IT'S noon and I'm in the middle of telling a room of complete strangers things about my sex life that not even my boyfriend knows. All around me are women doing the same thing, airing their deepest desires and eliciting sympathetic nods. To my right, our instructor -a sex, love and relationship coach - is letting out orgasmic sighs that punctuate the chatter like air horns. To round things off, we finish the session by engaging in some "sex magic". That is, sensual meditation that involves "connecting to the flow of energy" in our clitoris. Just your average Sunday.
The pursuit of pleasure in London has become big business. Everything from female-centric masturbation workshops to spanking classes and even clitoris-focused book festivals - command high prices and draw dedicated followings. At the London Edition, sex columnist and broadcaster Emma-Louise Boynton regularly sells out her Sex Talks (an event series where alongside expert speakers she covers once-taboo subjects like self-pleasure and the orgasm gap). The workshop that I attended is run by She's Lost Control, a Hackney-based lifestyle brand which takes pleasure as a central principle of holistic wellbeing. One Hundred Shoreditch's current pop-up, titled No Ordinary Love, offers attendees masturbation classes (alongside more prosaic pursuits like flower crown making), while companies like Studio Sexus host workshops where women can decorate and fire their own ceramic dildos. For the more adventurous there are things like Liquid Love - semi-regular group events where the organisers pour warm olive oil over participants' semi-clothed or naked bodies (yes, really) and invite them to explore the "world of touch", often blindfolded.
Denne historien er fra February 23, 2023-utgaven av Evening Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra February 23, 2023-utgaven av Evening Standard.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Why are England wasting time waiting for Tuchel?
Winning the World Cup is the aim, so the new boss should start now
He's been shot, and punched by Mike Tyson, but British boxing's great survivor is back on top and aiming to rule the world
This is where the magic happens,\" reads a big neon sign scrawled across the entrance to the offices of arguably the most powerful man in British boxing today.
How Sketch went from 'obscene' to era-defining
After arocky start, the glamorous and infamous restaurant is now an institution
Money is worth less than time'
He's quit Fendi, but what will Kim Jones do next?
London's Roman Amphitheatre
Guildhall Yard, EC2V
Liberals didn't notice they'd lost relevance in the all-consuming digital sphere
There are many reasons why Donald Trump might have won the election last week.
Do we have to die?
One neuroscientist thinks the answer is no
How to have a magical Christmas in Edinburgh
From cosy cobblestone streets to abundant Yuletide goings-on, few cities rival the Scottish capital in creating Christmas whimsy.
London's best festive restaurants
The social season is upon us once more. These are the city’s most coveted Christmas venues, which need to be booked soon so as to not miss out on the tinsel and tipples.
Rag'n'Bone Man
I struggle with being recognised... I'll never really feel comfortable with it'
