Let's talk about sex toys (well, ads for them on Mumsnet), please

You don't need those ads, full stop.

I don't think advertsiers have remotely caught up with what a fantastic market MN is yet. If you look at the unbelievably stupid ads on the telly "That's Why Mums go to Iceland" (What, while dad plays with the 3 prong anal speculum over a beer?), or that stupid Mum feeding sweetcorn to the stupid children or or or or, the stereotypes are years out of date.

Here you have a captive (because we are addicts oh yes) audience of well-educated, bright, socially interested, politically aware, multi-faceted and talented women (who mostly happen to be mothers), why aren't advertisers trying to appeal to our intelligence and humour when selling their products? There's a huge gap here. They could try and flog cars, mobile phones and computers rather than speculums, washing-up liquid and nappies. We buy them, you know, we even MN on them. Well, not the cars.

Someone is missing a big opportunity.

wit clef names = with clever names. obviously.

Advertising aside, I think theree is a need for a Sex topic.
No need to fanny (arf) about (or pussy foot about - double arf) wit clef names, just call it Sex.

The man is wearing clothes. And has no doll. It is a very different image, not sexualised in anything like the same way.

Tacky
Tasteless
Sleazy
Definite no from me, for all the reasons already stated by SGM and Hully.
What sites would I be happy to see? Coco De Mer or Myla. That's it.

"I would love to know how someone could look at this (straight jacket) and NOT see the misogyny tbh.
Special rose-coloured glasses perhaps?"

Or, perhaps, because the L/XL size is advertised by a man in the same make and pose?

the only problem with that is that if there was a topic called 'adult' people might think it was the place to post when they were concerned about their dp's porn use, and those are the posters who should definitely not be made to see the ads.

Having said that the alternative would be to have a specific adult thread and not let these threads appear in active conversations... And that way if anyone felt inclined to enter that topic they see the adverts... And the rest of us can MN innocently.

I wouldn't like it and if these adverts became the norm I'd have to leave my MNetting to when DS is in bed as I wouldn't want him to see adverts for sex 'toys'. (Eurgh toys! Can we stick with sex aids or something?)

Surely if an ad is too sensitive for one part of the site, it's too sensitive for the whole site? People who are posting about an abusive relationship are allowed into chat, aibu etc?

Of course no-one forces you to click on the ad and look at the products. However, I do think the principle of promoting pornography and the sex industry on this site, which is primarily aimed at women, is very wrong.

I don't particularly want to explain sex toy adverts to the kids when they look over my shoulder demanding parenting. But then I sometimes have to explain usernames as being juvenile

I'm not aware of any site that sells sex toys, that does not also stock porn and/or products that demean women and sexualise children. I therefore don't want to see sex shop adverts at all on the site.

I'm glad you're consulting about it but was dismayed that you'd accepted advertising from this brand in the first place.

Anyone see any men tied up in the 'cuffs and leg spreader' photo's'?

Thought not....

Adding my voice to the anti crew. Don't like them, don't want to see them, don't think they belong on MN.

But thanks for asking

I missed the other thread, but honestly I'm quite surprised there would be ANY ads for sex products on MN. Sure, MN is a modern website on which women can speak freely about anything they need/want to, including sexual subjects, but having those ads cheapens some of the most important threads on here IMO.
The amount of threads on here which allow women to speak freely and safely about sexual abuse and gain a wealth of advice, sympathy and reassurance is one of my favourite things about MN. Its a safe place for women. (barring the odd troll of course)

I think its incredibly poor taste (not to mention tacky) to advertise for sex products on such a site, even if they are kept from specific topics.

In direct relation to LoveHoney--I'd never heard of them, but the products that I think Hully pointed out, are beyond the pale. To have MN associated with a site that sells such items negates an awful lot of the good MN has done.

*disclaimer: I'm not trying to claim that sex products cause abuse against women or children, I'm not that naive, and I get that websites for sex products often cater for niches and fetishes and I'm not trying to speak against the people who indulge in them and I do realise most of my post makes me sound like a prude, blah, blah. Just putting my two-penneth worth out there.

Ooo look! You can also get a three prong anal speculum! Glad xmas is coming soon.

I would love to know how someone could look at this and NOT see the misogyny tbh.
Special rose-coloured glasses perhaps?

LMF - I don't see misogyny in everything, not by a long shot. However I do see it in the sex product industry.

I'd much rather the ad for lovehoney than the ones for Boden and White, but then I don't see misogyny in everything I read and look at.

I guess the best rule to have would be that if it is going to be this divisive it might be best not to bother.

Though please, do think about ditching Boden, those twee ads make me want to damage my laptop screen!

Putting the speculum issue aside (I am actually quite sickened by that). I dont want ads for sex shops popping up on my computer screen when quite probably in sight of my DC. If I wanted to shop for sex toys I would do so when they were in bed. Mumsnet is not a site that I would think needed to be saved for after the watershed. I also don't want to have to worry about what DC could access if I left mumsnet open, on an iPad a colourful ad could be very appealing for little fingers to press.

Given the campaigns that you have run to stop sexualisation of children I feel it's wholly inappropriate to then start advertising sex toys. What the difference between a lovehoney ad on here and zoo in wh smiths?

Think others have answered for me. ( got sidetracked by the idea of a rampant rabbit jumping round the screen ala apocalypsecheese)

I'm fairly laid back about sex toys but some of their stuff goes too far.
There is a lot of people on here who will object & I think MN is better avoiding it!