Well, well, well. It turns out that personal massagers (let's use the most polite name) were not primarily created for a lady's pleasure. Too many doctors were complaining about sore hands and wrists...let that sink in for a moment...
For a long time, doctors were using manual stimulation, or "pelvic massage," so women could have a "hysterical paroxysm," otherwise known as an orgasm. This was the common treatment for female hysteria, especially in the Victorian era. Doctors were finding this work to be too much, time and labor wise, and thus the personal massager came into being.
Vibrators were the fifth household appliance to be electrified and they were advertised in major catalogues and department stores until the 1920s, when it became difficult to obscure their actual purpose. After the 1960s and the Sexual Revolution, vibrators made a huge comeback when Jon Tavel filed a patent for the "Cordless Electric Vibrator for Use on the Human Body." I think there are quite a few of us who would like to thank him.
1 comment:
Great blog. Well researched and interesting, and yes, we are grateful.
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