This Company Wants To Make Sex Toys More Accessible For People With Disabilities
Sextech is bringing a much-needed cultural shift in how we view, talk about, and sell sex. Ushered in by a wave of women-led startups combining sex and technology to disrupt historically male-dominated sectors, this burgeoning multibillion-dollar industry champions inclusivity through innovative sex products created for and by more marginalized perspectives, bodies, and identities. Yet while everything from high-tech sex toys to online sex education platforms are more inclusive than ever, a huge and diverse population remains excluded from this sextech revolution that's supposedly promoting pleasure for all: people with disabilities.
Handi: Centering the Disability Lens
But Handi aims to change that. Helmed by brother and sister Andrew Gurza and Heather Morrison, Handi is the first sextech company to create a line of toys specifically designed for and by people with physical disabilities. "We're making sure that every facet of what we do has a disability lens to it," says Gurza. He notes that "Most companies put in disability as an afterthought, just to say, 'Oh, yeah, we're totally inclusive, we recognize disabled people.'"
Morrison agreed, telling Mashable that despite "more brands wanting to be seen as inclusive and doing something for people with disabilities, very few dedicate the proper money or resources needed to fix the problem, or to design innovative solutions."
Bridging the Gap in the Market
The sibling co-founders have spent years working on concepts to help bridge this glaring gap in the sex toy market by working in partnership with a research and design team from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. "We quickly learned that we wouldn't be able to create just one single toy that works for everybody," said Morrison. However, after multiple surveys and research from RMIT, they concluded that one of the most common physical barriers to masturbation were hand-related disabilities and limitations.
Common physical barriers identified include:
- Lack of reach
- Dexterity issues
- Physical weakness
- Chronic illnesses like arthritis
While their flagship Handi Joystick only just entered the prototyping phase in November 2020, it's set for presale in August, and then for market launch by the end of the year. Disabilities have such a massive range, even within just hand barriers, but the goal remains creating a toy that lets people with physical disabilities masturbate unaided by caregivers.
The Significance of Sexual Independence
"Masturbation matters because it's a moment for you to be in your body, be with yourself, have moments of enjoyment that don't rely on anyone else," said Gurza. For folks with disabilities, access to self-pleasure can take on even greater significance, especially as it really comes down to masturbation as a form of independence.
Regarding technical innovation, sextech is, if nothing else, deeply invested in getting as many people as possible to cum as much as they'd like with their products. In the broader field of assistive technology, engineers are developing new ways to transmit touch; for instance, Northwestern University engineers have developed a haptic device which can deliver various sensations, including vibrations, pressure and twisting.
Summary of Physical Barriers to Accessibility
| Barrier Type | Description of Limitation |
|---|---|
| Reach and Range | Inability to physically reach areas for stimulation. |
| Dexterity | Difficulty manipulating small buttons or complex controls. |
| Strength | Weakness in hands making it hard to hold devices. |
| Chronic Conditions | Illnesses like arthritis that limit movement and cause pain. |
"There's a problem and gap here, but also there's a massive amount of opportunity," says Morrison. Some high-tech toy companies like Dame and Lora DiCarlo, while not exclusively designed for people with disabilities, are already reaching out to take notes from Handi on how to make their innovations more accessible.