Sex toy stores in Chinese malls challenge 'desire and pleasure' taboos

Aria Zhang had been searching for the ideal location to open a store, but each time she mentioned the products she intended to sell, her applications were rejected. Despite this, the 31-year-old persevered and finally opened a sexual wellness store in a high-end shopping center in Shenzhen last October.

"My goal is not just to sell products," Ms. Zhang said, "I want to provide a space where people can physically experience and learn about the materials and functions of the products. It's a place for education and discussion." Traditionally, sex shops have been hidden in discreet corners of cities, but now, an increasing number of stores selling sexual pleasure products such as vibrators are opening in shopping centers across China.

This shift has been welcomed by customers like Stacey Shi. Although Ms. Shi had been purchasing sexual products in countries like Australia, Japan, and Thailand for years, she was still hesitant about visiting a pop-up store in Shanghai. However, her feelings changed when she walked into the Osuga store. She said the store was "very bright" and "removed the shame from the whole experience." The Chinese brand, which now has a permanent store, is reportedly one of the first sex toy shops to open in a shopping mall in China.

Ms. Shi stated that these public-facing stores are normalizing conversations about female sexuality, gender equality, and sexual health in China. Guo Jia, a lecturer in gender and cultural studies at the University of Sydney, said that traditionally, sexual pleasure devices in China were "mainly designed for men, manufactured by men, and sexualized and objectified women." However, she said that physical stores in shopping malls are changing this market. Dr. Guo added that there is also an increasing awareness of gender equality in China, and the idea of young, urban Chinese women pursuing sexual pleasure is now more easily accepted.

But she said that more work needs to be done to break existing taboos. "Sex, especially female sexuality, desire, and pleasure, is a taboo topic in China due to a lack of proper sex education in schools and families." Dr. Guo believes that sex education in Chinese schools needs to be more inclusive and open, and there should be a standardized framework for sex education. In addition to running her own store, Ms. Zhang also regularly hosts workshops and discussions for customers on sexual health and well-being. She said, "Some of the women participating in my workshops are there to improve their understanding of relationships, while others are less knowledgeable about the female anatomy." Ms. Zhang said that her most recent workshop had 120 attendees.

While there is no data on the number of sex toy stores in China, the country's adult products market has grown significantly in recent years. According to Statista, the value of China's adult products market was approximately 179 billion yuan ($39 billion) in 2023, a 6.5% increase from the previous year. This study focused primarily on products purchased online. Qichacha, a Chinese corporate information search portal, shows that there are 1 million companies in China related to adult products, with registration numbers steadily increasing over the past decade.

Yiqing Huang, a 24-year-old from Guangzhou, said she was very surprised when she visited a sex toy store for the first time. "The store was bright, and seeing other customers browsing confidently made me more confident about my own shopping," she said. Maxi Xie, a sex and relationship therapist, said that presenting products in a way that "normalizes conversations about pleasure" helps break down the "sexual shame" that has long existed in Chinese culture. He explained that this is why sexual pleasure products have traditionally been purchased online or even hidden in vending machines. "In China, there is still a prevalent 'culture of shame' surrounding sex and sexuality," Mr. Xie said, "and for many, the idea of openly discussing these topics is difficult."

While there are no specific national laws in China regarding the location of sex shops, local governments develop regulations based on cultural norms, public sensitivities, and zoning requirements. These stores typically must be located away from schools and places of cultural or religious significance, such as temples. Businesses also need to adhere to public morality standards. Although Ms. Zhang's store has been open for several months, she still faces resistance from the community. She said that recently, a child accidentally wandered into her store, and the child's parents filed a complaint with the local authorities. "The child's parents were very angry and came to my store shouting at me," she said. Following that incident, Ms. Zhang purchased more educational resources for her store. "My store added a new book on sex education for children called 'Parenting Without Embarrassment.'"