Gifting sex toys has been an escalating topic of conversation over recent years. Although still a controversial subject, the concept of gifting moves away from the traditional ‘taboo’ feelings about sexuality and adult pleasure. When considering giving someone a sex toy as a gift, it’s important to ensure the thought within the gift is one of love and respect. What kind of message does gifting a sex toy send to a partner, friend or oneself? Let’s explore.
The Benefits of Gifting Sex Toys
Gifting a sex toy to someone, or to oneself, can be an empowering and healthy experience. It can give the opportunity to enhance pleasure and encourage connection, communication and exploration. For women, bringing experience and pleasure to sexual activity helps overcome traditional stigma, and it can provide a heightened sense of connection. Additionally, the concept of gifting raises much-needed awareness about sexuality, potentially leading to a wider acceptance and celebration of sexual pleasure.
Considering Relationships and Recipients
Before gifting any sex toy to someone, it’s important to consider the type of relationship the giver has with the recipient as well as the boundaries that the recipient may have. With someone the giver is in a romantic relationship with, it’s vital to discuss sexual interests and boundaries in order to ensure the gift fits in with the recipient’s taste and comfort levels, and that it’s in line with their relationship. Otherwise, the gift may be seen as intrusive or disrespectful.
When gifting to someone outside of a romantic relationship, such as a friend, it’s always best to research the friend’s interests, limitations, and preferences. In many cases a sex toy may not come across as a thoughtful gesture, but more as an object of fun or a joke — it’s important to think before gifting.
Paving the Way for Positive Change
Gifting sex toys is a way of broadening acceptance and expression of female sexuality around the world, suggesting that accepting pleasure is important to living a content, healthy life. It eliminates the negative connotations around sex and suggests it can be a positive, subjective experience. Because it encourages communication and healthy relationships even outside of romantic partnerships, gifting sex toys can lay the groundwork for positive change.
Self-Gifting – A New Self-Care Trend?
Self-gifting sex toys can help make pleasuring oneself an empowering experience. If it’s done with curiosity and comfort, the act of self-gifting and being open to experimentation can become a healthy, beneficial part of self-care. It can offer a new way to distract from negative cognitions, reduce stress, and help develop a more positive relationship with oneself.
Whether gifting sex toys to a friend, loved one, or oneself, it’s important to ensure the thought given is one of love and respect. With thoughtful consideration and open communication, gifting sex toys can certainly be an empowering experience, fostering pleasure and healthier relationships with both oneself and others.