The adult industry is increasingly prioritizing inclusivity in pleasure product design, marketing, and corporate practices, driven by evolving consumer demands and a growing recognition of diversity's impact on business success. This shift encompasses gender-affirming products, realistic toys in various skin tones, and accessories designed for individuals with physical disabilities or chronic pain.
Consumer-Driven Inclusivity
Manufacturers of pleasure products are incorporating inclusivity into their designs, including gender-affirming products, realistic toys representing a variety of skin tones, and sex accessories made to facilitate pleasure for those with physical disabilities or pain. A 2022 report by the global research consulting firm McKinsey, titled “The Rise of the Inclusive Consumer,” indicated that diversity and inclusion are deeply important to consumers. The report stated that “the American consumer is undeniably becoming more inclusive” and found that for two out of three Americans, social values help to shape shopping choices. McKinsey also found that 45% of shoppers believe retailers should actively support Black-owned businesses and brands, identifying this group as the "inclusive consumer."
Nielsen has observed that LGBTQ+ audiences are becoming increasingly influential. Data consistently shows that increases in diversity lead to increases in cash flow, a trend observed in mainstream businesses that is now reshaping the pleasure products industry. While some consumers are buying more products, much of the recent success in this sector stems from a more diversified consumer base, pushing the industry toward greater inclusivity.
Ian Kulp, head of sales in the U.S. and Canada for Je Joue, stated that the pleasure industry naturally appeals to an open-minded audience, making it essential to be accepting of all types of persons, desires, and comfort levels. Kulp noted a shift in product development, with designs considering all bodies and partnerships, reflecting a world becoming more understanding and open to sexualities. He added that the industry must “keep progressing and learning” to remain profitable as more people vocalize their life experiences.
Claire Blakeborough, marketing and communications manager of Cyrex Ltd., indicated that consumer demand stems from people wanting companies to share their values. For example, Cyrex brand ElectraStim has a significant LGBTQIA customer base, making it important for the company to be seen “as an ally who will stand up for the community.”
Adam Lea, Australasian marketing manager for Wild Secrets, observed that as more consumers enter the pleasure products category, the industry is no longer a niche. Lea stated that inclusivity is driven by the need to provide products that cater to a larger audience, and to each sexuality and gender identity. Natasha Marie Narkiewicz, head of communications and sexual wellness expert at MysteryVibe, noted that the growth of the pleasure products sector has shifted associations from "luxury" to being part of a healthy lifestyle. Narkiewicz also observed that the increased popularity of pleasure products has brought grievances from demographics historically excluded from the pleasure paradigm, such as people with disabilities or chronic illnesses, older populations, the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals who have undergone gender-affirming surgeries. Market demand for more inclusive pleasure products is "the highest it's ever been," according to Narkiewicz.
Alicia, Lovense’s community and content manager, highlighted that social media allows consumers to express their wants and needs, pushing global brands to provide more diverse representation. She stated that if a company is not "ticking all the boxes," consumers will go elsewhere. Listening to customer feedback has inspired companies to prioritize inclusivity in product development.
Product Development and Marketing Initiatives
Many newer pleasure product brands and retailers were launched with the vision of uplifting marginalized communities. Thien-Kim Lam, founder of Bawdy Bookworms, stated that her Vietnamese heritage inspired her company’s objective of highlighting diversity in the romance book industry. Bawdy Bookworms seeks out diverse romance novels for its subscription boxes and pairs them with pleasure products that represent those values in design, packaging, and marketing. The company showcases books from a range of authors and is committed to "lifting diverse voices in romance," providing books with BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse, and other characters from traditionally marginalized communities.
MysteryVibe’s core belief that “pleasure is personal, and a fundamental right to all people” is reflected in its product designs, according to Narkiewicz. Products are designed to be accessible and inclusive for a wide range of ages and circumstances, with a user-driven design process that incorporates feedback from consumers and healthcare professionals. MysteryVibe products also function as assistive technology to mitigate overlooked sexual dysfunctions, such as erectile dysfunction, arousal disorder, and pelvic pain. Narkiewicz stated that the company pioneered body-adaptability with bendable, ultraflexible vibrators and one of the first gender-agnostic vibrators, Crescendo 2. These products are registered FDA II medical devices, doctor-endorsed, and clinically proven to help with sexual dysfunction.
