Sex: There's An App For That

There are two worlds that are changing at a rapid rate and, coincidentally, in conjunction with each other. Now, as you are here on Cherry Banana, you can probably guess that one of those worlds is sex. Our different interpretations, understanding, communication and enjoyment of sex is in a state of rapid evolution. Just consider how much sex has changed from the Sexual Revolution of the 1960s. We’re coming a long way, baby!

The other world that is undergoing massive shifts is education. A little birdie (my day job) tells me that education systems are rising to meet the challenges and opportunities being presented by new technologies. Computers, tablets, smartphones and more are taking on a much more crucial role in schools, from primary levels all the way through to graduation. How to leverage the use of these tools is the big question being considered.

Technology enhancing sex ed

And it is these devices where sex and education come together as a powerful relationship. And it is about time! We’ve long been using our phones to find sex, to send dirty sexts, to look at porn on the sly. So why has it taken so long to pair our technology with the much needed sex education that is so desperately needed?

There are great opportunities to reach people who would otherwise not be exposed to changing ideas about sex and successful techniques in pleasure. Apps and gamefied learning could bring ideas about consent, rape culture, sexually transmitted infections and more to the palm of our hands. These are crucial conversations that are not being had enough and utilizing any medium to make them happen is a step in the right direction.

Apps could also be a great tool to teach new ways you can help your partner achieve pleasure—if we can get them through major app channels such as the Apple App Store. La Petite Mort, a great and cute app from Danish studio Lovable Hat Cult, was banned from Apple because it was too explicit. It is a cartoon rendering of a vulva! The goal of La Petite Mort is to demonstrate how different touch affects the woman to whom the vulva belongs. Users touch the vulva via their screen and see what happens, do their best to please her. Don’t many women wish their partners could be given this sort of education?

Why are people still afraid of sex?

But it is Apple’s banning of a truly inoffensive, educational app that clearly demonstrates why this type of app is desperately needed. People are not talking about sex openly, learning from each other, sharing ideas with each other. Educational resources are not there and sex is rarely taught progressively in school. But it remains such a focal point in so many of our lives.

This is the gap that exists. The technology to bridge that gap is there, it is whether or not we want to marry the two that remains the question. Plus, wouldn’t pleasuring vulva be a more fun way to spend your time than crushing candies anyway?