his & hers

his & hers

A healthy sex life isn’t reserved for any one gender—so why is it harder for women to have one? We size up the past, present and future of sexual health

In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Pure Food and Drug Act into law, leading to the creation of the FDA. The goal was to better protect public health, but the agency would go on to disregard half the U.S. population in clinical studies for the next 87 years, until finally changing its guidelines in 1993 to encourage researchers to include both sexes. The result? Decades of medical advancements based on male bodies.

Can’t get it up? We have pills for that. Coming too soon? Not at all? The best scientists have been addressing men’s bedroom woes for decades. Meanwhile, women’s sexual health has received a fraction of the attention, perhaps because policy makers don’t understand the terminology: Mention women’s sexual health and you’ll likely hear more about abortion than orgasms.

In reality, women’s sexual health includes everything from low sexual desire to the inability to climax. But few of these issues have attracted scientific innovation and advertising dollars on the scale of erectile dysfunction. This gap will widen next April, when generic ED pills are expected to flood the market after Pfizer’s 2002 patent for Viagra expires.

Female reproductive health is also suffering. In February, the Trump administration issued its Title X “gag rule,” which bars clinics that provide abortion services from receiving federal funds. A federal judge blocked the new regulation in April, but its future remains uncertain, and clinics that treat STDs and provide family-planning services, such as Planned Parenthood, could still face closure. The fate of the Affordable Care Act (and with it, access to affordable birth control) remains in jeopardy as long as Republicans control the White House and the Senate.

There is some good news: The cultural boom in self-care and the business boom in Big Pharma–free health could help level the field for women’s sexual wellness. Better news: The booms are piquing the interest of men, who increasingly want to have more control in managing their health. For example, according to a March 2019 online poll conducted by Playboy, when it comes to male birth control, a majority of male respondents reported being interested in using methods other than condoms.

As the government continues to play a role in regulating—ahem, protecting— our bodies, we wanted to chart the current gaps in sexual health and take a look ahead. Consider it a remedial course in sexual education.

FORECASTING THE FUTURE OF SEX

2019

On top of unveiling the Title X “domestic gag rule” in February, the Trump administration proposed earmarking $75 million for the 2020 fiscal year to support abstinence-only sex-ed programs.

2020

Democrats vying for the White House are expected to campaign on repealing the 43-year-old Hyde Amendment, which forbids the federal government from funding abortion services except in very narrow circumstances.

2023

The global market for erectile-dysfunction treatments is projected to reach $4.25 billion by 2023, in part due to reduced stigma and wider use of telemedicine.

2025

Research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan predicts that the women’s health and technology trade (dubbed “femtech”) could balloon to a $50 billion industry by 2025.

2026

The global sexual-wellness market is projected to grow to $123 billion by 2026, partly due to NGOs’ continued promotion of contraceptive use to prevent HIV and other STDs around the world.

KEEP IT UP

As self-affirmation memes and ads for designer vibrators, cannabis lubes and sexperts take over social media (have you visited the Explore tab of your Instagram lately?), internet companies are innovating where government has stagnated. They’re also advocating a holistic approach to sexual health—aligning the mind and body to achieve a better libido—which has resulted in a market predicted to grow by billions in the next decade. Here are three companies making big waves in the new business of pleasure, plus a preview of Playboy’s foray into the market, set to hit stores this summer.

Hims/Hers

These smartly art-directed subscription services are redefining self-care for men and women. Offering hair growth and anti-aging regimens for both sexes, Hims-branded sildenafil for men, and prescriptions for birth control (in rainbow packaging), Addyi and propranolol—a non-FDA-approved option for performance anxiety—for women, the company uses telemedicine to connect consumers to physicians and monthly plans.

Roman

Co-founded in 2017 by erectile-dysfunction sufferer Zachariah Reitano, Roman offers personalized treatments for sexual dysfunction, hair loss, genital herpes and even nicotine addiction. Each program is uploaded to an app that monitors users’ progress. The Morning Glory app, for example, tracks the frequency of morning erections—a method Roman claims can be helpful in determining a patient’s needs.

Goop

Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand has been doling out expertise on beauty, fashion, food and travel since 2008, but more recently the company, reportedly worth $250 million, has become famous for its quirky sex-based product reviews. With the option to buy straight from the website, readers can shop an array of sex toys, from the Vesper Vibrator necklace ($149) to the Sado-Chic Chain set ($1,500), alongside yoga pants and rice cookers.

Playboy Wellness

The Rabbit knows about rising to the occasion, which is why we’ve partnered with a leading producer to create two daily supplements for men to increase libido, decrease sexual anxiety and promote skin, hair and nail health. Hitting Vitamin Shoppe in July are our Legendary Sexual Wellness Support and our Testosterone Booster; both use nutraceutical formulas of amino acids, vitamins and antioxidants to jump-start the body.