Have sex toys taught women how to masturbate or are they just doing the work for them?

"Erotic toys, particularly the Satisfyer, have redefined women's concept of masturbation. The strangest part is that, despite being designed for the genital area, their area of greatest influence has been in their users' minds. All of a sudden, touching oneself in the privacy of one's room was no longer a stopgap when there was no better option; no longer a secret that you couldn't share with even your best friend. Toys were no longer just a consolation prize, but rather, allies."

"They turned self-pleasure into joy, a shared delight, something to brag about, the perfect Christmas gift. But we mustn't believe that such rapid evolution is without its side effects. Female masturbation, though no longer taboo, is still the subject of much misinformation, requiring coexistence with other sexual relations, and body awareness. Toys have shaken off their dark and depressing reputation, but the technology of pleasure has prevented some women from exploring the infinite paths to ecstasy for themselves, directing them straight to the express lane."

"Masturbation is the first step for anyone who is looking to improve their sexuality, to get to know oneself in erotic terrain, and to explore the paths to pleasure. To share pleasure with others, one must first learn to access it on their own. Sonia Bedate, a Spanish physical therapist who specializes in the pelvic floor and sexology, says that masturbation is essential to focusing on the body-mind connection, so that the brain can discover and record the sensations that provoke stimulation to our genitals and erogenous areas."

Sex toys such as the Satisfyer transformed many women's relationship with masturbation from secrecy or consolation into joyful, shareable experiences and mainstream gifts. Normalization reduced stigma but also coincided with misinformation and raised questions about how toys coexist with partnered sex and bodily self-awareness. Heavy reliance on powerful devices can shortcut personal exploration and hinder the development of varied solo sexual skills. Masturbation trains the brain to map genital and erogenous sensations, increases pelvic blood flow and lubrication, releases endorphins to ease pain, lowers cortisol through relaxation, and can improve sleep. Pelvic‑floor specialists stress masturbation's role in body‑mind connection and sexual health.

Read at english.elpais.com