History of the Vibrator
This little invention has come a long way, baby.
Sex and Style is written by Somatic Sex Coach Sarah Ward. This is intended as general advice. If you’d like a personalized guidance, I’d be honored to connect with you in a discovery session.
Pleasure has been a priority throughout the ages and vibrators are a way for women to claim it. While sex toys have been been enjoyed for thousands of years, until the last few decades, they’ve been shrouded in shame and secrecy.
Looking back through the ages, dildos were found in the burial chambers of ancient Chinese cities. In Ancient Greece, people fashioned dildos out of bread.
Fast forward to today, the vibrators are sleeker than ever before.
Let’s look back for a timeline of the history of the vibe:
Ancient Greece
When people didn’t have access to sex shops in Ancient Greek, the locals worked with what they had. It was common for women to form bread into dildos. Way to be resourceful!
1800s
In the late-1800s, hand-cranked vibrators were designed to cure women of hysteria, an ailment that was thought to be associated with having a uterus. (Ever noticed the similarities between the words hysteria and hysterectomy?)
1900s
Vibrators are sold in department stores and mail-in catalogs, though the copy discusses the benefits of improving circulation and only allude to alternative uses.
1970s
In the 1970s, revolutionary American sex educator Betty Dodson teaches pleasure workshops for women and praises the vibrator as a way for women to access orgasm, rebranding masturbation as a vehicle for self love. The vibrator goes public for pleasure purposes!
Laws are passed in the United States that prohibit women from using devices to stimulate their genital areas. As a workaround, vibrators are marketed as personal massagers.
1980s + 90s
Vibrators are manufactured in Japan, and in order to navigate Japanese laws, they are fabricated in bright colors and animal shapes. The rabbit reaches acclaim when it is featured on Sex and the City.
In the early- to mid-1900s, vibrators were sold in department stores and through mail-in catalogs, promising to stimulate blood flow to the scalp and face… though it’s assumed that women were finding other uses for them on the down low.
2020s
While there are some countries in which vibrators are still outlawed, there are incredible innovations in the industry.
Vibrators are so discreet, they look like modern art pieces, allowing you to leave them out in plain sight. Gone are the days of stashing your vibe in the back of your underwear drawer. The iroha+ kushi vibrator is made from body-safe, dust resistant silicone that is soft as butter. Plus, it’s fully waterproof with ridges for more sensation.
You can wear your vibrator like the Vesper 2, a vibrator necklace that provides 40 minutes worth of waves of pleasure per charge. Crave’s website boasts the Vesper 2 as a “symbol of self-love and body positivity.”
Tap into sacred sexuality with crystal dildo wands by Chakrubs, the original crystal wands. These stones are ethically sourced from a place in Brazil that has an abundance source of the stones that have never been used for personal wand purposes.
There are even Bluetooth controlled smart vibrators that allow a partner to provide remote stimulation from across the room—or the country. How kinky to have your partner stimulate you, unbeknownst of anyone else in a crowded room.
While there may be a residual belief that self pleasure is less legitimate than sex between a man and a woman, it hasn’t stopped women from taking what’s theirs.
Sex and Style is written by Certified Somatic Sex and Relationship Coach and Wardrobe Stylist, Sarah Ward. She has spent the last 20 years studying human sexuality and minted it in 2021, certifying in the VITA™ Methodology with Layla Martin and as an Erotic Blueprints™ Coach with Jaiya. For personalized support, schedule a free discovery call with Sarah.
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