The State of Play
Our purpose is clear at Coco de Mer: to shine a light on the extraordinary power, potential and importance of female pleasure and sensuality.
As pioneers in luxury lingerie and premium erotica, we aim to break taboos, spark open conversations, and promote respect for the female body. We are firm supporters of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), proudly aligned with the following:
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Goal 5: Gender equality and women’s empowerment
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Goal 12: Sustainable consumption and production
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Goal 16: Inclusive societies, justice, and accountable institutions
For us, it’s a match made in heaven. It is our pleasure and our privilege to use our platform and share our voice, to reach such an important societal shift. It's why we support the fight to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a direct disabler of female pleasure and a horrific example of abuse against women and girls.
The UN officially adopted International Women’s Day (IWD) in 1975. 50 years later, it still matters. At the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 to achieve full gender parity, according to the World Economic Forum. This year’s IWD theme, 'Accelerate Action,' urges dismantling systemic barriers to equality.
Respect for female pleasure is respect for gender equality. So let’s consider the ‘state of play’ in a little more depth, and look at the ways to drive tangible change, and pleasure, forward.
LET’S GET PHYSICAL
The case for female pleasure is fittingly plentiful. In the physiological sense alone, orgasms give the body proven pain relief, head-to-toe muscle strengthening due to climactic contractions, and are natural mood enhancers due to the oxytocin and serotonin production. On top of that, the parasympathetic nervous system is given the nod to switch off, calming the body. We feel the benefits of an orgasm, or two, in so many ways.
Then you look at the emotional benefits of women having agency over their pleasure – self-awareness, empowerment, confidence, and you see the knock-on benefits for others – the examples it sets, the connections that can be made – it really is a gift that keeps on giving.
GLOBAL PLEASURE
Let’s talk over the numbers for a moment – the tangible, economic value of pleasure…
The UK sexual wellness market – inclusive of condoms, lubricants, sex toys and erotic lingerie - is thriving, with condoms and lubricants reaching £86.8 million in 2023. The global sex toy market was valued at $35.2 billion in 2023, projected to hit $62.7 billion by 2030. Women's health is also gaining momentum, with a report by the NHS Confederation showing an additional £1 investment per woman could generate an estimated £320 million return to the economy. In 2024 this market was valued at approximately $50bn - expected to reach $53.48 billion this year.
The business case for prioritising women's health and sexual wellness is proving itself on a daily basis.
THE TECH BROS’ TABOOS
Despite progress, female sexuality remains censored. In January 2022, the Center for Intimacy Justice (CIJ) published a brilliant report, showing that 60 companies, which focused on healthcare for women and people of diverse genders, had Meta reject their ads – ads covering education, products, bladder control, breast pumps, endometriosis, fertility, menopause, pelvic pain, pregnancy, postpartum clothing, sexual consent, sexual pleasure, and urinary tract infections. Ads that included words such as “vaginal”, “vaginal health”, “menopause” and “OB/GYN” were rejected since those ads, according to the tech giant, represented “adult content” or advertised “sexual pleasure”. Half of the affected companies also found that Meta locked them out of their accounts.
In contrast, adverts for condoms, erectile dysfunction, and even premature ejaculation were approved and allowed to run. They met Meta’s advertising policy because they focused on “family planning”, not on “sexual pleasure or sexual enhancement”. So, although it is explained that you can’t advertise ‘’adult products’’, it certainly seems to focus more on female sexual wellness rather than male.
The CIJ has just released its fascinating 2025 follow-up report, which shows continued confusion.
The report finds that Amazon offers extensive search suggestions for "erectile dysfunction," yet provides none for "vaginal health" or "vaginal pain," and has removed numerous listings for essential women's health products. Google restricted the use of relatable language in advertisements for women's health issues, mandating clinical terms that are less commonly searched, thus hindering effective reach. Similarly, Meta has been found to reject ads for essential women's health products under the guise of preventing "Adult Products," while simultaneously allowing overtly sexualized ads promoting men's sexual health products.
