It’s International Women’s History Month! When I started Sex With Emily nearly 20 years ago, there weren’t a lot of opportunities for women to have a voice in this world. Now, the sex and pleasure field is exploding with female voices, and I’m so proud to do this work alongside them.
Some of these women pulled off a tremendous feat: founding sexual wellness companies, so that more of us could access pleasure. Some educate us every day on social media, teaching essential skills for sex while stamping out shame. Some created innovative sex toys, wrote books, and conducted research, all so that we could have better sex!
The Sex With Emily team compiled a list of the women who inspire them to live fuller sex lives, and I’m so excited to share them with you. They’ve also included a list of “must-follows” on social media to make your algorithm more sex positive, and four of their fave sex reads. But know this: these are just some of the women carving out a more pleasurable, shame-free world for all of us.
The Pleasure Game-Changers
Sally Mueller and Michelle Jacobs // Co-Founders of Womaness
The menopause modernists.
When Sally and Michelle launched Womaness, they set the tone for a new, sex-forward conversation around menopause. With research-backed products that address menopause solutions and sex drive, Sally and Michelle are on a mission to help women embrace the change – not suffer through it.
Ti Chang // Co-Founder and Chief Design Officer of Crave
The sex jewelry designer.
Turning jewelry into a literal vibe, Ti Chang is the design mind behind Crave. With necklaces that double as vibrators, and bracelets that double as restraints, it’s a brand whose gorgeous sex accessories you can wear to lunch. Don’t sleep on their Instagram either, full of top-tier sex ed content.
Suki Dunham, Co-Founder of OhMiBod
The sex toy futurist.
When Suki got her all-time favorite stocking stuffers – a vibrator and an iPod – the first thought she had was, “what if I could combine these together?” Twenty years later, OhMiBod is a company that pioneered music-driven vibrators and continues to be the brand for toy innovation. You can thank OhMiBod for vibrating nipple clamps, Bluetooth-enabled panty vibes, and one of the most innovative penis rings on the market.
Alexandra Fine and Janet Lieberman // Co-Founders of Dame
The vibe pioneers.
In 2014, sexologist Alexandra Fine and MIT engineer Janet Lieberman created the most crowdfunded sex toy in history. It was Eva, the pilot product for a new sexual wellness company called Dame. Ten years later, the brand is known the world over for creative toys that close the pleasure gap.
Shay Martin // CMO of Magic Wand
The pleasure marketer.
When it came out in the ‘60s, the Magic Wand “massager” became an icon of female pleasure. Joining the family business founded by her mother, Shay Martin heads up Vibratex (home of the Magic Wand brand) and spreads the sexual wellness gospel to millions everywhere. A second-generation, female-led pleasure business? We love to see it.
The Breakout Sex-Preneurs
Catherine Macgee, Sandy Vukovic and Christina Aguilera // Co-Founders of Playground
The taboo busters.
When Catherine, Sandy and Xtina came together for a sexual wellness company, they launched with a clean lube line – and it’s already set a new industry standard. Their plant-based blends are just the beginning for Playground, which aims to help women normalize sex talks. It’s OK to be “Dirrty” after all.
Alicia Sinclair // Founder & CEO of Le Wand and b-Vibe
The sex tech designer.
Alicia has launched several sexual wellness brands into the stratosphere, including her own: Le Wand and b-Vibe. But she’s also a sex education powerhouse, teaching thousands how to access pleasure through innovative toys and shame-free exploration.
Beatrice Dixon // CEO of The Honey Pot
The vulva healer.
Ten years ago, Beatrice launched a wellness company in her kitchen. After experiencing chronic bacterial vaginosis for eight years, she used herbs (and an ancestor’s guidance) to heal herself. Now, her plant-based ingredients are on drugstore shelves everywhere, helping millions nourish their sexual wellness – naturally.
Emily Sauer // Founder and CEO of Ohnut & The Pelvic Gym
The sex-pain reliever.
1 in 3 people with vulvas were in pain the last time they had sex, and Emily Sauer was one of them. So she created the “Ohnut,” a soft buffer ring that allows those with vulvas to experience deep penetration without pain. It’s now TikTok-famous and recommended by thousands of clinicians everywhere.
The Culture Shifters
Wednesday Martin // Author of Untrue
The anthropologist of sex.
Wednesday Martin, Ph.D is the author of several books including the iconic Untrue: Why Nearly Everything We Believe About Women, Lust, and Infidelity Is Wrong and How the New Science Can Set Us Free. Drawing on reams of research, Wednesday explains why women lose libido in committed relationships, in ways that’ll make you completely rethink female sex drive. Listen to our pod episode here.
Dr. Laurie Mintz // Author of Becoming Cliterate
The orgasm crusader.
As a psychologist of sexuality, Dr. Mintz is on a mission to debunk myths around female pleasure. From her viral TED Talk on orgasm equality to books exposing the cultural reasons behind the orgasm gap, she’s been a driving force for female pleasure. Check out her Instagram, a super educational resource and rallying cry for those with vulvas (and partners who want to please them).
Leanne Yau // Creator of Polyphilia
The non-monogamy coach.
A beloved voice and teacher for polyamorous folks and those looking to understand them. Leanne combines humor with insightful education about how non-monogamy works, validating anyone who’s ever felt fear or jealousy around this relationship model – and how to work with those emotions.
