I was 12 when I first learned about masturbation, I was 18 when it became a candid topic of conversation with friends, and I was 20 when I finally grasped that pleasure was defined by so much more than just penetrative sex. And now, at the ripe age of 23, I can confidently say Australia has come a long way in combatting the shame and secrecy that used to surround conversations in the sex, pleasure and masturbation realm — especially among young women.
I’d say part of it is thanks to frequent sex-positive rhetoric taking place online, with influencers and friends openly divulging what turns them on, and proudly expressing all the different forms pleasure can take. In a similar vein, a new wave of sex toy accessibility has also opened up a whole new world of normalising masturbation, which has brought to light how prominent the ties between self-pleasure and self-care are.
In saying that, while these growing conversations are a healthy step towards a more sexually liberated society, there still seems to be an abundance of unspoken taboos that surround certain sexual practices – especially if they don’t fit into preconceived ideas of what is considered “normal”.
Desperate to learn more about the extent of these taboos, our favourite Aussie sex toy brand Normal has just dropped an Australian Sex Taboos Survey designed to get to the bottom of which sexual practices still carry a sense of shame, as opposed to what’s now widely accepted. And they’re calling on you (yes, you) to help ’em fill it out.
The process is as simple as clicking this typeform link and answering a series of questions about your views on a range of sexual practices (including threesomes, BDSM, voyeurism, or any other desire). You’ll also be asked to talk about what you think the broader societal sentiment around it is.
The survey will be completely anonymous, so rest assured that you can go to town with your answers. That way, Normal will receive the most accurate representation of your opinions as possible. It’ll also only take a cheeky five minutes to complete. Simples.
And of course, your valuable time and insights won’t go unrewarded. Everyone who participates in the study will get a banging 50 per cent off discount code to use on Normal’s entire range of vibrators, lube, sex toy cleaners, bundles, sexual conversation kits and even merch.
It’s no secret Normal is already well-known for its research on sex, dating and relationships, with its conversation-shaping findings in the 2021 and 2022 Big Sex Surveys, so if you’re interested in being a vital part of the next one, head here.
Oh, and we can’t forget about the best part… click here to decide what goodies you want to get with your half-off discount code.