Liberation through consumption? How vibrator brands construct female sexuality in a postfeminist framework

This article examines how vibrator brands use empowerment rhetoric to construct discourses on female masturbation. Through a discussion of 11 popular brand websites, it explores portrayals of the ‘ideal’ woman, positioning masturbation within neoliberal and postfeminist frameworks, and promoting consumerism as emancipation. It highlights exclusionary portrayals catering to young, able-bodied, white women, analysing commodified sexual liberation and systemic power dynamics, drawing from Michel Foucault's concept of biopower, which uses normativity for control. Findings show that brands claim liberation but reinforce norms, framing sexual freedom through consumption. This research calls for rethinking sexual liberation beyond consumerist narratives.