The Double Standard

Eugene Volokh posted about vibrators, and for some reason I have been pondering the topic. The reason society grants women their sex toys but ridicules men who use them is that women control access to sex. If we think of a woman using a sex toy to gratify herself (and who doesn't?) then one underlying assumption is that she prefers her sex toy to the available partners. She is a strong, assertive female. If we think if a man using a sex toy on himself (ewwww!) then the underlying assumption is "he can't get laid." He is a pathetic loser. It comes down to economics, as expressed by the punchline to the old joke: "With one of these, I can get as many of those as I want!"