After launching Little Bird in 2016, a sex toy connected to an erotic reading application (awarded a prize at CES in Las Vegas), Christel Bony took the helm of citizen initiative SexTech For Good, a French association which brings together and promotes new technologies related to sexuality today. Some of her current bugbears are the lack of funding for certain projects and certain persistent taboos concerning sexuality in French society. We spoke to her about the SexTech landscape in France today.
What kind of relationship do the French have with all things related to connected sexplay?
There are a few studies that have come out recently because lockdowns boosted usage quite a bit. Some people have indeed started to use tools they didn't use before in order to be in touch with and have sex with their partner. Even dating apps have had to adapt very quickly and integrate video dating. In terms of age, I think it's pretty much across the board, although it also depends on what you're talking about. Augmented reality porn of course concerns fewer people than dating apps or connected sex toys, but they are not the same use types anyway.
Does the high-tech aspect help when it comes to lifting some taboos?
SexTech is not just about connected toys. It is in fact a genuine tool in a new sexual revolution for women. It's a sector that is being taken over by women who are tired of waiting for men to make products for them. In this post-#MeToo era, assertion of female pleasure has become a real issue once again. Many tools are changing their approaches, whether it's apps that track periods or teach people how to masturbate, Instagram accounts that provide information about pleasure and the clitoris, etc.
Is it accurate to say that today's offering is more equitable between men and women than previously?
It's true that there are now a lot of toys for women and we're even starting to hear some people say that SexTech is too women-oriented and that men are being somewhat left out, especially regarding sexual health. That said, it's still a bit of a caricature, in the sense that, for men, the toys that exist are essentially linked to porn and masturbatory activity, whereas for women it's often presented as being intended for a couple's sexuality, because that's more acceptable. But it's true that in terms of connected devices, there are probably more offerings for women than for men.
How can the arrival of all these different types of technology in the home change the life of a couple compared to 15 or 20 years ago?
Women are much more demanding now. They are becoming more autonomous in terms of pleasure or procreation with ART (assisted reproductive technology). These new technologies allow women to become more emancipated and require men to adapt. Globally, everyone has to think differently about sexuality, which is very much modelled on what our patriarchal society is. So, inevitably, it's bringing about change. There are younger couples who have always used apps or toys and who, as a result, have a head start because they have always talked about their sexuality to a greater or lesser extent. And then sometimes, with 40-somethings for example, it's going to cause more problems because the woman is changing and the man isn't necessarily happy [about that]. In any case it means that society is changing in regards to this area.
Is the development of all these services and gadgets also disrupting how people meet?
There has been a shift in recent years. Before, when a meeting took place, the emotional aspect came first and the sexual aspect came afterwards. These days, people meet and perhaps have sex before feelings arise and it becomes something serious. In the present, there is a consumption side that even some of the younger people are starting to tire of, a perverse effect, constantly swiping on certain apps. This can even lead to a kind of addiction. We are also facing a generation that has been raised with easy access to pornography, which instills a rather distorted, even violent approach to sexuality. There are quite a few reports today that indicate that fellatio has replaced the first kiss. All is not necessarily rosy with these new tools.
How can technology bring something innovative to the realm of pleasure?
On the one hand there's haptics, which touches on everything related to sensations. We're even starting to see combinations for some video games. Erotic podcasts are also doing very well. They are very accessible, especially for women, generally believed to be more cerebral. Women are often said to have desires and men needs, but the primary sexual organ for all of us is indeed the brain. So there are still a lot of things that could be dreamed up, starting with the fact of synchronizing voice with objects. Obviously, there will also be a lot of things to develop in virtual universes, with applications dedicated to sexuality in the metaverse.
Is this all still a fantasy or does it seem like the next step technologically?
For the mainstream, I don't know. It's like humanoid robotics, it exists but is more developed in some countries. Here there are still many taboos and fears, like everything related to the job of sexual assistant, which is considered prostitution, whereas it could be a solution for many people who do not have access to sexuality in a conventional definition. Other fields of SexTech are not yet developed enough, like finding solutions for seniors' sexuality or that of people with disabilities, for all of those who are "sexcluded." I don't know if everyone will embrace virtual worlds but I think it will be accessible to a greater number.
Are there countries and cultures that are more open to SexTech than France?
Yes, many! The United States is still the main producer of porn movies and it is also home to many companies that raise funds. The same goes for Switzerland, Spain, Italy and England. There are some very nice brands of sex toys that are German or Norwegian. But, in France, it's more complicated.
Is that why you are now at the helm of SexTech For Good?
When my company stopped, I wanted my experience to be of use to others. There is a real interest in activist initiatives for the recognition of this sector of innovation that concerns us all. We're indeed speaking about sexualities, with an "s," by including information, education and pleasure. SexTech For Good is now trying to convince as many people as possible that this is a sector that must be supported, that must be financed. We should be able to submit proposals to the public investment bank (Bpifrance) when we talk about aging or disability, as we still have difficulty finding funding for these causes. This inevitably results in fewer innovative projects. For too many investors, projects related to sexuality or eroticism are simply not fundable. That's why we're trying to unite our efforts, to make sure that all the players in the sector know one another and help one another. Everything that concerns the body, menstruation, illness, pleasure and sexuality in general is still far too taboo, even though these are important subjects. We are beings programmed for pleasure, so it is all part of our balance.
This interview has been translated from French.