Lovense items like Ferri, Dolce, and Lush 3 were designed to be hands-free, making pleasure more accessible for users with dexterity issues. Alicia noted that Lovense toys are compatible with Lovense Remote, which offers features such as local and long-distance control, music-based vibrations, and integration with third-party apps and platforms like the adult game 3DXchat. Alicia added that Lovense focuses on sex technology and wellness, enabling individuals with disabilities and non-normative bodies to use technology for easier sexual and intimate encounters.
Electrostimulation is a gender-neutral function. Claire Blakeborough of Cyrex stated that electro-sex offers diverse play scenarios, from relaxing to hardcore fetish. ElectraStim is also being more conscious about language in packaging and marketing materials. For example, a "For Men" category on its website was changed to "Cock Rings and Penis Toys" to be more inclusive yet descriptive. Mapalé, according to business development executive Andrea Rodriguez, aims to support and celebrate differences and promote positive changes through its marketing messages, featuring models of different ethnicities, backgrounds, orientations, and sizes, including trans women, people of color, plus-size individuals, and women of all ages.
Wild Secrets’ recent television commercials were inclusivity-themed and included a multicultural and differently-abled cast. Akii Ngo, a disabled, autistic, mobility aid-using, nonbinary trans, LGBTIQA+/queer model of color from a refugee background, participated in the campaign, stating a passion for intersectional, non-tokenistic representation, especially positive disability representation. Clementine Ford also participated, expressing excitement to be part of a campaign that normalizes the use of toys and play to explore sexual pleasure. Wild Secrets found that it could successfully build a community by directly including people previously excluded from marketing campaigns.
Diverse Teams and Future Outlook
Kimberly Scott Faubel of COTR noted that while the industry has begun valuing representation and inclusivity, the work is ongoing. COTR began DEI training, regularly meeting with an expert, and continues this work as a team. Faubel emphasized the importance of a diverse staff to reflect the world and ensure varied perspectives are valued.
SOS Distribution was the first supplement company to brand a unisex enhancement product, Surge for All. CEO Hamed Bossett-Allen noted that traditional "male enhancement" and "female enhancement" labels excluded a growing sector. Surge for All avoids pronouns in its descriptors, a conscious decision made over five years ago, to appeal to penis owners and vulva owners who may not relate to "male" and "female" labels.
Bossett-Allen stated that SOS solicits feedback from its B2B clientele to gain different viewpoints. He suggested conducting routine team think tanks and hiring a diverse workforce across all roles, from brand ambassadors to CEOs, to avoid alienating consumer segments. Thien-Kim Lam of Bawdy Bookworms encourages diverse applicants by not requiring a resume if detailed work history and experience can be shared, and by sharing job listings in nontraditional spaces. Ian Kulp of Je Joue stated that the company practices diversity in hiring its global team and brand ambassadors, ensuring a diverse range of voices and input. Adam Lea of Wild Secrets aims to maintain a staff that represents its customers and is grateful to be situated in inner-city Melbourne, attracting a liberal sort of employee from a broad range of ethnicities, cultures, and communities. Narkiewicz stated that MysteryVibe prides itself on having staff members from diverse backgrounds, ages, ideologies, and geographies, believing that true innovation comes from challenging the status quo and considering all angles. Lovense also maintains a multinational staff with representation of different genders, body types, and races to ensure a complete spectrum of views on diversity and inclusivity.
Claire Blakeborough of ElectraStim noted that the company recognized its marketing imagery was lacking inclusivity and made a concentrated effort to feature people of all backgrounds. ElectraStim has also severed ties with an advertiser connected to an anti-trans organization and publicly addressed bigoted complaints when using Daniel Quasar's 2019 redesign of the Pride flag, which includes colors representing Black and trans communities. Blakeborough stated that the positive response to celebrating diversity proves that people appreciate the sentiment.
Thien-Kim Lam of Bawdy Bookworms has observed changes in packaging and marketing for pleasure products, noting that gendered or heteronormative descriptions can deter customers. Lam suggested removing photos or including several photos representing women and nonbinary individuals of different sizes and ethnicities, and renaming flesh-toned toys to something other than food-related terms. Alicia of Lovense noted that inclusivity is becoming the norm and is almost expected as a bare minimum from companies.
Hamed Bossett-Allen of SOS concluded
