Straight men can now buy lube made with them in mind: ‘A lot of them saw it as a gay niche product’
(Deon Black/ Pexels)
Straight men are discovering that lube is for them too, thanks to a new wellness brand that’s reinventing the product for heterosexual bedrooms.
New York-based company Goodparts is founded by 28-year-old Dave Shanfield, a gay man who wants to take the stigma out of friction-free sex.
He realised the market is packed full of lubes that treat sex like a “kink or niche”, which puts boring straight men off.
“A lot of men I spoke to thought of it as a gay niche product, or just for butt stuff,” he told GQ. “Or they were quick to say ‘I don’t need lube’ or said that she should provide the lube if she wants it, which felt sort of backward to me.”
The reluctance of straight men to even consider lube isn’t helped by the fact that many bottles are plastered with “out-there names” and “muscled-up naked dudes”, depicting an image of masculinity that only a few can relate to.
Goodparts lube is for everyone (Instagram/@verygoodparts)
“There were brands that were targeting me as a gay man, but I never came across one that spoke to a more modern, less toxic version of masculinity that I could relate to — let alone a straight guy,” Shanfield said.
In contrast, Goodparts lube is described as “cool but quietly branded”, coming in subtle, ungendered bottles that are more palatable to straight customers.
While heterosexuals are hardly underserved when it comes to sex products, it’s hoped this more understated approach will finally encourage straight men to take ownership of their lubrication.
And making good sex more mainstream can only be a positive thing, Shanfield said.
“A lot of straight guys see [verbal consent] as an awkward, cautionary interruption in the natural flow of things,” he explained. “But for gay guys, it is the natural flow of things, since the roles can’t be assumed.
“Those conversations aren’t just about do you want to? but instead they go deeper: What do you want to do? What do you like? What makes you feel good?
“It feels like there is so much to learn by sharing our different experiences and perspectives with each other,” he added. “I mean, it’s not like straight people aren’t having butt sex, too.”
