I’m really excited about this sex furniture, I have the Tilt at home and it’s been super helpful for trying out all those positions I’ve never been able to do! Check out the video for more info

Laura & Rachel emerge from their stateroom

Just got back from a cruise of the caribbean with Sweet, the new lesbian travel company.  I have a love/loathe relationship with the idea of cruising- I love drinking a rum punch while playing shuffleboard on the Lido deck as much as the next girl, but hate the idea of being isolated on a huge boat and not getting to really see the countries I’m visiting, meet the people, etc. Historically, I’m more of a hostel-er. But the opportunity came up to go on the cruise and give a couple talks: Dyke Sex, and Strap-on Satisfaction, so of course I jumped on the chance.

It was awesome. The best part was that my girlfriend came too. Our son just turned five, and this was our first trip away from him. In five years we have not had one night together without him bouncing us up at 6:30 a.m. And suddenly we had seven sun-soaked, sleep-in, sex-saturated days together. OMG. Being with the lesbians on the boat was fun, showing off all the latest and greatest dildos and vibes was cool, snorkeling was magical, and I even met some locals in Belize. But getting that break from being a parent and getting to sink into being a lover and a partner? It was both thrilling and soothing.

I know how hard it is being a parent and keeping that sexual spark burning bright. My recommendation? Sex vacation. Seriously, park the kids, pack all your sex toys and get outta town.

And if you do manage to squeeze in some shuffleboard, that’s a bonus.

Did you know there was a board game called Orgy? Me neither. Thanks, BoingBoing.

Some thoughts on men, masculinity and feminism from a friend of mine at this blog, Low End Theory.

Oprah picked her favorite sex toys and porn!

A great new blog on Trade Secrets for Sex Workers

The Stupak anti-abortion amendment could end coverage for all women. All. Call your congresspeople now!

Dr. Kate at Em & Lo answers a question about whether or not to disclose HPV

Cory Silverberg at About.com discusses what’s missing in the search for female viagra

1. Oprah lays it out right off the bat: 30% of porn consumers are women, and 70% of those women watch it in secret.
2. Reporter Lisa Ling talks about pay inequity, but a good kind: porn is one of the only industries where women make more money than men.
3. Author Violet Blue says “erotica can be as reliable a tool as a sex toy, and should be in any woman’s sexual arsenal.”
4. Jenna Jameson says if she had it to do over again, she wouldn’t get a boob job, referring to the constant tanning, waxing, and other maintenance as the “monsterification of the body.”
5. Violet plugs Jenna’s movie the Masseuse, which is a really great movie and one you all should see.

The show really focused on why women watch it, how it enhances one’s fantasy life, and how women are increasingly running the show (as stars, directors, businesswomen). This was not your typical coverage of women and porn, which usually focuses on stereotypes and overlooks any value porn has in one’s sex life.  See clips from the show.

Smart Girl's Guide to Porn

Today’s episode of Oprah is bound to raise a few eyebrows, both among her viewers and the scads of ladies who are going to go out and buy some porn after watching the show. Advance word on the show is that it’ll be a sex-positive look at women viewing porn, with guest porn starlet-come-businesswoman Jenna Jameson, and author Violet Blue. Blue, author of the Smart Girl’s Guide to Porn, wrote a column earlier for O Magazine, which undoubtedly opened Oprah’s eyes to the fact that plenty of women get their rocks off watching porn. My hope is that the clear message that comes out is, “Gals, enjoy your porn. And if you don’t like what you see, make a ruckus so the adult filmmakers start making porn that suits your needs.” After all, that is exactly what happened with the adult toy industry–it was not until women started buying their own sex toys that the manufacturers learned we’d rather have a clit-loving designer toy like the Gigi than a fleshy fake appendage with no power.  Tune in to the show today, or catch clips here. Or, embrace your own love of porn, and go straight to some of our buyers’ guide to find the porn that’s right for you. You can look for Award-winning porn, get tips on how to choose an adult video, or focus on women-directed porn.

Stupak

If you’re like me, you may have been feeling at excited that we were finally getting somewhere on health care coverage. Then, the House passed the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. In case you haven’t had time to read up on just why this amendment is horrible, here’s a brief primer on what it will do:

The Hyde amendment requires that no federal funding go for abortions, under health care reform, this already would have included the public option plan, which most people were expecting and which everyone had agreed to.

