Obama at the Fair Sex

Recommend ...

Updated: August 26, 2010
Team Athens

Obama at the Fair Sex

The U.S. economy may be down, but business in the industry of sex toys have never been stronger. Sales of condoms, creams, scented oils, vibrators, videos, games and the like have shown steady growth since 2009. Both sales in stores, the Internet.

"Each month has been better than the other," said Sam Bard, owner of Shag, an erotic products store in New York that also promotes events to teach ways to spice up the sex life of despair with the economic situation of the country

Sam believes that the recession is forcing people to spend more time indoors. Then they would rather spend $ 150 in sex toys, which can be reused indefinitely - than going out to dinner at a restaurant and spend the same money in a single night of pleasure.

Another branch of the company, Babeland, which has three stores in New York, also experienced growth since 2009 in sales and the number of buyers on the site. So many major companies like Amazon, are already enjoying and profiting from the trend of the market.

In 2003, when the U.S. economy was still warm and the housing market in full swing, Amazon launched its sexual articles page offering 338 items, mostly condoms and lubricants. Currently the same page offers 60,000 items, such as handcuffs, chains, whips, collars, vibrators to be used in hot tubs or pools, lingerie, videos, games, and sex toys for all sexes, tastes and fetishes. From 338 to 60 000 items in just seven years, is a significant, evidence that there is a growing demand.

And speaking of tastes and fetishes, this week I felt sorry for Obama. I think he never would have imagined that one day your smiling face printed on inflatable doll and displayed for sale at a fair erotic products in China, the Asia Adult Expo. I was thinking that a few decades from now, when his descendants are reading a biography of the famous relative, will be astonished to learn that he was a lawyer, author of books, senator, U.S. president, Nobel Peace Prize, and Asia in the transformed up a doll erotic. It will be so versatile in China is not it?

But worse than that is what a company right here in the United States, "The State Head" created and markets since last year: a penis with the face of Barack Obama. Smile, suit and tie included.

Dubbed "Big O", the product is 18 cm in length by 5 cm in diameter, weighs 420 grams, made in America with a special type of rubber, does not need batteries and can be purchased online for under $ 35. Also comes in two colors: gold and blue democratic presidential, a color that identifies the party to which Obama is affiliated.

Another U.S. company, Practice Safe Policy, released and sells over the Internet and the streets of major cities with slogans condoms in packages of dubious meaning and pictures of Obama, John McCain and Sarah Palin, respectively candidates for president and vice president of the United States, defeated Obama in the last election. It seems funny, but I did not say that American ingenuity is an amazing thing?

And all this made me think of something else: how appearances can be deceiving. How many prejudices and stereotypes dominate the hearts and minds worldwide.

Living for over 10 years outside of Brazil often hear comments - almost always dismissive - about the sensuality of our people exaggerated. From our novels and movies, our Carnival, our beaches full of bodies on display. This habit of distributing our kisses, hugs and caresses, publicly and without constraints.

I remember once, in Canada, at a barbecue on a hot day, I witnessed a Canadian horror, totally outraged because another girlfriend, Brazilian pregnant innocently raised her shirt and let the sun tan your belly. Breastfeeding a child in public, here in the United States, is considered "indecent exposure" and looked down upon, even if the mother cover the breasts and the baby's head.

Although there are laws allowing breastfeeding in public places, often appear in newspaper stories of women invited to withdraw from shops, restaurants and even waiting rooms in doctors' offices because of an act as natural as this. We are mammals, right?

Another time, in California, I was invited to participate in a multicultural fair that took place in a school where my children to school and asked me to take something from Brazil and talk a little about our culture and society. I made a few generals and took a cardboard with images of Brazil: the location on a map, photos of our beaches, big cities, an Indian woman bathing in a river in the Amazon with his son, our slums, finally, tried to give a picture of our diversity , beauties and blemishes, to get the thing balanced. Among these images was one that was totally censored with tape, and that showed the Carnival samba Valenssa sculptural Valeria Avenue. The person responsible for this show came to tell me that pornography was not allowed at school. And also put a masking tape on the breasts of India from Amazon.

I'm not a sociologist nor a sexologist, not an anthropologist, I have deep knowledge about anything. I am a generalist same, I am interested in a variety of subjects. But this issue of sexuality there, I'm here to me that we Brazilians are more healthy and well settled that our fellow Americans. Because although our behavior in general is even more relaxed and sensual, I never heard of anyone having been harassed in Brazil to be nursing a baby.

I have this schism that there must be something very twisted sexuality of those who purchase and take her to bed a sex toy with the face of political personalities. Is an obsession with figures of influence and power? Or is it a symptom of an epidemic of masochism, the desire to suffer? Is not it enough what these politicians ready against all the offices and halls of the oval still life you have to take them to bed?

I dunno, I could be wrong, but never knew of anyone in Brazil producing such articles with images of our politicians. Even as I imagine it would be counterproductive, able to cool tempers, tune in tune up and cause the cancellation of the game. And I bet that is what is the evidence of our sexuality to be healthier, if less discreet or repressed.

Who wants to see the products mentioned and sold here can check the following sites: http://www.headostate.com/ and http://www.practicesafepolicy.com/

* Silvia Dutra is a journalist, graduated from Methodist in Sao Bernardo do Campo. It was a reporter and editor of the Journal of Bauru, and worked in Papyrus Publishing of Campinas. Lived for nearly 10 years in the United States. view more

Portal PRESS - Obama in the Fair Sex .

Team Athens

Obama at the Fair Sex

Search

+ Recent

Translator

Employees

List of Links

Team Athens

Obama at the Fair Sex

Search

+ Recent

Translator

Employees

List of Links

Tags