In Rachel P. Maines’s mind-blowing book The Technology of Orgasm, (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001), she explores how doctors in the 19th century invented early vibrators as tools to treat “female hysteria”—a vague diagnosis that included everything from anxiety to “talking too much.”

Because the medical establishment didn’t consider women capable of sexual pleasure, they diagnosed sexual frustration as “hysteria” (a term listed in medical dictionaries well into the 1950s). To treat “hysteria,” physicians would perform what they called “pelvic massages” on women to produce “hysterical paroxysms”—obviously these were orgasms.

It wasn’t supposed to be sexual - just a clean, medical solution to ease the burdens of femininity. What is most disturbing is the lack of consent or autonomy afforded to women in these situations - women weren’t encouraged to know their bodies. Their pleasure was considered a pathology that had to be treated by a professional. A tired, busy professional no less -- this is where the technology comes in.

Eventually, doctors got tired of how long these sessions took, and thus, the electric vibrator was born. The first models showed up in the late 1800s—huge, buzzing devices that predated the vacuum cleaner in home use.

Even now, women's pleasure is often a side note—or worse, a joke. Yet the female orgasm can cure a host of ills: menstrual cramps, nausea, muscle spasms, all kinds of pain, and anxiety, to name a few. And that's just for the woman having the orgasm, to say nothing of the person helping her achieve it! Of course, women can achieve orgasm solo, and for that we do have some wonderful technology to assist us now. Despite the dark side of the history of vibrators, don't you dare think I'm not happy to have one.

Class dismissed. For now.

Please note: This article contains affiliate links for the vibrators I swear by. See my privacy policy here. Thank you for your support xo Hazel.

I use the Lovense Ambi on cam (shown) and highly recommend the Lelo Elise for extended play.