I'm Like the Bartender of Vagina Stories

I'm like the bartender of vagina stories.

It's a hazard of my job, I guess. It's like when you discover someone is an accountant and you ply him with tax questions. Or you over share your aching bunion issues with a doctor you meet at a dinner party.

When strangers discover that I sell sex toys for a living, the floodgates open.  Unlike an accountant or doctor, I really don't mind. (I'm assuming that they do mind.) The stories are never boring and sometimes, quite entertaining.

I don't find it odd anymore when complete strangers spill their sexual experiences to me.  It's the places where their open up, that seem out of the ordinary. I expect to hear these stories at my Passion Parties, but in large public settings?

A couple of months ago, during a very large expo, I approached a booth promoting feminine hygiene products that were especially formulated for women. As I listened to the representative go through her spiel, I noticed that her inflection changed each time she spoke the word vagina. Obviously she seemed slightly uncomfortable saying the word in a public setting. Me, I can it all day long: vagina, vagina, vagina--just as Jan Brady said, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia."

Never one to shy away from vagina talk, I decided to throw out, "Did you ever think you would have to say vagina so many times when you took this job?" Apparently, that was the key to unlock her floodgates.  I filled her in about how I empower women to take control of sexual pleasure at in home parties. It was all the permission she needed.

In the middle of this huge expo hall, in the middle of an afternoon, surrounded by thousands of women, she confessed to me that once, after sex, her vagina had a very offensive odor. She had attempted to confided in a girlfriend about it, but was ostracized.

We were not alone at this little booth.  Her coworkers were standing next to her, promoting their feminine hygiene products to other passerbys. I could even reach over and touch the women at the adjoining booth. We were surrounded by strangers and yet she did not whisper her "fragrant" experience.

Most women would probably need to down a cosmo or two before confessing such a matter to a close girlfriend. Me, I get the story straight up.  I guess if I had gotten a similar response from my friend, I might be hesitant too.

I love that my career makes women (and sometimes men) comfortable enough to share their sexual questions, adventures, and mishaps with me. I listen to their stories, laugh with them, and help them feel validated. I've heard many stories in my 9+ years as a Passion Parties consultant. I don't judge. I let them know they're not alone-it's happened to others too. I think that's what puts them at ease-that it's happened to others. That they're not a freak.

Bartender of sexual mishap stories, vaginal odors, and more. That's me.

If you ever run into me, before we start talking vagina (or penises), buy me an appletini, please?