6 Myths About Vibrators

I've answered thousands of sex questions over the years, and here's one that women ask with surprising frequency: "How can I get my man to welcome a vibrator into our bed?"

Men should know the truth about vibrators.

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Because of the many myths associated with vibrators, rare is the man who can imagine that kind of threesome: you, me, and ... it?! But men who try these power tools of a different type often become converts.

So here are the rumors — and the facts — about vibrators.

Myth: Vibrators are for lonely losers.

Truth: One-third of American women now use vibrators, according to Chicago sex researcher Laura Berman, Ph.D. — and women in relationships are more likely to use vibrators than are single women. Rural, urban and suburban women are equally likely to own them; users likewise span the economic spectrum. The only demographic factor that affects vibrators is education: As it rises, so does the likelihood of vibrator use.

Myth: No real man would ever use a vibrator in partner sex.

Truth: A recent survey by the University of Indiana's Kinsey Institute shows that 45 percent of American men have used vibrators in partner sex at least once. One in 10 has done so in the past month.

Myth: If a woman needs a vibrator to have an orgasm, there's something wrong with her.

Truth: 'Fraid not, boys! Vibrators simply make it easier for a woman to become aroused and reach orgasm. They also improve a woman's sexual satisfaction.

Women who have difficulty with orgasm are sexually normal. They merely require stimulation beyond what fingers and mouths can provide. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 percent of women are in this situation.

Would you badmouth a carpenter for using power tools? Of course not. Power tools just get the job done quicker and more efficiently.