Newsletter No. 55: FALL 2011

The Sensual World

In the world of sex toys lurks a category of vaguely sex-
related products that is often overlooked, and almost never
discussed. This is the world of products that we refer to as
‘sensuals’ and includes massage oils, body balms, flavoured
oils, nipple gels, chocolate body paint, and more.

As with many of the items we carry in our Queen West shop
and online, we have to carefully review all of the products
we stock to ensure that we only carry those select sex toys,
books, and DVDs that we feel contribute something positive
to the world of human sexuality. This means screening for
products that aren’t body-safe; doing in-store tests to ensure
lubricants that claim to be condom-compatible actually are;
and side-stepping products that are culturally appropriative
or just plain racist.

Adhering to and honouring our sex-positive and anti-
oppressive mandate is especially difficult when we try to find
good, healthy sensual products. Inevitably, the manufacturers
of these sorts of products exploit cultural stereotypes to
market their products (we’re pretty sure there’s no reference
to strawberry champagne sugar oil in the Kama Sutra, for
instance), use all sorts of ingredients that should never be put
inside a body, and generally violate all of the ideas we have
about what sex-positivity, sensuality, and physical connection
should be all about.

The irony is that we love these sorts of products. Massage
is such a simple and beautiful way to express affection, care,
and attraction, and flavoured balms provide a sweet excuse
to tongue down someone you love.

This month, we’re dedicating this newsletter to a whole line
of sensual items that we’re simply proud to carry in-store.

Come As You Are News

Since our inception way back in 1997, we’ve spent a lot of time
thinking and talking about what we’ve wanted our little co-
operative to look like. The one vision that has always remained
consistent is that we want our co-operative to be as co-operative
as possible. 

This month, we’ve taken a major leap forward in
becoming an even more co-operative co-operative with the
addition of the amazing Annanda DeSilva to our membership.
We’ve been graced with Annanda’s incredible presence for the
past two years and as a worker at Come As You Are she has
been a valued (and much leaned upon) member of our senior
staff, has organized another wonderful year of our Erotic Arts
and Crafts fair, curates all of our in-store art shows (and has put
on a couple of awesome art shows of her own), and lent her
creative talents to our windows and in-store merchandising.

Annanda is also one-half of our home party committee and
has brought much joy (and information) to a countless number
of brides-to-be at bachelorette parties across Toronto.
We’re so proud to have Annanda as a fellow worker-owner,
and we’re all so terribly excited to open this new chapter in the
history of Come As You Are.

September Art: Dazzleology by Annanda DeSilva
September 6th-30th . 

Opening reception September 8th, 7-9PM
Dazzleology is a mixed-media exploration of the intersections
of glamour and garbage; sequins and stare-downs; the
boudoir and the back-alley. In this exhibition, Femmes real,
imagined and somewhere in between are rendered in all their
fierce glory by artist Annanda DeSilva, gleefully perverting the
line between art and craft. This collection of old and new works
draws heavily on the power of sass, sequins and love handles.