Does Matter, Matter?

When it comes to sex toys, the answer is a resounding, yes.  Do you really know what’s in your dildo?  Do you think that a company can’t sell a sex toy if it’s dangerous?  The truth is that there is no government regulation of the sex toy industry and some companies take advantage of that fact.

Silicone is one of the best materials that sex toys can be made of.  People buy silicone toys because they want to know that what they’re putting in or on their body is safe and that it can be kept clean to prevent infection.  The reason silicone is such a safe sex toy material is because it doesn’t contain phthalates or other chemicals (found in other materials) that can make you sick and it is nonporous.  Making sex toys out of nonporous materials (silicone, steel, glass) means that they can be completely sterilized by a number of means.  A nonporous material lacks the microscopic holes needed for bacteria to accumulate in and grow.  So, when you wash a silicone toy in bleach or boil it you can be confident that your toy won’t give you (or a partner, if you share) an infection.  Unfortunately, the industry commonly uses other materials in their toys that are neither body safe nor hygienic.

One of the worst materials used in making sex toys is the one beginners are more likely to be exposed to.  That would be jelly rubber.  Beginners are often trying to figure out what kinds of toys they like before spending a large chunk of money so they might gravitate toward the lower cost toys out there.  These toys are very often made of jelly rubber.  They are the translucent, colorful, flexible toys that often have a strong rubber smell.  Make no mistake, those toys can make you ill.

Jelly rubber contains phthalates which are chemicals used to soften plastics.  Studies are concluding that exposure to phthalates can damage organs and possibly cause cancer.  And if that’s not bad enough, there are a whole slew of other chemicals present in jelly rubber that aren’t body safe like:
Toluene
Cyclohexanone
Tetrahydrofuran
Diethylhexyl Phthalates
1-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidinone
Phenol
Dimethylformamide
Dimethyl phosphite[1. List of chemicals referenced from Dangerous Lilly’s blog.]
Most of the time, we can’t entirely avoid the chemicals and pollutants that are bad for us so, it’s important to avoid them in situations where you can.  Choosing a silicone toy over one made of jelly rubber just makes good sense.

So, you think the solution to staying safe and healthy is choosing silicone (and other materials like glass and steel) toys?  In theory, that’s a solid strategy.  In practice, it’s not so easy.  Why?  Because some companies aren’t as forthcoming as they should be about what their toys are made of.  In fact, some companies are jumping on the safe sex toy bandwagon, while not actually making safe sex toys.  Frankly, they want to confuse you.

Some manufacturers claim to be blending other substances with silicone to create materials like TPR-silicone, silicone-elastomer blend and others.  The concept of a silicone blended product was actually invented by companies who want to attract consumers by slapping “silicone” on the box.  These products might not even contain any silicone whatsoever.  Why would manufacturers want to muddy the waters?  Probably so they can sell toys made of cheap materials at a higher price.  While these products can still be phthalates free, depending on exactly what’s in the mix, they are not nonporous.  In other words, that silicone toy that you bought because you thought it was body safe and hygienic, might really be harboring bacteria and you cannot completely sterilize it.

The thought of companies duping you into buying products that you think are safe, but aren’t, probably angers you and rightly so. And what if you’re new to sex toys and you have no idea that the sparkly pink dildo over there can make you sick?  That would have been me if it weren’t for the dedication and hard work of sex bloggers who are trying to get the word out and educate people about the safe use of sex toys.

Since the industry isn’t regulating itself and the government seems uninterested  in doing so, you might think we’re all just at the mercy of big business.  You might wish for some watchdog group to start calling the industry on it’s bullshit.  Does such a group actually exist?  Lucky for all of us, now it does.

The group is a non-profit, grassroots organization founded by three people, X. Valentine Orenda, Crista Anne and Dangerous Lilly, who were tired of all the deception and lack of oversight.  Their goal is to shine a bright light on the sex toy industry and empower the consumer to make informed decisions.  The group’s name is Dildology.org and their mission is:

“…to provide material verification services and maintain a public database of the results, adding transparency and oversight to the industry while educating the public about the science behind pleasure products. We stand on our own, uninfluenced, and we are dedicated to protecting the health and wellbeing of the dildo-loving population at large through education (and maybe a little entertainment).”

Aren’t you glad that there’s someone looking out for you?  Well, they can’t do it alone.  This is a huge undertaking and they need the help of all concerned sex toy consumers.  This is how you regulate an industry that has no incentive to police itself.  This is how you tell government to “fuck off because we’ll do it our own damn selves”.  This is the classic David vs. Goliath….little guy against big business.

If Dildology is to be successful, they need donations.  Obviously, they can’t take money or donated toys from the companies who make them.  They can’t even rely on advertising to fund their operation.  Doing so could present a conflict of interests.  And that’s  something the Dildology folks are adimant about… remaining unbiased, unaffiliated and completely transparent.

Integrity and toy testing are both expensive things.  Testing a sex toy can cost $200 to $450 a piece.  Then they need funds to buy the toys to be tested and promotional materials like bumper stickers and t-shirts (cause they want to give you something in exchange for your donation).  Your donation will be tax deductible since they are a non-profit and by donating, you will be part of changing an industry.  Power to the consumer!

You can donate as little or as much as you like.  Every dollar counts.  For donations over $15 you will receive things like discount codes to sex toy shops, bumper stickers, t-shirts and for a donation of $100 or more, you will be listed on the Dildology website as a donor.

Money isn’t the only thing that can help this organization.  Getting the word out to as many people as possible and catching the attention of the press go a long way toward building up a grassroots organization.  So, if you can’t donate, you can still help by spreading the word, educating your friends about the need for oversight and drawing as many eyes as possible toward the issue.

For weeks now, a fundraising blog carnival has been happening where dedicated bloggers have worked to get the word out about Dildology.  Some of them have experienced adverse reactions to dangerous sex toys, first hand.  It’s a damn scary thing when it’s happening to you and we don’t want it to happen to anyone, anymore.  So, check out the other blogs, write about it on your own blog, spread the word on social media, stop people on the street and warn them about toxic sex toys and most importantly: support Dildology in any way that you can.