Dear Sasha, I admit it: I am a sensitive new age guy. I care about Mother Earth, I care about what goes into my body, and I care about what goes into my woman’s body. So when this woman of mine suggested introducing some sex toys to our sexy fun time, my first thought wasn’t, “No way, I should be enough for you!” It was, “No way, what kinds of chemicals are in those damn things?!” Can you tell me what toys are the best for our bodies and the Earth?
-Don’t Just Want a Green Thumb
Dear Thumb,
Anything created from natural materials like glass, wood or stainless steel is a great option, and these toys are often so visually pleasing that you’ll be tempted to display them as conversation pieces. Look for products from Standard Glass or njoy. For vibrators, companies like Lelo and Fun Factory offer rechargeable options, meaning you’ll have no batteries to dispose of. Both these companies use medical-grade silicone.
When looking for silicone, make sure you choose companies like the ones mentioned above along with Vixen, Tantus and Happy Valley, all of them committed to using the best possible materials. Happy Valley enjoys the added bonus of being an Ontario-based company, meaning your toy doesn’t have to travel as far to get to you.
Tantus, a company with a particularly green focus (they even promote the use of non-toxic cleaning products in their manufacturing process) is getting set to launch a new line called Alumina. Aluminum is the most plentiful metal in the Earth’s crust, it’s recyclable, and Tantus uses a grade employed in medical devices, also coating the toys in a medical-grade finish. The Alumina line is compatible with all lubes—speaking of which, for the most natural options, look for lubricants that are paraben-free and/or use organic ingredients, such as Hathor or Good Clean Love.
And for all those among my readers (perhaps you, Thumb, are even one of them) who’ve been hankering for a gigantic item to stick in your ass or vagina but have been disappointed with the smelly, porous materials presented in many current mainstream options, have a look at Tantus’s new silicone Cowboy line. I received two samples in the mail last week—one was significantly larger than my forearm, and the other the size of a bottle of Bullseye BBQ sauce—which I then spent a couple of valiant but unsuccessful hours trying to get cordial with. I am personally in awe of anyone who craves and receives such girth. “They play amazing,” enthuses Michael Smith, Tantus’s CEO (Metis Black, the owner of Tantus, directed me to Smith for an interview, cheerfully describing him as the company’s size queen, a fact that is usually only revealed about a company’s highest-ranking corporate officer by the tabloid media). Smith suggests using a thick water-based lube with them, or Crisco if you like that sort of thing.
Dear Sasha, I am a “straight” woman who, for some time, has been thinking about a liaison with a woman, although I love men. However, lately I have been thinking of a transsexual or shemale, as I have fantasies of having a woman with a “dick.” I have no experience whatsoever with the alternative lifestyle and need you to answer some questions for me. Do shemales/transsexuals have sexual relations with women? If so, how can I contact one, and are there any signs or information in advertisements as to which ones will?
—LW
Dear LW,
Most of the trans women I’ve met who do sex work identify as straight, meaning they choose to sleep with men recreationally as well as professionally. The term shemale is used in this setting to denote a fetishized sexual persona, and is not typically used by transgendered women outside of sex work. Many transgendered women are offended by this categorization and call themselves T-girls or trans.
The good news is that yes, there are trans women who identify as bi or lesbian. If you are looking at a non-professional exchange, you will find trans women at queer and female-focused events. As professional exchanges go, it’s simple: call the women advertising and politely ask if they accept female clients, keeping in mind that sex workers are not mentors and don’t like having their time wasted on the phone by tire-kickers.
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