A Guide to Sex Toy Safety
Art by Frankie Fanelli
"Sexual Pleasure is your birthright. It’s a vital life source, and it deserves to be accepted, understood, cherished and nurtured," said the co-founder of Babeland Claire Cavanah. Sexual positivity is about coming to recognize that sexual activity is a healthy and natural part of life. Female sexuality has historically been controlled and constrained by men, and in turn, women have a stereotype of sexual ignorance and prudence. Stigmas around female masturbation specifically have reinforced patriarchal norms that sex and pleasure are only for the benefit of men.
But times are changing! Sex toys intended for masturbation and individual exploration are available in more abundance now than they ever have been before, especially for people with vaginas. As these devices gain popularity, it’s vital that we are all knowledgeable about what we are using on our bodies.
The sex toy industry is not regulated for quality or safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or Consumer Product Safety Commission. This essentially means that we all need to do our research on sex toys prior to making a purchase. The main chemicals to look out for are phthalates, which are used to increase flexibility. These chemicals have been tied to cancer and reproductive harm according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Even if a toy doesn’t contain phthalates, squishy sex toys, in general, can absorb bacteria in their pores, which means they’re much harder to fully clean. While you examine the packaging of your sex toys, it’s important to look out for porous materials like jelly rubber, latex, polyvinyl chloride, and silicone blends. Any toy that has a jelly-like texture is up for reasonable suspicion. Non-porous materials that are ideal to find in sex toys include medical-grade silicone, ABS plastic, borosilicate glass, medical-grade stainless steel, glazed or kiln-fired ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone. If you opt for a porous or jelly-like toy or already have one and don’t want to replace it, using a disposable condom with each use can ensure full safety.
Another way to ensure that your toys are safe is by buying from a company that is fully trustworthy. What are their ratings? Do they have a good reputation? Are they genuinely trying to keep you safe and healthy in your sexual endeavors? An extra precaution you can take is to inspect your toys upon purchase! Anything too squishy or with a strong odor is definitely questionable. When it comes to anal pleasure you should opt for a toy that has a flared base, if not it can get stuck in the rectum. And of course, it’s important to wash your toys after every use, and let them air dry before you put them away.
It’s quite ridiculous that companies are allowed to produce sex-toys with toxic materials at all, and it’s especially ridiculous that toys with unsafe materials are usually a small fraction of the cost of toys made with materials such as borosilicate glass. But unfortunately, until the FDA regulates the industry, inspecting our toys and using non-jelly-based materials is the safest thing we can do for our bodies as consumers.
