Sex toy sales have skyrocketed and all major dating apps have seen a drastic increase in users and in platform interactions, as people in isolation seek out connection both within themselves and with other like-minded individuals online.
You’d think masturbation frequency would be up, too (since there’s not much else to do, and getting yourself off is arguably a form of self-care and, in fact, beneficial for your beauty routine) but new research from Womanizer predicts that only 24% of women are masturbating in quarantine compared to 51% of men. C’mon ladies.
May is International Masturbation Month, and with an increased awareness around the occasion, Australian psycho-sexologist and Womanizer ambassador, Chantelle Otten, is encouraging women to be part of a movement to shift this statistic into a move even space.
“Based on the latest research into Australian masturbation habits, as well as stubborn social norms that make it more acceptable for men to pleasure themselves, we can assume that a majority of women are missing out on a critical element of self-care,” Otten says.
“This Masturbation Month is the time to make a change, and challenge the stereotype that women don’t masturbate as much as men — we can, and we should!”
With an increased amount of time spent at home in a comfortable and familiar environment, Otten says women may have more space and time to focus on their own pleasure and “seek out a deeper connection within ourselves”.
She says: “With so much time on our hands, and the space away from the distractions of a busy life, we’ve all been able to prioritise self-care and really think about what gives us pleasure and makes us happy.”
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Like those new hobbies and activities you may have taken up is isolation, Otten says masturbation is a skill to be refined. And it’s as deserving of your time and attention.
“There are so many physical and mental health benefits to masturbation and self-pleasure, and so many ways you can explore this with yourself. Why not take all this extra time and space you have to master your own self-pleasure, learn some new techniques and experiment with your own body?”
To help you get started, Womanizer is empowering women throughout the month of May with information, tips and online resources around masturbation and pleasure.
In addition, might we suggest taking a look at our top five best sex toys, guide to phenomenal phone sex, or the beauty benefits of masturbation?