"Our findings demand a critical examination of how algorithmic biases shape what information is accessible online, particularly regarding sexual and reproductive health for women and people of diverse genders. There is a pressing need for tech platforms to implement content moderation practices that support, rather than suppress, this essential.” -Jackie Rotman, founder and CEO of Center for Intimacy Justice
We were banned on Meta for 6 months in 2022, unable to even use our paid-for scheduling platforms. After months of investigation, it was alleged that this was due to two posts - one with a female nipple on show, another with one of our award-winning sex toys from The Pleasure Collection. Like many other like-minded, empowered brands and social media users, we adapted. We tweaked the spelling of certain words, changed a few of the ways we could be found in the algorithm, bringing our content back from the naughty chair.
But, just when we thought we had it covered – or not, so to speak – in January of this year the tech bros caught us with our knickers open…
It may seem like a light-hearted issue when erotic lingerie is in the mix, but the roots of this control are spreading. The Guardian shared a telling piece recently, stating that organisations sharing information and services related to abortion pills have reported increased "shadow-banning" on Meta's platforms, raising concerns about restricting access to essential healthcare information. Restrictions like these can have detrimental effects on women's health and societal awareness, limiting access to information and perpetuating stigmas.
NOT SO SOCIAL
Digital misogyny has real-world consequences. Violence against women is rising, deepfake pornography is proliferating, and reproductive rights are under attack. The US Global Gag Rule restricts access to abortion services, impacting maternal health and contraception worldwide.
Our piece on ‘the re-education of sex’ hosts a number of shocking findings that we won’t repeat here.
KEEP THE FAITH
There is hope. Alongside these abhorrent issues, huge progress has been made in advancing women's rights globally, driven by legislative reforms, international initiatives, and grassroots movements.
The UN’s Spotlight Initiative, feminist foreign policies becoming the norm, legislative advancements in Sierra Leone and Australia, then consider the industrial shifts caused by #MeToo and #EverydaySexism – these are no mean feats. Progress is happening in ways that will far outlast certain tenures.
ACCELERATING ACTION
We know the pleasure that’s at stake, and the impact it can have. We also know that we aren’t in an echo chamber – pleasure seekers are plentiful. So, what can we do?
1 - Financial empowerment - reduces dependency on others, fosters independence, and increases women’s contributions to the economy.
2 – Health empowerment - ensures access to quality healthcare, reducing maternal and infant mortality rates. It encourages awareness and prevention of diseases including HPV, cervical cancer and reproductive health issues. It improves mental health by reducing stress from financial struggles and gender-based violence, including FGM.
3 – Academic empowerment - extends the career ladder through the glass ceiling. It enhances critical thinking, decision-making and leadership skills, opening more opportunities for higher-paying roles and career advancement, leading to an increase of well-informed women in places of policymaking and leadership.
4 – Self exploration and sexual empowerment – the deepest leverage of all.
We can’t say this enough: pleasure is power. Knowing your body, understanding your pleasure and prioritising your experience not only makes the journey of life infinitely more enjoyable, but it breeds an agency like no other. Confidence, independence, curiosity… It’s a magical world of self-discovery. Consent and boundaries are both stronger as a result, encouraging healthier, more equal experiences with partners.
Putting this at the forefront of the re-education normalises the female experience and celebrates the nuances, whilst subsequently improving health empowerment, family wellbeing and gender equality in its most primitive state.
By embracing the female experience, we can increase awareness and understanding of atrocities such as FGM, considering the impacts for all when it comes to both health and intimacy implications. By normalising the equal importance of the female experience, it sets the example for girls, women, boys and men alike - safeguarding the human experience and the standards of living across generations on a global scale.
LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD
The female experience is a universe. It’s not just about sex or our bodies – far from it. We know and adore the myriad of the female experience – it’s why we work on all-female sets, with an all-female company – we can do so much and be so many aspects of ourselves at any one time – multi-tasking at its finest.
At its core, bodily autonomy is a fundamental right. Change isn’t solely women’s responsibility - it’s on everyone. There is so much power in pleasure. Enjoying it together is part of the joy.
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