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‘Synced as a couple’: Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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‘Synced as a couple’: Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex. / Pym, Tinonee; James, Alexandra; Waling, Andrea et al.
In: Sexualities, Vol. 28, No. 3, 31.03.2025, p. 897-915.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Pym, T, James, A, Waling, A, Power, J & Dowsett, GW 2025, '‘Synced as a couple’: Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex', Sexualities, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 897-915. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231218832

APA

Pym, T., James, A., Waling, A., Power, J., & Dowsett, G. W. (2025). ‘Synced as a couple’: Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex. Sexualities, 28(3), 897-915. https://doi.org/10.1177/13634607231218832

Vancouver

Pym T, James A, Waling A, Power J, Dowsett GW. ‘Synced as a couple’: Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex. Sexualities. 2025 Mar 31;28(3):897-915. Epub 2023 Nov 25. doi: 10.1177/13634607231218832

Author

Pym, Tinonee ; James, Alexandra ; Waling, Andrea et al. / ‘Synced as a couple’ : Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex. In: Sexualities. 2025 ; Vol. 28, No. 3. pp. 897-915.

Bibtex

@article{1a32551a28a945f6a0595c10d0962dba,
title = "{\textquoteleft}Synced as a couple{\textquoteright}: Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex",
abstract = "While most research on digital sex toys to date has focussed on their affordances and marketing, or issues of data governance and privacy, research on user experience is limited. This article centres the accounts of 11 interviewees who used digital sex devices within mostly heterosexual relations, and often for remote partnered sex. We demonstrate how digital sex toys offer creative potential and possibilities for sexual pleasure and connection, and explore to what extent this challenges normative gendered dynamics and expectations of heterosex. We conclude that digital sex devices operate as allies with which users navigate and continually re-make heterosexual sex.",
keywords = "Gender, heterosexuality, sex tech, sex toys, wireless",
author = "Tinonee Pym and Alexandra James and Andrea Waling and Jennifer Power and Dowsett, {Gary W}",
year = "2025",
month = mar,
day = "31",
doi = "10.1177/13634607231218832",
language = "English",
volume = "28",
pages = "897--915",
journal = "Sexualities",
issn = "1363-4607",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",
number = "3",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - ‘Synced as a couple’

T2 - Responsibility, control and connection in accounts of using wireless sex devices during heterosex

AU - Pym, Tinonee

AU - James, Alexandra

AU - Waling, Andrea

AU - Power, Jennifer

AU - Dowsett, Gary W

PY - 2025/3/31

Y1 - 2025/3/31

N2 - While most research on digital sex toys to date has focussed on their affordances and marketing, or issues of data governance and privacy, research on user experience is limited. This article centres the accounts of 11 interviewees who used digital sex devices within mostly heterosexual relations, and often for remote partnered sex. We demonstrate how digital sex toys offer creative potential and possibilities for sexual pleasure and connection, and explore to what extent this challenges normative gendered dynamics and expectations of heterosex. We conclude that digital sex devices operate as allies with which users navigate and continually re-make heterosexual sex.

AB - While most research on digital sex toys to date has focussed on their affordances and marketing, or issues of data governance and privacy, research on user experience is limited. This article centres the accounts of 11 interviewees who used digital sex devices within mostly heterosexual relations, and often for remote partnered sex. We demonstrate how digital sex toys offer creative potential and possibilities for sexual pleasure and connection, and explore to what extent this challenges normative gendered dynamics and expectations of heterosex. We conclude that digital sex devices operate as allies with which users navigate and continually re-make heterosexual sex.

KW - Gender

KW - heterosexuality

KW - sex tech

KW - sex toys

KW - wireless

U2 - 10.1177/13634607231218832

DO - 10.1177/13634607231218832

M3 - Journal article

VL - 28

SP - 897

EP - 915

JO - Sexualities

JF - Sexualities

SN - 1363-4607

IS - 3

ER -