Do you know the word SexTech or sex technology? Have you heard about it? If you don’t know it yet, let’s do a quick exercise. Think about what is the first thing that comes to your mind: Sex?, sex toys?, robots? medical technologies in the sexual field? SexTech is all of these and more.
More precisely, the name SexTech, or sex technology, comes from the conjunction of the words “sex” and “technology”, and refers to any technology that aims to innovate, improve, strengthen, and enhance people’s sexuality. SexTech is a movement, led primarily by women, that is redefining the traditional sex industry. Its goal is revitalize sexuality as the foundation of our being and sees sexuality not just about arousal and pleasure. It also considers health, relationships, safety and education.
The origins of the concept of sex technology
The concept of sex technology is not new. Pornography, sex toys and other platforms that combine sexuality and technology exist since tecnology started to come into our lives. Even before the development of technology as we know it today, ancient civilizations made their own sex toys out of clay and animal skins.
The current SexTech movement comes to challenge the sex industry as we know it. It seeks to change the way we understand sexuality when it is seen as a taboo subject, or when we believe that talking about sex shows vulnerability and immediately becomes a sensitive and uncomfortable subject.
It comes to teach us that sex and sexuality are part of our life. And more specific,that it is part of our personality, our heart, the way we feel and interact with others. Even, that it marks our actions, and also our happiness.
Sex Technology is much more than a sexual act…
SexTech encompasses much more than sex, pleasure and orgasms -all very important by the way-, it also aims at education, health, gender equality, respecting and loving each other, among many other things. SexTech comes to reveal what was hidden and to say “enough!”: no more hiding, evading, shaming and turning a blind eye to an issue that is crucial and part of human nature.
Okay then, so who uses it? We all should! or at least we all could and to an extent most of us do. We use technology on a daily basis to communicate sexually. Because sex technology is broader than just stimulating devices.
Have you ever had Tinder? Have you seen on Instagram any posts, memes or advice about sexuality? Maybe you’ve exchanged erotic messages or sexual pictures via your cell phone? Or experienced pleasure with a vibrator? Used a cell phone app to get a date or sex? Sexting? learned about sexual topics through social networks?
Using a vibrator or any other sex device, are all part of SexTech. And not only that. From ethical pornography websites to apps that support sex therapy, the sex technology has generated a whole field to explore. Or more precisely, to learn more about the center of ourselves.
SexTech, or sex technology, comes from the conjunction of the words “sex” and “technology”, and refers to any technology that aims to innovate, improve, strengthen, and enhance people’s sexuality. SexTech is a movement, led primarily by women, that is redefining the traditional sex industry.
Who is behind the SexTech movement?
Let’s check out a bit of the path towards the current state. Different companies, all led by women, have driven a great change. The majority of them started with sex toys, giving them a different design, focused on pleasure and enjoyment of both men and women.
At the beginning the main objective was to revindicate women’s sexuality, putting female pleasure in the place it deserves. However, along the way it was understood that sexuality is part of human nature and that it must be recognized in all its forms.
Each of these women started the SexTech battle independently and then joined forces to work together; as an example of this, we look at the New York-based organization, Women of SexTech.
Some of the women leading the movement are:
- Bryony Cole, SexTech industry researcher, podcaster of the well-known Future Of Sex and analyst
- Cindy Gallop, founder and executive director of MakeLoveNotPorn, which was launched at TED 2009
- Lora Haddock DiCarlo, founder of the company Lora DiCarlo that develops and sells robotic products for women’s sexual health and wellness.
These are just a few of the top women who are leading the movement. However, the sex industry has grown from approximately 30 women leaders in 2016 to well over 200 today.
The SexTech movement is growing every day, attracting new followers and industry leaders have begun to emerge around the world. However, there are markets that are more advanced in this area. Check here how SexTech is emerging in Latin America.
SexTech is still in its infancy, however, people have already started to talk about sexuality and pleasure with more ease. Sex coaches, therapies, apps and sex tech stores, among other things, have become more accessible.
Why is the SexTech movement relevant?
1. SexTech movement is changing people’s lives
By normalizing pleasure and teaching us to accept and feel comfortable with our own bodies and sexuality, not only does it show us the importance of sexuality in our lives and how present it is in every aspect.
2. Can help end sexual violence
It also contributes to eliminating traumas, frustrations, and fears that have been with us for as long as we can remember. Changing the way in which the generations of today and the ones of the future perceive sexuality is the basis, the path to eliminating sexual and gender violence. This is the real power of these forms of technologies and what we do with them!
3. It gives us fun, but above all sexual wellness
The most obvious tangible form of sextech is perhaps a toy, and we all know of one and have thought of it as something probably fun, but its meaning goes far beyond that.
From the movement’ s perspective, a sex toy is seen more as a device that is part of the sexual health field and seeks to normalize pleasure. It allows us to feel, experience and try pleasure in a healthy and self-confident way. And there are many other forms of sex technology!
According to Aritzon, a data and intelligence firm that advises companies on decision-making, by 2024 the SexTech industry will be worth close to $40 billion, and it is speculated that by 2035 most bedrooms of people in developed countries will have a sex toy.
As we said in the beginning, sexuality is part of our lives, how we interact with others and how we present ourselves to others. It is everyone’s right as part of our human experience and journey to enjoy sex, pleasure, orgasms and our entire sexual life that feeds to our well being.