachment theory can help you make sense of intense emotions and impulses.

When we think about achieving a mind-blowing orgasm, we often imagine our favorite positions and fantasies, or perhaps a session with the Lioness Smart Vibrator. But do you ever stop to think about how breathing affects your orgasms?

Breathing is a natural body function, so it’s easy to overlook. It happens without thinking, so why think about it?

The truth is, introducing simple breathing techniques into the bedroom can help ignite new feelings of pleasure that can result in a more powerful orgasm.

Ever since Harvey Weinstein’s fall from grace, the word consent has been the center of heated debates in mainstream media. The definition of sexual consent may seem like common sense, but the experience of giving consent is actually pretty layered.

But what is the definition of consent? 

Last summer, after my last relationship ended, a friend encouraged me to revel in my newfound freedom by going to sex parties. Yup, those are what they sound like — parties for sex. 

But for me, they were much more than that. They were places for me to meet sex-positive people, overcome shame, and get to know my sexuality. 

Over the course of the past year or so, I’ve attended upwards of a dozen sex parties, which put me onan emotional journey that ultimately increased my confidence, openness, and willingness to take risks. 

Here are a few lessons I’ve learned along the way that have helped me progress in my sex life and my life overall.

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a T-shaped device placed in the uterus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. They are over 99% effective, making them the most effective contraceptive method out there compared to the pill, condoms, and others.

With a pill, or other forms of contraceptives, there’s a huge margin of error because you might forget to take it or use it incorrectly. With an IUD, on the other hand, you can just set it and forget it.

Your vagina works hard for you and sometimes it needs to breathe. Things like scrubbing your vagina with soap and shaving every single day is not only annoying for you, but potentially unhealthy for your vulva and vagina!

Remember, your vagina is your BFF. How would you treat them after a hard day’s work?

We’re not saying you can’t shave or wash down there every day. You can even stay unshaven! We’re simply saying to take a moment to consider whether you’re promoting your vaginal health or not.