Because it’s always fun to follow up posts about pristine urban forests and turn-of-the-century folk art with one about … sex toys (teehee.) Girls Night In is a Pittsburgh-based retailer dedicated to “a feminist vision of sexuality and exploration.”

I mean, come’on, ladies (and gentleman.) Aren’t we sick of the parties with overpriced candles, kitchen supplies and tupper ware? Girls Night In can help you host parties showcasing sex toys, videos and books in a relaxing, non-intimidating, and friendly environment. Think birthdays, bachelorette parties, unconvential bridal showers … and thank God we live in Pittsburgh, because Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi all prohibit “devices manufactured or marketed primarily for the massage of the human genitalia.”

This 2004 article from the City Paper hilariously describes an event and the org’s the mission:

‘Theresa (party attendees asked that their last names be withheld) asks how the company got started. Derzic and Bodenhemier explain that they’ve known each other for years but that it was at an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade last year that they decided to start a feminist-oriented sex-toy business. Their initial plan was to open a bricks-and-mortar store, but they started instead with home parties and their catalog. They intend to open a store in Pittsburgh within the next two years, they tell the partygoers, though they’re not sure where.

‘”I did have a dildo thrown at my car once in the South Side,” Theresa offers. “That seems like a sign, so I think that’s a perfect place for your store.”

‘”They have a lot of Monongahela whitefish there,” says Carolyn, a first-grade teacher.

‘To puzzled looks, Derzic explains that “whitefish” are “the used condoms floating in the river.”

‘Derzic’s capacity to instruct goes far beyond the local lexicon. Girls’ Night In’s mission states that it’s “committed to a feminist vision of sexuality education and exploration.” By education, of course, they’re talking not about how to change the two AAA batteries of their Tsunami G-Spot vibrator (“just right for reaching that magic spot,” $25), but about how to change the way we think about sex.
….

‘Bodenhemier counts Girls’ Night In among sex-toy purveyors who are moving toward what she calls an “enhancement paradigm.” Rather than a vibrator’s selling point being that “you can’t get a man, or your boyfriend is off in Iraq,” she favors “incorporating couples play” into presentations. That has the added value, she says, of reassuring men who might be threatened by a device that is, after all, more reliable than they are.’

Woo-hoo. See?! There’s no reason to be afraid – all genders are included. To buy products or schedule a party, call 412-951-2488 or e-mailthegirls@girls-night-in.com.

Wishing you the best sex you will ever have in 2006 … Happy New Year!