Sex, Sex toys, masturbation and such surrounding spheres are difficult to research due to the lack of studies in the field. This does give sex mysterious connotations, although it probably just illustrates the western world's prudishness imposed and enforced predominantly by the Christian church; who's view was to only do 'it' to reproduce and only with your marital spouse. This theme re-occurs through out the bible, strengthening the perspective. Even Mary didn't have sex to reproduce!

However attitudes did start to change as ideas changed. Charles Darwin shook Christianity with his theory of evolution. He cut God out of the equation claiming that humans derived from apes. Evolving through phases - we later discovered these as fossils. (Homo Habilis being particularly interesting being the tool maker! how appropriate?) Therefore Darwin stated that we were indeed not children of God but animals, although on an intelligent scale but still with innate animal characteristics.

Soon after Sigmund Freud's out-burst of sexually orientated child development theory leaned on the view that we were in fact animals motivated by three innate basic life preservation instincts - food, warmth and the need to reproduce.

These theories had well to do Victorian middle class men engaged in hunting, shooting and fishing as they went back to their caveman roots.

Similarly these men were going from cave to cave impregnating any willing female (despite wide spread deterrents against anything other than marital sex for reproducing - i.e. - masturbation allegedly causing blindness, insanity, heart disease amongst other ailments; and oral sex causing cancer) - Thus prostitution was rife. Which may have been contributed to by Darwin and Freud's theories which tend to excuse us from such behaviours. Although having a mistress or using the services of a loose woman (so called due to the slack lacing up of her corset to save time whilst working) it may also have been tolerated due to the old double standards - those activities are acceptable for men and not for women.

Only a couple of decades later in post war Britain during the 20's, sexual liberation was emerging, paving the way for the liberated 60's. A time of hippies, youth culture, women's independence, drugs, free love and the contraceptive pill - enabling women too have pre-marital sex; sexually experiment and explore and to enjoy sex without the fear of unwanted pregnancy.

Since then despite the threat of AIDS, sexual liberation is still evolving in the way of previously hidden sexual practices becoming more accepted and public - i.e. - swinging, wife swapping, transvestism and sadomasochism. Society's changing attitudes and acceptance of these activities is portrayed in the media.

Sex liberation and evolving ideas within this sphere has also made sex toys less of a taboo, this is illustrated with the appearance of sex shops arriving on the High Street - i.e. - Anne Summers. And yet the contents of these shops are not such a new innovation.

The Kama Sutra for example has been around for hundreds of years. Written between 100 and 400 AD for the nobility of India. Contrary to popular belief it contains more than just unusual sex positions, but additionally includes mood setting, sensual touch, embrace, kissing, foreplay and afterplay (well worth a read by those wham bam types!) Therefore the Kama Sutra indicates the importance that the people who used it placed on good lovemaking.

The Kama Sutra also encompasses the use of sensual smelling oils, aromas, bathing products and massage implements and techniques which very often are available in sex shops.

The ancient Greeks claim the rights to the first recorded reference to the 'dildo', which at that time went under the name of olisbos. Trading merchants are said to have sold these crude; wood, stone or leather hand crafted objects to single and lonely women, who used olive oil as a lubricant. On their journey west, the olisbos was renamed, and it is commonly believed that dildo derives for the Italian word diletto, to delight. Back home, rubber dildos were introduced around 1850, to delight the English.

Also during the Victorian era, vibrations were causing ripples and the development of the vibrator.

At this time female hysteria was treated with a vibrating device on the females genitalia. Treatment was completed after the point of paroxysm - orgasm.

Its thought that during this period of time that women were not seen as sexual creatures, but maybe someone saw the treatment for hysteria and thought otherwise, because in the late 19th century, when electric was becoming more wide spread vibrators began appearing. Although, only to doctors primarily for the treatment of patients. However, In 1918 vibrators were being advertised in magazines, still masquerading as health therapy for hysterical women. Yet in 1921, the magazine advertisements were suggesting that husbands should buy a 'massager' for their wife to keep her healthy young and beautiful. This shows a change in direction for the usage of the vibrator in that, its not just a healing aid but an ideal gift, and bringing the husband into the picture may give off notions that it is for pleasure together as a couple.

But during the 1920s, early blue movies showed women using the devices not for their camouflaged purpose but for sexual stimulation. Early pornography stripped vibrators of their social camouflage, and by 1930, they were no longer openly advertised.

Although the swinging sixties helped in the recovery of the vibrating device, and since then changing social attitudes towards vibrator has evoked a large demanding market, not only for vibrators but other sex toys. A wide variety of toys and tools can easily be found and obtained, especially with the introduction of the Internet.

Thank God for evolution, both human evolution and the sex toy kind! And God blesses vibrators everywhere; where ever you are!