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- Fundraising for The Outsiders Trust (Charity Registration No. 283350). BCM Box Lovely, London WC1N 3XX.
Everybody says this is the best sex shop in town (and the world?), so now we want to celebrate this vibrant, dynamic,s uccessful and friendly store designed for women but also welcoming couples. They take their work very seriously and Angel travels the world attending sex conferences. Indeed, one paper at a 2004 International Conference on Medical Sexology mentioned Sh! as an influence on the use of dildos by women."
The idea for Sh! was sown one dark January day in 1992 when the Sh! Girlz whirled into London's Soho hoping to satisfy their curiosity and have some fun. The Sh! Girlz thriving in a supposedly girl-powered, guilt-free age of erotic enlightenment. Wasn't it 50 yrs since Dr Graftenburg had "discovered" our G-spots, 40 yrs since we'd taken control of our fertility, 20 yrs of queer campaigning?
They found themselves skulking around sleaze-pits, while men-in-macs leered from behind the pages of greasy magazines . Why on earth wasn't there some cosy place for women to shop for good quality, erotic playthings without feeling awkward, unwelcome or embarrassed? Two months later, on April 1st 1992 with a scanty £700 worth of stock and a large tin of pink paint adorning its walls, Sh! Women's Erotic Emporium opened its doors to a trickle of appreciative women.Since that day thousands of women have visited us, buying everything from strap-ons to satin sheets. Ladies-who-lunch have discussed lubricants with leather-clad mistresses, swingers have shared vibrator selection tips with suburban mums and grandmothers have browsed our bookshelves alongside lesbian couples.
We welcome men to visit Sh! if escorted by a woman and they seem to enjoy our relaxed, non-judgmental atmosphere as much as the women it was created for. We renamed "Roger Rabbit." Jessica, and she has since gone onto huge fame, starring in numerous television shows including "Sex & the City." That so many people call her the Jessica shows the huge scope of influence Sh! has had in the erotic market.
Over the last few years, at Sh! we have built up a dedicated research and development department, sourcing new products, testing toys, delivering talks and workshops and pioneering a link between the so-called "erotic industry" and the NHS.
We are currently working with The Royal United Hospital Bath Gynae Oncology department, sponsoring a PhD project to research the possibilities and implications of using vibrators in the post-surgery dilating process for women. With the rise of sexually transmitted diseases amongst young people at an all-time high, we know our work is by no means done, but we will continue to pledge our commitment to spreading clear-cut, practical information.