Chinese millennial women stimulate growth in sex toy demand during Covid-19 lockdown, as attitudes change
- The sale of sex toys surged in China during the first half of 2020 as the pandemic kept people apart
- This reflects a shift in attitudes towards sex in a country often thought of as conservative
Single and locked out of Beijing’s dating scene by the pandemic, Amy was encouraged by other women in online chat rooms to find a solution to her enforced abstinence – a sex toy. “Before, I felt a bit scared and embarrassed to use them,” said the 27-year-old, who did not wish to disclose her real name. “Then I discovered a new world.”
Amy now plans to expand her collection. Demand for sex toys is increasing in China, which is already the world’s biggest exporter of bedroom aids.
But it is also a product of a wider cultural shift in attitudes towards sex by a younger and more open-minded demographic.
“Quite a lot of women … who are sexually active have a very open attitude towards using sex toys,” Yi Heng, a prominent sex and relationships advice blogger, said. “They see it as very natural and normal.”