The Latest Sex Toy Trend Promises More Inclusive Intimacy

Pleasure, orgasms, and self-exploration are a human right. And while everyone has their own preference for how they like to get down, it's important to make getting down as accessible as possible. While some people prefer to reach for more rigid toys like dildos or vibrators, everyone's physical sensitivities are different, and those objects could end up doing more harm than good. Whether you're dealing with certain mobility issues or physical pain, prefer a softer touch, or have a mental proclivity toward softer sensations, squishy sex toys have blown the scope of accessible pleasure wide open. Not only that, but they meet a wide spectrum of needs. But what exactly is a squishy sex toy? And why is it worth incorporating into your sex life? It's not necessarily one specific product or tool, but more of an umbrella term. To get a more informed answer to this question, Women exclusively spoke with Certified Sex Therapist and host of the Ask A Sex Therapist podcast, Heather Shannon.

"Squishy toys are just what they sound like — squishy," shares Shannon. "Think of a stuffed animal, a pillow, a marshmallow. They're more bendy than solid and have a lot of give to them. Some vibrate and some don't. Just like other sex toys, they come in different shapes and with different features." So basically, a squishy sex toy is a softer, body-safe object you use for solo or partnered sex. The malleable nature of a squishy sex toy can make it easier to grasp and maneuver, while also reaching more angles comfortably for some that other toys physically can't. "Most sex toys are fairly firm, made of things like glass, stainless steel, plastic or a firm silicone," Heather explains. "With a hard toy, your skin has to accommodate the toy, which can potentially lead to irritation ... With a squishy toy, [it's] more similar to your skin and so the toy accommodates your body just as much as your body accommodates it." If this has your ears perking up and you're wondering where to start, Heather recommends the Squish by Unbound, which allows the user to change up vibrations and intensity simply by squishing the device harder.

You don't need a reason to start playing with squishy sex toys, but we would be remiss not to acknowledge how squishy toys could potentially reignite your sex life, whether it be with your monogamous partner, with your weekly rotation, or with yourself. "It's easy for us to rely on old familiar ways when it comes to both solo sex and partnered sex," Heather Shannon reminds us. "Mixing up the type of toys you use is one way to spice things up and boost the amount of variety — something that is correlated with long-term sexual satisfaction." If you're not ready to go all in and invest in a new squishy toy, dip your toe by just experimenting with softer sensations first. This could mean just having your partner touch you lightly on some erogenous zones, or getting creative with a pillow or some other malleable, body-safe objects. However you get there, it's worth giving squishy sex toys a shot.