As most of us in the industry already know, sexual wellness remains the black sheep of self-care. Discussions about wellness glorify meditation apps, skincare routines and workout regimens — but mention masturbation or using a sex toy, and most people shy away from the topic.
We’re overdue for a reality check. Sexual wellness is an integral part of total wellness. Whether solo or partnered, our bodies and minds benefit from intimacy and pleasure. Yet pleasure has somehow been disqualified from the health and wellness conversation, leaving sexual health in the shadows. This needs to change.
When we elevate sexual wellness to its rightful place within self-care, we don’t just make space for pleasure — we make space for holistic well-being.
The Problem: Why Sexual Wellness Gets Left Out
Even though sexual wellness products and practices play a vital role in managing stress, enhancing mood, improving sleep and even alleviating pain, they are still treated as shameful and indulgent rather than essential. In mainstream wellness conversations, they’re often conspicuously absent.
One obvious reason is stigma. Despite how far we’ve come with sexual liberation, society still flinches at the idea of normalizing sex toys and masturbation as part of a healthy lifestyle. Brands that cater to self-care enthusiasts often skip right over pleasure products, opting instead to promote bath bombs and yoga mats. This is a missed opportunity, not just for brands but for consumers who are left with an incomplete wellness picture.
Another factor is the health care community’s reluctance to discuss sexual pleasure as part of a holistic approach to well-being. The medical community often emphasizes reproductive health but is noticeably quiet on the health benefits of sexual activity itself, particularly masturbation and the use of pleasure products. There are often no protocols for talking to your doctor about how to engage in safe and pleasurable sex, even after a medical issue. Doctors don’t bring it up, and patients either don’t know how to or are too embarrassed to broach the subject. This gap leaves consumers uninformed and perpetuates shame.
The Solution: Reframing Sexual Wellness as Self-Care
Working in PR and marketing, I’ve seen firsthand how embracing sexual wellness as self-care can benefit brands. For example, Wicked Sensual Care marketed their sensual massage collections and Simply Timeless lubricant collection for menopause not just as pleasure products, but essential wellness tools. The result? Consumers responded positively, appreciating the focus on intimate well-being rather than just sexual gratification. This approach not only elevated the brand but helped normalize sexual wellness in broader health conversations.
To bring sexual wellness into the mainstream self-care conversation, we need a comprehensive strategy that tackles stigma head-on. Here’s how:
- Normalize pleasure as wellness. Shift the language from indulgence to essential self-care. Talk about how sexual activity improves physical and mental health, just like exercise or sleep. Reinforce that sexual pleasure isn’t a guilty pleasure — it’s part of holistic well-being.
- Partner with health and wellness brands. Self-care brands should embrace pleasure products in their offerings. Why shouldn’t a wellness subscription box include a vibrator alongside a face mask? Why not market lube as an essential tool for enhancing body awareness and relaxation?
- Utilize influencers and educators. Work with thought leaders in both the wellness and sexual health spaces to advocate openly for pleasure as health. Their voices can bridge the gap between taboo and accepted practice. Webinars on the tangible health benefits of sexual activity, featuring sex therapists and health care professionals, can provide credible insights, reducing discomfort around the topic.
- Share the science. Credible studies published by Oxford University, Harvard and many others have consistently shown that regular orgasms can reduce stress and anxiety, improve mood, and even boost heart health; that masturbation promotes relaxation and better sleep due to the release of oxytocin and endorphins; and that sexual activity can alleviate menstrual cramps and headaches. Brands can use this information to position their products as indispensable self-care tools. Share scientific studies that support these claims and feature real stories from people who incorporate pleasure into their wellness routines.
- Create designated self-care sections. Retailers can include pleasure products alongside other wellness items, like bath soaks and aromatherapy oils. By doing so, they send a clear message that pleasure is not just permissible but essential for a well-rounded self-care routine.
Changing the Conversation
It’s time for brands to stop being timid about pleasure products. The demand is there, but consumers need permission to see these items as more than just sexual aids. They’re tools for health and happiness, and it’s time the wellness industry caught up.
When we elevate sexual wellness to its rightful place within self-care, we don’t just make space for pleasure — we make space for holistic well-being. Brands that seize this opportunity will challenge outdated norms and foster a culture that values every dimension of human health.
Hail Groo is the director of PR and marketing for Forward Approach Marketing, where they combine their background as a public historian with over a decade of expertise in diverse marketing fields. Beyond their work in PR and marketing, Hail is a published travel writer, magazine contributor, podcast guest, award-winning photographer and Colorado-based journalist.
