June is coming soon, and as most people know, it's almost Pride Month! This year is different from previous ones due to tension toward those in the LGBTQ+ community and laws trying to revoke rights. Still, nonetheless, the truth remains: there have always been, and always will be, people in the queer community. So, how did we get here? What makes June the month for pride?
Stonewall was a riot.
You'll see it plastered across queer people's backs and chanted at pro-LGBTQ+ riots: "Stonewall was a riot." Stonewall was a series of spontaneous protests in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn on June 28th, 1969. The riots and fighting only began in response to the police becoming violent. The Stonewall Inn was a hot spot in New York City for queer people and drag shows, and the violence of the police turned into a fight for the gay community to live openly in their sexual orientation without fear of being arrested.
A year after the uprising, to mark the anniversary on June 28th, 1970, the first gay pride marches took place in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. Within a few years, gay rights organizations were founded across the US and the world. Today, LGBTQ+ Pride events are held annually in June in honor of the Stonewall riots!
What does it mean to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community?
The gay community is more of an umbrella term for anyone who experiences gender, romantic attraction, or sexual attraction that deviates from what society considers the "norm." I won't go too horrendously into it, as there are plenty of different identities that people go by, but I will cover the biggest ones so we can talk about some products made for the LGBTQ+ community!
Gay/Lesbian
Although the term "gay" was initially used for men attracted to men, it's almost become its umbrella term in and of itself! Depending on whom you talk to, they may say they're gay instead of specifying their orientation. Gay men now may specify that they're MLM (men loving men) instead of using the term gay, but it depends on the person! For this reason, there are technically two flags for gay people: the rainbow flag, which is for the LGBTQ+ community, and the MLM flag, or the Vincian flag, which has a cool-toned color scheme.
Lesbians refer to anyone who is WLW (women loving women). This term includes trans women, femme nonbinary individuals, and cis women! The lesbian flag has undergone many changes to be more inclusive, but the most common one is pink and orange toned with a white stripe down the center.
Bisexual
Bisexual refers to feeling sexual attraction to two genders instead of one! Being bisexual doesn't automatically mean experiencing sexual attraction to only men and women. It now includes nonbinary individuals, so someone bisexual may prefer men and nonbinary people, for example. Nonbinary means someone who lies outside the gender binary and doesn't relate to being female or male.
Transgender
Transgender is the term used for anyone who doesn't identify with their assigned sex at birth, whether male or female. Depending on the person, they may undergo medical transitioning steps such as starting on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or getting gender-affirming surgeries like Facial Feminization Surgery, Chest Feminization/Masculinization/Top Surgery, and Genital Reconstruction Surgeries/Bottom Surgery. A trans person does not need to undergo stressful surgeries to be a man or woman, and some may not be able to or even want to go through HRT. The trans flag is a pink and blue-toned flag with a white stripe down the center.
Many identities exist within the LGBTQ+ community; I'll stop there with definitions since it covers the ones listed in the acronym!
Why are there products specifically for LGBTQ+ people?
LGBTQ+ products exist because their needs differ from those who are straight and/or identify with their sex assigned at birth! LGBTQ+-friendly products also aren't limited to things like strapless strap-ons, either; there's plenty of variety, from products made for Female-to-Male transmen who are on HRT and are experiencing bottom growth to gender-affirming products like fake breasts and packers and even more.
What are the best products for queer people and couples?
I'm glad you asked! We'll go through the products by category, and I'll explain their purpose and function. Let's start with the most common item that's known as LGBTQ+ friendly: strapless strap-ons!
Strapless Strap-ons
These toys are made with an insertable bulb for the giver to insert and can be used without a harness. Most strapless strap-ons won't sit securely enough on the body to be fully hands-free, so many users will either hold the base of the toy during penetrative sex or will wear it with a harness. Strapless strap-ons often have a textured and vibrating base for clitoral pleasure for the wearer and a vibrating shaft for the receiver!
- Orgasmic Orchid by Gender X ($113.99 online only): I chose this toy because the bulb is poseable, so it's even more comfortable for the wearer to use! The toy comes with two independent motors, one at the base and one in the shaft, with ten different speeds. The shaft also offers a "come hither" motion, perfect for g-spot stimulation.
- Vibe Medium by Strap-On-Me ($136.99 online only): This toy is a fantastic option if only for the remote feature! Of course, it still boasts some impressive vibration, but being able to not fumble with buttons on the toy itself while trying to use it is always a plus. The remote lets you control the toy's three motors (located at the tip of the shaft, the base of the shaft, and the insertable bulb) independently of each other.
Honorable mention: theTogether Vibe 2.0 by Together Vibe ($219.99 in-store and online): This toy is a double dildo and not a strapless strap-on, but it's designed for WLW or transmen who are okay with penetrative sex. With remote control and an exciting function that increases the vibration intensity, this toy works wonders as a unique double dildo! This toy's main feature is its Echo function. You or your partner's kegel muscles trigger the Echo Function, but you can also use it solo by squeezing the other side of the double dildo to increase the intensity for your pleasure! The Echo feature can also make using it on a partner more fun since you can squeeze the other side and catch them by surprise!
Packers and STPs
Packers are faux penises meant to be worn in packer underwear (pro tip: the SpareParts Tomboii boxer harnesses can double as packer underwear!) to give transmen gender euphoria or for others to experiment with gender swapping. STPs are more rigid and allow vulva owners to stand while using the bathroom, as someone with a penis would.
Since packers don't have any vibration qualities to look out for, I'll keep this section short and sweet by listing someone of my favorites just by their quality.
Our long-time favorite pride line is the Avant line from Blush! With dildos and plugs in the colors of your pride flags, they're a great way to show some pride at home and still have fun. These toys are made with silicone and come in various sizes and styles - plus, they're even harness compatible! These toys will run you anywhere from $46.99 to $99.99, and we even have some of their styles available in-store!
For queer-owned companies, Wet for Her is impressive. This brand started by making products for women who love women and have now expanded its clientele to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community who would benefit from using its products, and it shows with its innovative designs! From finger extenders to strapless strap-ons and non-phallic harness-compatible dildos, this brand has the best quality in the prettiest colorways and is undoubtedly a showstopper. Please read about Wet for Her and its founder, Alice Derock, here!
Cute Little Fuckers is also an excellent and inclusive queer-owned brand. They make toys to combat gender dysphoria while offering pleasure; all of their toys even have names, pronouns, and likes or dislikes - some are even polyamorous! These toys certainly showcase the brand name in their designs and have quite a bit of power behind them.
Even if you're unsure about going to pride this year due to everything happening in the world, there's no reason why you can't show your pride in the bedroom. You should always have access to gender-affirming products. This pride season might feel scarier and tenser than previous ones, but know that we're right there next to you every step of the way!
Meet the author:
My name is Wilbur, and I'm a 23-year-old trans man with chronic pain, carpal tunnel, and autism, alongside multiple comorbid disorders. My partner and I are trans men, and we were in a long-distance relationship for quite a while before moving in together, and now we have a lovely apartment with our cat! My educational blogs centered around trans/LGBTQ+ sexual health and sex with disabilities are new territory for me! Still, I've always been passionate about educating those new to these topics and providing others in my community with options they might not have known available to them.