Lily Sparks // Founder and CEO of Afterglow
The erotic filmmaker.
A common misconception in the world of porn: that all female performers are victims of exploitation and trafficking. In reality, porn performers are some of the best at navigating consent conversations, so Lily set out to create a porn company that reflected authentic desire and trust between its performers. The result is erotic films that are hot enough to masturbate to, realistic enough to be relatable.
Gina Gutierrez & Faye Keegan // C0-Founders of Dipsea
The audio erotica storytellers.
Hot audio erotica written by women: that’s Dipsea in a nutshell, with explosive cultural impact. This is the app that changed the story of female sexuality, one sexy story at a time. By combining the immersion of podcasts with intelligence of sex positive writers, Gutierrez and Keegan invented a whole new category of pleasure content.
The Holistic Helpers
Casey Tanner // Author of Feel It All
The queer sex therapist.
Instagram has a lot of therapist accounts, but Casey has a unique ability to weave sex, emotional safety, and queer love together. This is the place you come to unlearn toxic messaging about sex, and learn how to create relationships – including friendships – that nourish you.
Jessica O’Reilly // Founder of Sex With Dr. Jess
The relationship whisperer.
Equal parts sexologist and couples’ coach, Dr. Jess helps thousands around the world heal their sexual bond. Her unique take is an “investment” mindset on relationships, approaching your intimacy the same way you would your business. You put in what you get out, and Dr. Jess shows couples how to invest wisely.
Latham Thomas // Founder of Mama Glow
The holistic doula.
Let’s talk about another facet of sex: childbirth. Latham is not only a master doula, she teaches at universities and hospitals to improve the labor and delivery experience – all while being an activist for safe and healthy pregnancies.
Alissa Vitti // Founder of FLO Living
The hormone decoder.
After getting diagnosed with PCOS, then-John Hopkins student Alissa Vitti went looking for answers. She found them in the world of women’s hormonal health, where she pushed the field for more research. Seeing the gender inequality in hormone studies and biohacking, she launched FLO Living to help women evaluate their hormone health and access therapeutic-grade treatments.
Marissa Nelson, Founder and CEO of IntimacyMoons
The couple connector.
With one of the top TED talks viewed in the world (“Overcoming Sexual Rejection Together”), Marissa helps couples on the brink of separation find the spark again. A longtime marriage and sex therapist, Marissa has honed the science behind rejection, and the steps needed to revive desire.
Pleasurable Reads
This past year, we added a ton of sex content to our bookshelves and Audible accounts. Here’s what we’re reading at Sex With Emily.
More: A Memoir Of An Open Marriage
Molly Roden Winter // The truth teller
If it seems like everyone is talking about polyamory right now, you’ve got Molly Roden Winter to thank for that. Her memoir More is the raw, funny story of how she and her husband opened up their marriage and lived to tell the tale.
F the Fairy Tale: Rewrite the Dating Myths and Live Your Own Love Story
Damona Hoffman // The dating coach
In a world of dating app skeptics, Damona stands out for helping singles use technology the right way to get the love they want. Due to her a shockingly successful track record, she’s the one folks turn to when they’re looking for a relationship. Here’s her rulebook. Listen to our pod episode here.
Come Together: The Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections
Emily Nagoski // The pleasure mythbuster
One of the most respected voices in sex research, Emily Nagoski gave women everywhere a huge sigh of relief when she released Come As You Are, a breakdown of arousal patterns and why we get turned on – and just as importantly, why we don’t. Her latest book, Come Together, examines the research behind lasting sexual connections, and how you can use it for your own relationship.
The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts
Dr. Mary Claire Haver // The menopause advocate
As one of the voices on menopause medicine, Dr. Mary Claire Haver is helping set the record straight on HRT. But we knew we had to pre-order her book The New Menopause, the new Bible for midlife wellness. Dr. Haver goes in-depth on estrogen drops and sex drive changes, bringing new research to readers on this stage of life (and how to enjoy it, sex and all).
The Sex Must-Follows
Want to fill your TikTok and Instagram with actually useful sex ed? Follow these women and female-led brands folks can’t stop clicking on.
TikTok:
- Dr. Tara on TikTok for Gen Z/Millennial-friendly sex ed
- Dr. Heather Irobunda on TikTok for your new fave OB-GYN
- Karen Tang MD on TikTok for reproductive knowledge
- Mariah @sexedfiles on TikTok for inclusive sex education
- Catherine Drysdale on TikTok for women who want more pleasure
- Dr. Jolene Brighten on TikTok for hormone intel
- Dr. Kelly Anne Perkins on TikTok for science-backed, holistic gyno tips
Instagram:
- Erica Smith on Instagram for purity culture dropouts
- Bellesa on Instagram for hilarious pleasure posts
- Shan Boodram on Instagram for sex talk realness
- Maude on Instagram for gorgeous sex wellness inspo
- TryQuinn on Instagram for behind-the-scenes audio erotica
- Tamsen Fadal on Instagram for a positive menopause mindset
- Elle Chase on Instagram for body-acceptance and pleasure coaching
- Dolly Josette on Instagram for all things sensual embodiment
- Midori on Instagram for kink education
- Kelly Casperson on Instagram for menopause 101
Now tell me: who are the female sex and pleasure visionaries you adore? Come find me on Instagram @sexwithemily, and let’s talk them up!
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