Paisley Gilmour

For those who support the rights of dancers to earn a living however they damn well please, strip clubs have been a grey area, often thought of as dingy places that use female performers to reel in punters before rinsing them of their cash. The strip-club scene hasn’t got the best of reps but in London that’s changing. Take 23 Paul Street, which is the first in what looks set to be a new wave of ethical houses of striptease. As well as creating a safe space for LGBT+ guests, it’s challenging the unequal and unfair ways that clubs have always been run. ‘Our ultimate aim is to create an environment for our performers that’s safe, fun and non-exploitative,’ says club spokesperson Jake Hall. ‘Our dancer liaison maintains consistent communication with the performers and is always on call so performers can flag concerns for her to raise with management.’ Some mainstream clubs are known to fine workers who call in sick, which promotes a culture of fear. ‘We understand performers can have extenuating circumstances, so ours can have time off whenever they need to ensure their emotional wellbeing,’ Jake says. Dancer Sophie says, ‘It makes for more of a humanising atmosphere.’ And her co-worker Louise agrees, ‘The women really are in control here, and that’s a powerful atmosphere to create and entertain in.’ Licensing became a lot more expensive after anti-sex worker campaigners fought for more restrictions on strip clubs. In return, many clubs started charging extortionate ‘house fees’

Now, instead of peeling back a sticky velvet curtain and trudging down into a basement to buy a vibrator, a new wave of queer-friendly and female-owned shops is making the experience an absolute pleasure. The city’s saucy stores have had a major glow-up Sh! (above) Enter this Shoreditch store through the coffee shop next door and you’ll be greeted by a rainbow of silicone dildos, all handmade on site. The city’s first female-focused sex shop stocks toys that people with vaginas actually want – and also caters for queer and trans customers. The adult sex-ed classes are a riot, too. 31-35 Pitfield St. Old St tube.   View this post on Instagram A post shared by atsukokudolatex (@atsukokudolatex) on Jul 3, 2017 at 12:37pm PDT Atsuko Kudo Whether you’re after a special outfit for a sex party, fetish club or your own bedroom, designer Atsuko Kudo, who creates couture latex for women and gender non-conforming people of all sizes and tastes, can sort you out. Choose from one of her plain or patterned catsuits, uniforms, mini dresses or chokers, or order a bespoke outfit. 64 Holloway Rd. Highbury & Islington tube. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Clonezone SOHO (@clonezonesoho) on Dec 21, 2018 at 11:46am PST Clonezone Traditionally for cisgender gay men, Clonezone now stocks vaginal and clitoral toys, and revolutionary new trans masturbator The Buck Off. Staffed by queer people and always supporting LGBT+ charities and events, it’s part of

Once thought of as an exclusively lesbian sex act, strap-on play – or pegging, if we’re talking about a woman or someone with a vagina anally penetrating a person who may, or may not, have a penis – has become more mainstream than ever in the past year. To match London’s newfound enthusiasm for what’s being dubbed ‘strap-on season’, new educational workshops aimed at people of all sexualities and gender identities popped up. And they’re selling out… fast. But why? ‘Gender and sexuality is becoming more fluid – and about time, too! Women want to explore their dominant side or be the giver occasionally,’ says Renée Denyer, senior store manager at Sh!. ‘And, the prostate (known as the ‘male G-spot’) is finally getting the attention it deserves. Men are wanting to learn more about their full pleasure potential; prostate stimulation can make a man multi-orgasmic so it’s definitely worth exploring!’ Sh!’s Strap On & Pegging class for women and couples on February 20 will teach you how to use a strap-on with ‘style and panache’. And, hosted by Miss England at Coco de Mer, Backdoor Bliss: An Anal Masterclass on April 11 and May 30 will run through everything you need to know to prepare for anal play.  Discover 14 more ways sex in London is changing

While attitudes towards female pleasure are generally more positive and accepting, mainstream sex parties remain very male-focused. But a new wave of events are providing a safe space for women and non-binary people to explore their sexuality away from the male gaze. We talk to the organisers. Jessica Parker Founder and host of Lady Liquid Love by Pleasure Island Parties. It’s a ‘guided touch tour’ exclusively for women (including trans and non-binary folk) that was founded in 2017. ‘As a sexological bodyworker, I run Lady Liquid Love as a safe space where women are given permission to explore sensuality. It’s a collective journey exploring playfulness and skin-to-skin contact using warm olive oil. One woman told me that it felt immensely tender and loving and that there was a palpable feeling of the divine feminine energy in the room.’ Geneviève LeJeuneFounder of Skirt Club, a ‘ladies-only’ private members’ network. It holds sex parties every month and has been running since 2014. ‘I set it up for women discovering their bisexuality. With no men there’s no one there to perform for. Our 5,000 members are varied – from a 19-year-old year student to a 49-year-old mother of two who’s recently divorced. Thousands of women [have] messaged me saying, “Skirt Club changed my life. I found a part of myself I didn’t know existed.”’ Emma SayleFounder of Killing Kittens. Known for its exclusive sex parties for couples and single women, Killing Kittens was set up in 2005 and now has an o

With the wellness movement in full swing, it was only a matter of time before we realised better, regular orgasms could enrich our lives. London catered to the trend this year with a bunch of sexual pleasure workshops. Om Rupani hosts Kurious Kittens’ class Inter-Penetration, which teaches couples how to get each other off without even taking off their clothes. ‘Intimacy is in crisis,’ she says. ‘Although there’s more sex going on with hook-up and app culture, the satisfaction rate – especially among women – is dismal.’ It’s no wonder that when Londoners do orgasm, they really want to feel it. Unveil the Full Body Orgasm is a workshop showing guests how to climax throughout their entire body. This involves essential oils and meditation. Host and tantra expert Ena Xena says: ‘Women want to be more in their body, and less in their head during sex, so that they can have more fulfilled experiences.’ Colin Richards, a relationship therapist and psychosensual masseuse at Intimacy Matters, has had more than 500 women pay for him to bring them to orgasm through massage. ‘Women are reading about female ejaculation and multiple orgasms and realising it’s something they can explore without shame,’ he says. ‘They’re hearing orgasms are good for you. I think to them that justifies [seeking it out] because it’s a therapeutic service.’ For something less… hands-on, Sh! hosts Orgasmic, an event aimed at women who want to come more and come better.  Discover 14 more ways sex in London is cha