Oprah takes on sexual health
As an avid fan of all things Oprah, I’m pretty tuned into her shows even though I’m rarely home to watch, and have a subscription to her magazine which I read religiously. Yet even I have to say I was shocked to hear (from my mother, nonetheless) that last Friday’s show was about sex, and a segment was devoted to (people uncomfortable with this topic, stop reading now) sex toys.
Oprah is known for her gurus, from Suze Orman the money woman to Bob Green the health coach. Now she’s enlisted Dr. Laura Berman, who has been working as a sex educator, researcher and therapist for 20 years (read her short bio HERE ). As part of Oprah’s “Best Life Week,“ Friday’s episode was devoted to “your best sex life,“ with Dr. Berman leading the way in talking about relationships and how to ‘heat up your love life.‘ Dr. Berman also discussed her line of sex toys, called “Dr. Laura Berman Intimate Basics,“ (developed by women for women) and introduced her best-selling vibrator, called “The Aphrodite” and nicknamed “the sure thing.“
Her line is available on Amazon.com or Drugstore.com, or through her website, BermanCenter.com. The Aphrodite, I am assuming in part due to it’s appearance on the Oprah show, is now on back order with the earliest estimate of it being available again two months away. Oprah has proved her selling power once more.
My question is, when did sex become okay to talk about in this fashion on daytime television? Let me be clear, I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. I’m all about folks leading healthy lives, and for adults that most definitely includes sex. I am also certain that the topic was breached with the most amount of class possible. The primary goal of the show, I gather, was to get couples to enhance their relationships by enhancing their sex lives. This is a good thing. I am just a little shocked that it became a topic on an afternoon television show watched by adult women - dare I even say - most of which are middle-aged and older women, who seem to always be preaching about subtlety.
I also wonder, if there was a show like this catered to men and their toys, would it be considered as acceptable for daytime television?
Thoughts? Comments?
Posted by Amy Poszywak at 12:38 AM. Filed under: Relationships •
