How Sex Tech Is Reinventing Masturbation for People With Disabilities

Our burgeoning sexuality begins around puberty, when our hormones begin to rage and demand release. (Also known as masturbation.) But reaching orgasm solo isn't always so simple for disabled folks.

The majority of sex technology is designed and marketed to nondisabled people, even though there are 1 billion disabled people globally and 61 million adults who live with a disability in America. If you're capable of using a hand to climax, the idea of keeping an adult toy box under your bed may feel unnecessary. However, for those with physical disabilities, sex tech is an orgasm lifeline.

"Adaptive sex tech has helped me as a disabled person by allowing me to enjoy a more fulfilling sex life," explained Roxy Murray, a disability activist and podcaster who has multiple sclerosis. "[I can] control my own pleasure, empowering me and breaking down pleasure boundaries that my condition can place on me."

Not only does sex tech enable people to climax safely and without putting stress on their bodies, but it's also a necessity because the disabled community is so frequently desexualized. Thanks to a toxic combination of stigma, misinformation and simple presumption, disabled people are regularly labeled as disinterested or incapable of sex or pleasure.

When I first came to terms with being disabled, I adopted these misguided beliefs and questioned whether my sexuality would wither alongside my physical mobility. Adaptive sex tech is helping eradicate this myth by reminding the world that we are sexual beings who embrace pleasure.

The magic of sex technology

Founded to counteract the fact that millions of people worldwide cannot masturbate due to hand limitations, companies like Handi are a key part of the solution. Their research shows that "over 50 percent of physically disabled people surveyed struggle to achieve sexual pleasure on their own." This inspired a line of sex toys specifically designed for people with hand limitations.

"It is important to expand sex tech because those with disabilities are still quite capable of enjoying and experiencing satisfying sex through masturbation and with their partners," said Taylor Sparks of Organic Loven, a company that collates the safest intimate products on the market. "In addition, learning to accept people for who they say they are and not who you want or believe them to be is in alignment with sexual freedom."

Not only does sex tech enable people to climax safely and without putting stress on their bodies, but it's also a necessity because the disabled community is so frequently desexualized.

For disabled folks, access to pleasure is life-changing. The right sex toy is capable of caressing away pain by bombarding the body with endorphins that feed self-love.

Murray, who lives in the U.K., clarified: "Easing my stress, creating a relaxing pleasure situation that is calming and euphoric—that transcends into all parts of my life. Building my own self-confidence so that no matter the level of disease progression I have, I can still achieve pleasure and know that I am a beautiful sexual being that deserves pleasure."

Other adaptive toys include sex toy mounts, thigh straps to attach dildos to the thigh of a seated person and the LaPalma mount from Spareparts—a glove-like adaption designed for people with dexterity issues that attaches sex toys to the palm.

"I also use a smaller massager wand as my hand movements can be limiting. Because of its power and length, it does all the work for me," added Murray. "I generally use my toys lying down or in a chair, so I can raise or place my feet on the ground with ease to gain momentum."

Diversifying sex technology

Making the most of sex tech doesn't just rely on electrically charged tools—adaptations lacking any vibrations are equally important.

Murray explained: "I use a firm wedge pillow supporting my spine and back to help achieve pleasure and comfort." A wedge pillow is used to elevate the upper or lower body and may be adapted for a variety of purposes, including making sex positions more accessible.

There are plenty of wedge pillow options, too. The Liberator wedge has a waterproof foam core. The Salto Slingback has a lower leg strap and behind-the-neck pillow combination to aid those with the inability to hold their own legs up or to hold them up for an extended period of time. Companies like Spokz also sell a range of adaptive sex furniture and cushions to assist disabled people in partnered sex.

Adaptive sex tech is a growing market, and working-age adults with a disability have an annual discretionary income of more than $21 billion (that is, how much you have left after you've paid taxes, housing, food and other necessities). Companies ignoring the disabled marketplace are neglecting savvy business sense, especially because adaptive toys often work for older people as well, and that's an even larger market.

Strategizing for the future

Some are rightfully adjusting their business strategies to include disabled people. At ZALO USA, an intuitive pleasure tech brand modernizing the accessible luxury market, their aim is to expand their accessible products.

Peter Ovsonka, president and CEO of ZALO USA, said: "The buttons on our products are designed to be raised and the toys are ergonomic so they are easy to hold. We hope that in future product design, even more consideration will be given to the convenience of use, easy operation, ease of manipulation and so on."

Although it's exciting to see more sex toy companies pave the way for adaptive tech, they should avoid rushing in. "I think companies are trying so hard to be adaptable that they are often missing the point," said Ness Cooper, a sexologist based in the U.K. "They're trying to tick too many boxes, resulting in toys not being as functional as they should be."

Empowering people of differing abilities, shapes, sizes, ages and identities to access pleasure should be at the forefront of any business strategy, not only to increase profitability, but because everyone should have equal access to pleasure.

There are also relatively few products on the market for people with a penis and transgender folks—those that do exist are often unsuitable for a disabled masturbator. But there are two available on Organic Loven designed for disabled men: The Hot Octopuss Pulse Solo Lux and Pulse Duo Lux, both developed for men with spinal cord injuries going through in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment with their partners.

"The oscillating plate stimulates the frenulum and can bring a man to orgasm without stroking the penis if there are mobility issues with using the hands," Sparks said.

Empowering people of differing abilities, shapes, sizes, ages and identities to access pleasure should be at the forefront of any business strategy, not only to increase profitability, but because everyone should have equal access to pleasure. Any sex toy innovator should follow that rule as a sacred mantra so that disabled people never have to endure a lack of access to pleasure again.