It’s sad to say, but there’s no denying that the Trans folk in our LGBT family our often marginalized or excluded. Today, we here at SexToys.com are standing up to say that this is not OK. We’re all in this fight for equality together! Today is a great time to remind one another about this important group of friends and allies as we struggle to gain equal rights.

I stole this quote from our friends over at HotMoviesForHer.com because I think it’s an important message:

Our discomfort around the issue—I know I’m not alone in this—means that we’ve got some learning to do. Bravo to those trans people willing to come out and teach us.

Some gay people wonder why we get lumped with the transgender community at all. Sexual orientation is one thing, they say, and gender identity is another.

That’s true as far as it goes, and perhaps it’s better to talk about our overlapping communities than about a single GLBT community.

Still, the alliance makes sense insofar as both (overlapping) groups suffer from rigid social expectations about sex and gender. Compare “If you’re born biologically male, you should grow up to be a man” with “If you’re born biologically male, you should grow up to love a woman.” The similarities between the two inferences seem to outweigh the differences.

Click the picture to see if it properly illustrates the article to which it links

Verbal abuse, physical violence and deadly attacks are still common when associated with homophobia in Europe.  Reuters reports that the problems with homophobia are still serious in Europe and many people suffer from the hatred that exists.  From the Full Report:

“Homophobia is damaging people’s health and careers across Europe and the problem may be worse than reported because victims are scared to draw attention to themselves for fear of a backlash, an EU study said.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights said police in most countries were incapable of dealing with homophobic crime — ranging from verbal abuse to deadly attacks — and said many governments and schools failed to take it seriously enough.”

Among the more serious problems listed were that people suffered from harassment in the workplace, that not enough countries allowed anonymous reporting to prevent backlash against victims, people were denied refuge (in spite of a dire need for it when fleeing countries with brutally repressive regimes and no tolerance for homosexuality) and discrimination in health care, with homosexual people being treated as defective.

While some progress has been made in tolerance across Europe, most people did not believe that homosexuals should be allowed to adopt children and the report also showed that media coverage tended to use eroticized images to illustrate stories about homosexual issues, further heightening the stereotype that homosexuality is about sex alone.

It appears as though some things really do not change.

The We Vibe

I just received my very own We Vibe in the mail and I am super excited.  Since I recently wrote a post about sex toys that big lesbos like me love, I had to talk about this brilliant new toy briefly.

One reason I’m so excited to own this innovative toy, the first and only internal vibrator designed to be worn during intercourse, is because of how much one of my friends has raved about it.  She’s no newbie when it comes to toys, so when she recommends a new toy, I listen.

While I’m guessing the We Vibe was created with  hetero couples in mind, she is in lust with this toy when combined with a harness.  Of course, the lucky lady on the recieving end of a strap-on session can utilize this toy as it was designed, but my friend think it really rocks when worn in combination with a harness.  I have to admit that i like the idea of a vibe that’s contoured to my body doing it’s magic, while i’m working mine!

Keep an eye out for my review of the We Vibe in the future.  In the meantime, I’ve got some *research* to do!

A co-worker’s mother recently offered a one word definition for bisexuality: “Greedy.”  While the humor was in good nature, there are problems with the way bisexuality is perceived.  Unlike heterosexual people, or homosexual people, bisexual people usually experience sexuality in less absolute terms, experiencing a more fluid sense of sexual identity.  And those experiences change over time.

BiNet Seattle offers a few definitions:

“Bisexuality is the potential to feel sexually attracted to and to engage in sensual or sexual relationships with people of either sex. A bisexual person may not be equally attracted to both sexes, and the degree of attraction may vary over time.

A sexual orientation in which one feels attracted to both males and females.

Bisexuality … a sexual orientation, as a feeling of attraction for both men and women, whether the individual is sexually active or not.”

And an interesting observation:

“Freud contends that all human beings are both physiologically and psychologically bisexual, although most people repress one part of their sexuality or another. [Professor Easton - State University of New York at Geneseo]“

The problems arise when trying to navigate the social spectrum.  Being neither straight, nor gay, bisexuals are sometimes perceived (however innocently) as defective.  The facts suggest that bisexuals are likely among the most “normal” of all humans – if Freud and over 100 years of study are accurate.

Only the individual can say whether or not she or he is bisexual.  Attraction, unlike sexual experience, is an abstract idea, and doesn’t lend itself well to external interpretation.  Who we find attractive can also change over time which presents another set of problems as a bisexual may be forced to move among many different kinds of social circles as his or her sexuality is expressed.

But not all is negative.  As we progress in our understanding of sexuality, more people are aware that bisexuality is more common than previously thought.  We can only hope that these trends continue.  After all, it isn’t as easy as making up your mind about what shoes you’re going to wear.

Get more information on Sexual Orientation from WebMD.

While sex toys are universal and there really isn’t any such thing as a “lesbian sex toy,” there are definitely a few that have a strong following amongst girls who love girls.  Today I wanted to talk about a few toys that my friends and I have decided are really great for getting it on with girls!

1.  Fun Factory’s Share -This unique dildo is one that many of my friend’s have raved about since it was released to the masses.  The Share offers the obvious advantages of a double ended dildo for a lesbian couple without the awkward logistics issues.  I mean, this design just makes more sense.  This toy can be used with a harness for greater stability, but it’s designed to be used without one  by clenching the vaginal muscles to hold the ergonomically shaped bulb in place. While there’s  no reason a girl couldn’t take advantage of this awesome dildo to flip the tables on her man for some hot pegging action, this toy is one that has quickly found a place in the hearts of lesbians across the globe!

2. Lap Dancer - I love this dildo and harness from Sportsheets because it leads to lots of hot face to face time and is different enough from a traditional harness to keep things interesting!  Nothing is hotter than getting a lap dance while your girl gets off.  This kit comes with a silicone dildo that can be sterilized and the harness is compatible with other dongs too!

Plus lesbians love softball and the knee brace appearance reminds me of my glory days on the field!

3. Tongue Vibe – I would be remiss if I didn’t include a tongue vibe in my list of toys for my sapphic sisters!  Nothing beats lunch at the Y and this simple little toy will add a whole new dimension to oral sex. Made out of Latex free and hypo allergenic plastic, all you have to do is slip this baby over your tongue and rock your partner’s world!