Girl on the Net

I’m excited to welcome today’s guest blogger – the fabulous Quinn Rhodes from On Queer Street (who you can support on Patreon here!). Ze’s a fantastic sex blogger, who has written a beautiful guest blog for me here before on discovering hir sexuality. Today ze’s back with a new discovery or three. Do you remember your first time in a sex shop? Quinn’s here to tell you about hirs, and how visiting a Glasgow sex shop led hir to discover hir love for a few new things…

My first time in a sex shop (or: I fell in love three times)

The first time I went to a sex shop I fell in love. But of course, being an ethical polyamorous slut, I didn’t fall in love just once: I fell in love at least three times that day.

The first time I fell in love that day, it was with Luke and Jack.

Luke and Jack is a brilliant, queer-friendly sex shop in Glasgow. Imagine the name being said in a rough, sexy Scottish accent – “look and jack (off)”.

Walking into the shop, I felt more nervous than I’ve been on most dates (OK, only more nervous than dates when I didn’t already have a vibrator strapped to my cunt). I was still coming into my identity as a sexually active person, and it took a huge amount of courage for me to walk into a sex shop.

And honestly? I mostly I did it so I could tweet about it. Still finding my feet as a sex blogger, I was having so much fun writing about my kinks and fantasies, but possibly even more fun was finding a place in the sex blogging community. I think a Twitter friend (who I’ve since met in person and watched give excellent blow jobs) had mentioned Luke and Jack to me, and an internet search showed me that a day of Christmas shopping had left me only a few minutes’ walk from the adult boutique.

My first time in a sex shop was a little overwhelming. It was a terrifying yet exhilarating, and felt exhibitionist in a way that even adventures in sex clubs since then haven’t felt. There’s nothing shameful about being in a sex shop, but to me it felt dirty – in a very good way. The shelves were filled with dildos and butt plugs, lingerie and jock straps, restraints and clitoral clamps… my mind spun with depraved ideas of how I could use them – or more accurately how they could be used on me. I wanted to share those ideas…

My second time in a sex shop

Only a few weeks later, I took my then-fuck-buddy to Luke and Jack. By then I was comfortable with the idea of going into a sex shop, but he was distinctly less so. My own excitement was bouncing off the walls and I did my best to help him relax. Whispering filthy stories to him as I showed him some of the toys I liked – and described how I’d like him to use them on me – turned out to be great fun for both of us. We left with a spider gag, which we put to excellent use that evening.

I’ve been back there a lot since. I’ve bought a butt plug with a fluffy rabbit tail, and I’ve purchased Valentine’s Day cards for play partners and sex blogging friends. I picked up a large bottle of lube there after a sex adventure taught me how good quality lube can improve an everyday wank. I bought a collar there after a dominant fuck-buddy had put one on me during our play the night before for the first time, because it felt important to own this symbol of my submission myself. It’s the purchase I made on my first time in the shop, however, that’s my favourite.

You see, the second time I fell in love that day, it was with my Doxy.

It was December, only a little after I’d started sex blogging, but even in that short time I had heard amazing things about the Doxy – including from Girl on the Net herself. While I recognised quite a few of the toys in Luke and Jack that day – including Satisfyer and Rocks-Off vibrators – it was the Doxy that I really wanted to try out.

I approached it with awe, almost scared to pick up the demo Doxy that was on the shelf. My enthusiasm for the Doxy overcame my blushing shyness, and I asked the sales assistant in the shop if I could turn the toy on. I picked it up to try it out – then I looked at the price and hastily put it down. I did another round of the shop, lingering over the kink gear (especially the spreader bar) but I couldn’t stop thinking about the Doxy and ended up wandering back over to it.

It was my first time in a sex shop, but even I should still have known better than doing what I did next. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the correct etiquette isn’t to put the test-out-this-awesome-vibrator-in-the-shop Doxy against one’s crotch. I turned it on and had to bite back a moan – even through my jeans it was incredibly powerful. So much so that I decided to buy this masturbation-changing wand as an early Christmas present for myself.

Later at home, I carefully unwrapped my Doxy and then unceremoniously threw myself on top of it for a wank. I can’t remember if I came the first time I used it, but it has totally changed the way I jerk off and my relationship with my body and my orgasms. As I left the shop, I was already imagining how good it would feel to grind my cunt into the Doxy’s rumbling head.

The third time I fell in love that day, it was with how I felt walking through the streets of Glasgow with a shiny new sex toy in my bag. Nowadays it’s perfectly normal to find me with a butt plug in my pocket, with a pegging kit in my bag, or wearing bracelets that can be easily turned into bondage cuffs. That day, though, was my first time in a sex shop, and was one of the first steps towards me becoming the sex-positive, ethical slut that I am today.

I need to go back to Luke and Jack soon, if only so I can purchase and then tweet about my “brand spanking new” paddle in a very literal way.

Note from GOTN – this post contains a few affiliate links (which means if you buy through them a small cut of the money goes to Quinn or I to help keep our respective sites running). None of the shops mentioned in this piece have paid to be here, though – these are all Quinn’s genuine suggestions/recommendations. Though I will also chuck my hat in the ring to recommend Luke and Jack: if you’re in Glasgow, do drop in and say hello – these excellent people have always been supportive of the sex blogging community, and would be delighted to help you fall in love with some toys of your own.