Here's How You Can Make 2016 The Year Of Pleasure

Sex toys are definitely a super personal thing, but did you know that most women actually get their first sex toy as a gift? That’s right: According to a study done by the high end sex toy brand LELO, 65 percent of women aged 35 and under got their first sex toy as a gift from a friend. While on the one hand that’s kind of a bummer (because it suggests that a lot of us still aren’t comfortable buying our own toys), on the other hand it’s awesome because it means that more and more women are down to help a friend out — and that we’re out there talking about orgasms and masturbation with our friends.

With that in mind, the ladies over at the sex toy subscription box company Unbound have launched a campaign they’re calling “Vibe it Forward.” I first heard about it in their newsletter (which is always great and sex-positive and you should definitely sign up for), where they described it as “Like TOMS, but for orgasms.” The premise is simple: Go to Unbound’s site, spend at least $100 (which should take you approximately two seconds, because you’re going to want everything) and then they’ll email you a form where you can fill in a friend’s information. Once they have that info from you, Unbound will send your friend a gift wrapped Iroha vibe, which normally goes for $24.99.

“Obviously, we wish all women would treat themselves to their first vibrator— because they deserve it — but we completely understand that sometimes you need a little push from a friend who loves you,” Unbound co-founder Polly Rodriguez tells Bustle. “And nothing gives us greater joy than giving the gift of an orgasm (I mean, who doesn't want that?). It may sound a little cheesy, but we genuinely believe that encouraging more women to enjoy their sexuality makes the world a happier, better place.”

And let’s talk about the bonus vibrator that you’re all going to give your friends, shall we? The Iroha vibe is a cute little two-toned, waterproof, battery operated vibe that could easily pass for a chapstick in case someone spotted it in, say, your bedside table or purse. And that kind of subtle design makes it the perfect first vibe for your new-to-sex-toys friend, who may be intimidated by the whirling, twirling, pearling look of a rabbit vibe, for example, or the industrial strength of the classic Hitachi Magic Wand. It’s the kind of non-threatening lifestyle accessory that packs a punch, kind of like an unexpectedly bright red lip at midday.

But giving a vibrator to a friend isn’t just about making sure your girl gets hers too. Celebrating female sexuality and the female orgasm is an important act. It tells the world that you're not going to be ashamed of your body and your pleasure and that you're so down with pleasure that you want to spread the love to the women you care about. With that in mind, I asked Rodriguez how we can all make sure that 2016 is The Year of the Female Orgasm.

“The female orgasm has been underserved for, well, for forever, and that is reflective of how women are valued more generally in society,” Rodriguez says. “We are creatures of self-sacrifice. We are mothers and guardians and stewards — and those are wonderful attributes — but we also are leaders and creators and contributors. It takes a sisterhood of women who are willing to encourage each other for 2016 to be the year of the female orgasm. That's why we're willing to forgo profits in order to Vibe it Forward and that's why we're SO excited for 2016!"

And that sisterhood, my friends, is a mission I think we can all get behind.

Want more of Bustle's Sex and Relationships coverage? Check out our video on sex positions for small penises:

Images: Giphy (1); Unbound (3)