Malc and I popped into a sex shop yesterday afternoon. It was one of those blacked out window affairs with PRIVATE SHOP written above the door. Christ, how I hate those places!
But apart from Ann Summers’ shops, what else do we really have here in the UK? If my experience is anything to go by the answer’s “not a lot”! There may well be more on offer in your neck of the woods but where I live we have two of the above mentioned Private Shops and that’s it. Our neighbouring town has three (as far as I know) and an Ann Summers. Big deal!
Where are the open fronted, friendly sex shops that everybody over the legal age can feel comfortable entering?
When I visited Scandinavia a few years ago with a friend, sex toys, condoms, and novelties were openly displayed in the windows of brightly lit shops that anybody would feel happy to walk into. And indeed they were.
People of all ages and both genders were browsing the sex shops, and although there were a couple of young teens standing outside one shop, looking in the window and giggling, in general these shops didn’t attract any more attention than your average Top Shop or Virgin music store.
Why did we Brits develop an attitude towards sex that almost makes it a dirty word? Why shouldn’t we also have shops in our town centres that openly sell products that are designed to enhance our sex lives? “No Sex Please, We’re British” certainly still seems to stand when you compare our islands with other parts of Europe.
If you’re one of those who feels embarrassed by entering a sex shop, accept that it isn’t because it’s wrong but because of the way the sex shops are presented. It’s obvious that blacked out windows are going to give the wrong kind of signal so next time you want a vibe or whatever, walk in with your head held high and let the world know you’re proud to have a healthy sex life. Only then will things change.
Sadie xxx