LOS ANGELES — Womanizer has announced its commitment to fund women’s health and sexual pleasure research with a five-year, nearly $300,000 investment into its newly launched Pleasure Fund.
"Womanizer's new Pleasure Fund aims to help narrow the 'Gender Health Gap,' which has widened as a result of lower-priority status given to medical research for women," a rep explained. "Historically, male-focused research has been considered the benchmark in studying various medical issues, including diseases and their symptoms. This leaves women and their medical needs largely ignored. Disease research, including drug development and clinical studies, are typically conducted with male test groups, even in instances where the medical issue being addressed primarily affects women."
"For example, erectile dysfunction, which affects 19% of all men, has been studied five times more than premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which affects 90% of all women," noted the rep. "As a result, women often receive misdiagnoses, incorrect medications or dosages and unexplored treatment approaches."
The first project that Womanizer’s Pleasure Fund will address is in collaboration with Berlin’s Charité University Hospital and Research Institute, led by Dr. Laura Hatzler.
"Together they will study the effects of sexual dysfunction for those with, and recovering from, breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women, with approximately 70,000 women diagnosed each year," the rep said. "Some women in the recovery phase of breast cancer have said they often feel body-shamed and have an overall lack of self-worth. With investment from the Pleasure Fund, Dr. Hatzler will study whether and to what extent masturbation can help those who have experienced or are experiencing breast cancer re-learn sexual arousal, improve blood flow and contribute to a positive body image."
Womanizer Head of Sexual Empowerment Johanna Rief noted the consequences of the Gender Health Gap "increase the risk of mistreatment and misdiagnosis, as female bodies have different symptoms for certain conditions."
"We want to help expand and champion research and understanding into female sexual health and wellness," Rief said. "This is why the Pleasure Fund is so important, and we are thrilled to be working with Charité to directly address a topic that affects so many women and yet is historically under-researched."
She noted the money invested from Womanizer into the Pleasure Fund will be awarded to researchers and physicians around the world who are conducting studies in these areas. Projects will be selected with the help of an international advisory board consisting of leading industry experts.
Dr. Jessica Shepherd, OBGYN, is the founder and CEO of Sanctum Med + Wellness and a member of the Pleasure Fund advisory board.
“As a gynecologist and women's health expert, I know that clinical research is the backbone of everything,” Shepherd said. “The gaps we see in women's health are apparent and range in overall health, reproductive health and sexual health. The Pleasure Fund is a beautiful and resourceful way to have the right answers for the women in our community.”
Sexual health, sexual wellbeing and sexual pleasure researchers and physicians (F/M/D) from around the world can apply by emailing pleasurefund@womanizer.com; eligibility and criteria can be found here.
Find the Pleasure Fund here and follow Womanizer online and on Twitter.
