‘Put me in, coach, I’m ready to play’: sexuality education for adults at Good Vibrations

Abstract

Although sex education is often provided to young people, there is a lack of spaces where adults can go to learn more about sex from experts in a free and welcoming environment. One place that provides an opportunity for adult sex education is adult sexual retail stores. While these stores aim to be commercially successful, they also fulfil a role of educating adults about sex and sexuality. This study explains how Good Vibrations (GV), a sex-positive adult sexual retail store company in the USA, disseminates sexuality education for adults. Using qualitative methods including observations, interviews and textual analysis, I show how GV serves as a coach to its patrons. The coaching framework described here promotes shared responsibility through inclusive and accessible education, highlighting communication and focusing on pleasure and positivity. This paper provides one of the first evidence-based accounts of how an adult sexual retailer educates its customers and provides a model for sexuality educators for all ages.

Keywords:

• Sexuality education
• adult retail stores
• sex-positive
• coaching
• USA

Notes

1. Glickman left GV in 2013.

2. Vickie requested that I use her real name.

3. This coaching framework should not be confused with sex coaching, which is performed in private and includes touching and homework. That said, sex coaching is a client-centred sex-positive approach to educating people of all genders and sexual identities and therefore does share some of the same characteristics of the work done at GV (Britton and Bright 2014).

4. Recent research (Anderson et al. 2014) suggests STIs may still be transmitted via sex toys even after standard cleaning procedures. As my data were collected in 2011, I am not aware whether GV has updated the information provided to patrons.

5. Certainly, there are instances when people are coerced into, or are not interested in participating in, a particular activity. Just as there is no excuse for sexual coercion, I base my coaching framework on the assumption that parties fully and enthusiastically consent to participate.