Research has consistently shown that when it comes to heterosexual sex, women have less satisfaction and fewer orgasms than their male counterparts. In fact, one study found that 91 percent of men orgasm almost every time while only 39 percent of women do. Alexandra Fine, CEO and co-founder of Dame Products has made it her mission to close this pleasure gap.
Earning a master’s in clinical psychology from Columbia University, Fine’s goal was a career in sex therapy. In 2014, however, she realized she could make the biggest impact in the consumer market by changing the way sexual pleasure is viewed in popular culture. That's when she teamed up with engineer Janet Lieberman to found Dame Products.
The overall goal is to be the resource that people go to when they have a sexual concern of any sort.
Before joining the industry, Fine noted that most sex toys were regarded as laughable novelties or gag gifts by the masses. Societally, sexual wellness wasn’t prioritized and women’s pleasure took a back seat. Most adult companies were also run by men which did little to sexually empower women. Fine was determined to change that standard.
“When men are the only people creating these products, selling these products, marketing these products, investing in these products, then they're not going to be able to understand the vulva-havers’ perspective and develop the right tools.” Fine continues, “I think that's why for so long a lot of sex toys were only shaped like penises. Vulva-havers get most of their sexual pleasure from external stimulation and no one was developing tools that were optimized for that.”
Fine and Lieberman launched Eva, a hands-free clitoral vibrator designed to be worn during penetrative sex. Because it could be used throughout an entire intimate experience without interfering with closeness, it allowed people with vaginas to achieve the extended arousal and direct stimulation required for satisfying sex. Eva was dubbed “the first truly wearable couples' vibrator.” Unlike other couples' toys, it is held in place by nestling between the labia.
Anticipating raising $50,000 for Eva’s launch with an Indiegogo campaign, Dame far surpassed that goal. Hitting $575,000 in 45 days and $862,000 to date, Eva was the most successful sex toy crowdfunding campaign in history. This massive success invigorated Dame’s founders and inspired them to spring into the development of their second product.
Fine recalls, “we had a really clear vision of what we wanted to do so we continued to develop new products. Eva was really targeted for partner play. We heard from a lot of consumers, ‘I want to engage more to feel like I’m actively creating pleasure for my partner.’” To address these needs, they launched a finger vibrator called Fin in 2016. Upon approaching Kickstarter to host Fin’s crowdfunding campaign, Fine was initially met with resistance.
Although sex toys were considered inappropriate by the platform, Fine persisted. “We reached out to them. We said we are women who make things that help people. Our product isn't inherently rude in any way, we're just like any other project on your site. And they heard us. We convinced Kickstarter.”
Dame went on to smash records once again. As the first sex toy ever on Kickstarter, they were fully funded in just two days and raised a total of $400,000. But this crowdfunding success was about more than raising money. The true victory was bringing conversations about embracing pleasure into the mainstream. Fine considers this one of Dame Products’ finest accomplishments, “It was really powerful to change that policy and one of the things I’m most proud of that we’ve ever done.”
Today, Dame offers a robust line of chic vibrators developed from direct user feedback including the Eva II, Arc, Kip and more. Accessories like the Pillo sex wedge and Alu water-based lube are also Dame mainstays.
Fine has always prioritized her goal of legitimizing sexual pleasure and Dame’s branding reflects that. Not only does their aesthetic set them apart, so does the company they keep. Dame’s products are carried by upscale retailers like Free People, Urban Outfitters, Goop, and the Museum of Sex. They've developed a cult following across the U.S.
The press loves Dame Products too. They were named one of the most innovative wellness companies of 2020 by Fast Company; won multiple XBIZ awards; and have appeared on ‘The Today Show.’ Fine was also one of Forbes’ 2018 “30 Under 30.”
Recently, Dame challenged the status quo again by going head-to-head with New York’s public transit system. After working for months with the MTA developing a tasteful ad campaign, Fine says they abruptly changed their tune. “We get a letter saying that they have never and would never work with a sexually oriented business. Meanwhile, they’re running erectile dysfunction ads all over the city. Those were obviously sexually oriented — they had cactuses that looked like penises.” Dame is now suing the MTA claiming that their right to “free speech, due process, and equal protection under the First and Fourteenth Amendments” has been violated.
Last year, Dame also teamed up with sex-tech startup Unbound to protest Facebook and Instagram’s ad policy. They rallied outside of Facebook’s New York headquarters plus launched a joint website calling out gender bias in digital advertising called, “Approved, Not Approved.” The site shows approved social media ads for things like erectile dysfunction products and breast augmentation versus unapproved ads for women’s sexual health products.
Fine’s conviction to end sexual stigma and gender inequality in the sexual wellness sphere is what drives her. It’s also Dame’s core mission. To support this goal, the company recently launched an online learning platform offering courses led by well-known sexologists and educators.
According to Fine, pleasure tools and toys are only as good as the support and validation that accompany them. That’s especially true for people socialized as women. Her vision for Dame is to be a one-stop-shop for all things sexual. With more people staying home and intimately connecting in new ways during the COVID-19 shut down, 2020 was an ideal time to focus on cultivating a holistic sexual health community.
Fine explains how this approach fits into Dame’s expansion goals and the fight to end sexual stigma, “The overall goal is to be the resource that people go to when they have a sexual concern of any sort. I want to help people who are struggling with sexless marriages, I want to help people that find out they have an STD and don't know where to start. There's so many products, and I'm thinking about the courses as products, that we can create.”
