Women have been historically neglected in medicine and research, so it’s unsurprising that sufficient research has not been done on treating persistent period pain. Female sexuality and reproductive health, especially masturbation and menstruation, are still considered taboo subjects — the full anatomy of the clitoris for example, was only discovered in 1998. To help close the so-called “Gender Health Gap”, and in honor of Masturbation Month, premium sex toy brand Womanizer launched the Menstrubation Initiative ((Menstru(ation) + (Mastur)bation) at the beginning of May. This global clinical study attempts to answer the question: can orgasms reliably relieve period pain?
“The lack of studies on women’s health motivated us to take matters into our own hands. We know that a fulfilled sex life, whether solo or with another person, has many positive effects and now it’s time to expand this knowledge to menstruation and pain-relief,” says Johanna Rief, head of sexual empowerment at Womanizer. “Our products are ideal if you want to masturbate during your period because most Womanizer models aren’t inserted inside the body. This is especially helpful if people are wearing something like a menstrual cup or tampon.”
Products worth over $100,000
At the beginning of May, Womanizer announced the Menstrubation Initiative, combined with a public call for interested parties aged 18 and over to register for the study via the menstrubation.com. Within the first 24 hours, 6,000 people registered, and by the deadline on May 31st, there were nearly 20,000 registrants. People from over 100 countries signed up for a chance to participate, from Afghanistan to Uruguay.
The final 1,000 participants will be selected in a randomized procedure, and over the course of three months they will be asked to masturbate to counteract their menstrual pain and document their experience. In return, the study participants receive a Womanizer Starlet 2 (total value of approx. $80,000). In addition, they receive products from the Menstrubation Initiative’s partners Lunette (approx. $30,000) or The Female Company (approx. $10,000). — two internationally recognized companies that specialize in period products.
Finnish company Lunette is supplying menstrual cups to participants in North America, Australia, Asia, and most of Europe. Lunette has been selling menstrual cups since 2005 and are committed to both sustainability and breaking down social stigma associated with menstruation. In German-speaking countries, Womanizer is working with The Female Company, a German start-up which produces sustainable period products made of organic cotton and has attracted worldwide attention with its “Tampon Book” and international PR awards.
Premiere: The first study of its kind
The global study is being conducted by leading experts to ensure that it meets scientific standards. One such expert is American psychologist and sex therapist, Dr. Christopher Ryan Jones, who currently teaches at the University of Mainz. “We know that masturbation can have different positive effects on health and general well-being,” says Jones. “This includes pain relief from migraines and menstruation for example. While there are studies that casually document the benefits of masturbation for period pain, there have been no studies that are fully dedicated to this goal. The Menstrubation Initiative is the first global survey of its kind and will provide us with valuable results. Womanizer and their partners are truly providing an incredible opportunity by initiating a long-overdue study like this.”
