I don’t own a vibrator. But I think I might be the only girl who doesn’t.
I’m not sure when exactly it happened, but it must have had something to do with “Sex and The City.” Aside from bringing sex out in the open, as evidenced by the hordes of girls who went to see Candace Bushnell last Monday, HBO’s comedy was the first mainstream television show to portray female masturbation as acceptable. And sometime after the first season, women our age went from denial of all things masturbatory to intense pride in their handheld toys.
Today, the Rabbit — the bunny-like vibrator made famous by the “Sex and The City” women — has become a household name. Well, maybe not, but ask the girl next to you at Norris if she knows of the Rabbit. Chances are you’ll get a big smile.
Until recently I was of the opinion that while tons of girls in college own vibrators, very few actually use them. I thought that females bought them to be funny and to show them off but not really for their intended purpose. I have never been more wrong. When I voiced this opinion to those who own sex toys I was met with a look of disgust. “Why would I spend the money if I’m not going to use it?” girls asked me. One person told me that her roommate had just purchased vibrator number two, not necessarily because she had worn out the first one, but because she wanted a little variety in her life. Overall women were downright offended by the suggestion that their playthings are just for show. They’ve become attached to these toys. “I love my vibrator,” was a common theme.
At Northwestern, Belmont is the locale of choice for purchasing a sex toy, be it vibrator, dildo, a combination of the two, or any other little bedroom buddy. An individual recently told me a story of her trip to Belmont with two of her roommates. One of them, an experienced vibrator user, was there to purchase a second toy. Another had never used a vibrator but could achieve orgasm and wanted to see what it was like with a little help. The third girl had never experienced an orgasm and was hoping that a vibrator could solve that problem. The moral? Vibrators are for everyone.
But men, don’t get jealous. Most girls say that a vibrator has a dual purpose. Sure, it’s great for lonely nights, but it is also a great extra to a night with your partner. “My boyfriend bought me my vibrator,” one friend told me. “It’s good for us because I need a lot of clit action at the beginning, so we use it together.”
The most interesting aspect of the vibrator phenomenon is that women are so proud to display their vibrator of choice. There was a time not so long ago when just the word “masturbation” turned cheeks red. Every girl I talked to was excited to tell me all about her vibrator and why it was the best one out there. Be it the Rabbit, the Silver Bullet, the Pocket Rocket or some other cleverly-named toy, each apparently has its own special benefits.
As one devotee so delicately put it, “I love my Pocket Rocket because it’s cute and little. As much as the Rabbit looks like fun, it’s a little intimidating and I think I would have a harder time actually making myself use it. Though obviously these comments are strictly towards a toy. Cute and little just doesn’t cut it for the real thing.”