The new Stupak-Pitts amendment bans private for-profit insurers from covering abortion as a part of women’s reproductive healthcare for all plans in the insurance exchange created by the healthcare bill, even if women pay most of the premiums. That would mean a drastic reduction in the coverage that millions of women already have.

If a version of this amendment makes it into the Senate bill, it will most likely remain in the final bill and may get signed into law. If this happens, it will be the most dramatic reduction in women’s reproductive health care we’ve seen in decades.

Please do the following:

• Call your senators. Tell them that you do not support any amendment like Stupak-Pitts.
• Find out how your House representative voted on Stupak-Pitts. If they voted no, call them to say thank you. If they voted yes, (especially if they are a democrat), call them and tell them how much you disagree with their vote.
• Sign a petition to Harry Reid not to allow any anti-choice amendments into the bill.
• Send a coat-hanger to the 20 pro-choice Democrats (all men, might I add) who voted for Stupak-Pitts
• Join a phone bank at NARAL from your home

President Obama wants Congress to vote on a final bill by the holidays so this is all happening right now. The senate may start debating a bill as early as next week. The time to call is NOW!

For a play by play of the event, check out the live blog from last night at Fleshbot.

UPDATE: Some video from the event!

This past weekend at our Rivington Street location, we were graced with the presence of Jiz Lee and Syd Blakovich, two amazing queer porn performers and the stars of some of our favorite films including The Crash Pad, Champion, Roulette and more.

Jiz and Syd chatted with customers, signed DVDs for fans and answered questions about the queer porn business. For instance, I learned that when you do a shoot in an eel tank, it’s really cold and the eels are more scared of you than you are of them. Also, Belladonna rocks (which I already knew but it’s always nice to have someone corroborate that). Fans could also autograph Jiz’s chest, which you can see one lucky person taking advantage of in the photo below.

We also spent quite a bit of time talking about how much we all love the Eleven. We love it so much, we decided to include it in our staff picture with Jiz and Syd.

We had so much fun with Jiz and Syd and we’re so glad they came to Babeland to hang out!

Let me tell you about my Hitachi Magic Wand.  I’ve had mine since college, which is now, uh, twelve years ago (yikes, and also yay).  I can’t think of anything else with moving parts that I’ve owned for twelve years that hasn’t required a trip to a mechanic, a trade-in, or a reluctant burial.  And certainly, I haven’t owned a machine that’s brought me anything close to the amount of pleasure I’ve received from my Magic Wand.  Despite the fact that I’ve worked at Babeland for upwards of seven years now, and that I have the opportunity to enjoy pretty much any sex toy I want, I always return to my trusty Hitachi.  It never lets me down, and it’s been my supportive and loving primary partner through hookups and breakups alike.

Basically, what I’m trying to tell you is that I won’t stray from my Hitachi Magic Wand for just any toy.  I almost feel that using another toy would be like cheating on my Magic Wand, and my misplaced neuroses just can’t handle it.  But using the Mystic Wand isn’t cheating, exactly… it’s more like acknowledging that the Magic Wand and I can’t be everything to each other, and that sometimes I need the portability and power of a battery-operated version.  And as dedicated as I am to the classic, retro lines of my Hitachi, I’m drawn to the updated curves and body-safe materials of the Mystic Wand.  Plus, they’re both made by Vibratex, so it’s a departure without being an out-and-out betrayal… right?  Right?

Whatever justifications I might drum up, the simple fact is that I’m opening up my relationship with the Hitachi to include space for the Mystic Wand.  It’s taken me a while to get here, but I’m ready.  I’ve grown up since college, and the Mystic Wand’s ready to meet me in the most grown-up of ways.

This article is a re-post from the Babeland Blog. Read more about sex health, what’s happening in the sex positive community, and sex toys and

Before you came into my life, a candle was just a candle. Massages were kind of messy and while fun, were missing a certain spark. Then I discovered you. In your new beautiful glass container you’re not only nice to look at, but easy to use. You’re better than regular candles because your wax melts at a lower temperature so it doesn’t burn my skin. Even better, that wax turns into massage oil creating an amazing warmth that feels fantastic and smells heavenly. You help make any encounter more sensual, relaxing and romantic.

Thank you, massage candle. Don’t ever change.

Sincerely,

Babeland