Sex toys get a gender-neutral makeover in first for queer, trans and non-binary couples

For too long, brands have marketed sex toys towards heteronormative couples or Cisgender users. Now, everyone can well and truly get their rocks off with one of the first universal sex toys. It’s about time, after all.

Japanese pleasure brand TENGA has released its first universal sex toy for queer, trans and non-binary couples, and it is soon to be available in the UK.

The TENGA UNI, available from 14 February, is reversible and anyone with a penis or clitoris can use it in any pairing partnership. The stretchy material is designed to be placed on the fingers to stimulate the clitoris. It can also be turned inside-out to be placed on the shaft of the penis. Don’t forget to use lube, of course.

“Its large, complex ridges provide an intense and enveloping sensation that is similar to oral sex, whilst it can also be used to enhance manual stimulation when using it on your fingers,” a press release for the product reads. 

There are four different variations of the toy. The Emerald has “large lateral step details [to] create a stimulating sensation as you pass over them”, and the Diamond, with diamond-shaped ridges. The Topaz also has “round details on the entire surface [for] a rolling and bouncing stimulation” and the Amethyst which features large and small square details. 

The new gender-neutral sex toy marks a new category for universal pleasure. It comes during a movement in the industry to move away from gendered wording, phallic-shaped toys and heteronormative uses. 

Data from the 2021 census in the UK confirmed that Gen Z had the highest proportion of self-identifying lesbian, gay and bisexual people. The census had issues with accurately obtaining figures on gender identity, but gender-diverse people are very much entitled to pleasure. 

This shift in the sex toy industry is hugely beneficial for all in the LGBTQ+ community to improve their sex lives and sexual liberation. 

Monica Chang, sex expert for TENGA tells PinkNews: “When it comes to couple’s toys, we can see that the focus of the design is largely made with heterosexual relationships in mind. As a result, the arousal for the partnered play is not as intense as it should be when used in a same-sex relationship. 

“The TENGA UNI is however revolutionary for the LGBTQ+ community as it is one of the first pleasure products that can be used by any gendered pairing for both penile and clitoral stimulation.”

TENGA UNI will be available from 14 February. Prices start from £6.90 for a single UNI, or £27.20 for a UNI Pack on the TENGA EU website.