Come for a Cause

Come for a Cause and Support Young Women With Breast Cancer

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:05:00 GMT

Two years ago, Babeland developed a partnership with Young Survival Coalition, a national organization dedicated to the unique needs of women under the age of 40 with breast cancer. YSC's work is critical becasue breast cancer is particularly deadly for this age group and women under the age of 40 face different issues dealing with breast cancer than older women. Since Babeland has special events and resources for women who are dealing with cancer, it made so much sense for us to work together. And when we asked, you responded, too. Babeland customers have eagerly contributed to our fundraising efforts with more than $5,000 raised in just the last year!
We've hosted events for YSC members, too, that offered support, encouragement and tips for women undergoing cancer treatment and dealing with the aftermath of chemotherapy and surgery. Treatment is necessarily focused on erradicating the disease and a woman's other needs are neglected. Body image, libido, and responsiveness can all be affected and we've found it incredibly meaningful to address these issues and offer hope to so many women.
Pink October is almost over for another year, but you can still support Young Survival Coalition's important work. Through the end of the year, Babeland will continue to donate 10% of the sales of the Power to the Pink Kit, the Babeland Buzz vibe-Pink, and Sliquid Pink Lemonade lube to YSC. This effort is generously co-sponsored by two of our wonderful vendors, too, Sliquid and Vibratex. Giving feels good when you come for a cause.

Climate Ride Day 2: From Redwood Forests to the Beach

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:05:00 GMT

Two Babeland Sex Educators who work in our Seattle store, Ashley Allen and Megan Collier, started out on a 300-mile cycling adventure on Sunday, September 9th as part of Climate Ride, to raise money and awareness for bike advocacy and environmental causes. They are cycling down the California Coast and will arrive in San Francisco on Friday. On Monday, Ashley and Megan rode through Mendocio and were met by Babeland's Marketing Director, Anne. Here's Anne's recap of their highlights so far.

I just got back from seeing our riders, it was so fun! I arrived just as they were biking in from their second day. They’re having a great time, the ride is arduous, but their fellow bikers are kind and encouraging.

Their second day took them through the Avenue of the Giants and the mammoth coastal redwoods. They cracked that they were tempted to stop and take photos of the trees, but if they stopped every time they saw a tree named ‘giant’ or ‘biggest’ they would never have made it to their destination. They were both pleased to have conquered Leggett Hill, which had them climbing 1,000 feet for an overall elevation of nearly 2,000 feet (the highest peak on their route)!

Ashley said a woman asked her if she’d be receptive to some tips on tackling the hill and advised that rather than hunching over the bike and bearing down, you should straighten your torso, which worked well for her and helped with the soreness in her shoulders. I told her this gentle advice reminded me of the way Babeland dispenses sex advice (encouraging and non-intrusive, but sage), and the time that years ago someone told me to breath into your orgasm rather than holding your breath. We had a good laugh over that.

The second part of the day took them along the rugged coast highway, all curves and hills, on a spectacular sunny day and they ended up at Caspar Beach where I met them and treated them to ice cream and a beer overlooking the Pacific Coast on a beautiful day.

They both said the first day was the hardest, but that they feel good physically. Tomorrow they have the option of riding 100 miles (the century ride they call it), and Megan is going for it. They’re blown away by the beauty on the ride.

They said other riders are asking them about Babeland and they’re either very positive or stunned into silence. A gourmet chef has accompanied them so the food’s great, and they get speakers every night before they drop from fatigue. Tomorrow they get up for breakfast at 5:30am! They’re both so happy to be doing this and said they’d do Climate Ride East in a heartbeat!

The Countdown to Our 300-Mile Bike Ride for Sustainable Energy and Bike Advocacy

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:25:00 GMT

On September 9th, two Babeland Sex Educators from Seattle, Megan Collier and Ashley Allen, will start a five-day bike ride down the California Coast as part of Climate Ride to raise money for sustainable energy solutions and bike advocacy. Megan Collier shares an account of preaparing for the ride here.

Team Babeland jerseys have arrived! Ashley and I donned our bright pink jerseys as soon as they showed up. We're ready for Climate Ride! I’ve been sporting mine on a few rides around Seattle already. I love the knowing looks and smiles from people as they see the familiar Babeland logo. I feel like I should stash some lubettes and condoms in my jersey pockets to distribute to the masses and share the Babeland joy!

Things are coming together as we prepare for the start of Climate Ride this week. Our bikes have already been shipped to San Francisco so training in Seattle has slowed down. In lieu of my road bike, I’ve been riding my fixed gear bicycle, a snazzy little Bridgestone frame that I named Buffy (I’ve gotten in touch with my inner nerd and chosen to name my bikes after badass, female sci-fi heroes). It is such a drastically different bike, but so much fun to ride! Fixies are bikes at their simplest- no changing gears and no coasting, so every motion of your legs translates to the speed and movement of the bike. The bike really feels like an extension of my body. I’ve had to slow down on the number of miles I’ve been riding, but still getting my training in by powering up these Seattle hills.

The ride begins on Sunday and I’m so looking forward to this fantastic opportunity. It has already been an amazing experience challenging myself with training and increasing the number of miles I’ve been able to do on my bike. I feel empowered to go further, explore new surroundings, and share my love of cycling with others. I’m already developing plans for my next bike tour. In addition, the upcoming ride has inspired many great conversations about the Climate Ride mission, bicycle advocacy, and how we can each take steps to reduce our carbon footprint. I believe opening up this dialogue is a great first step to working towards these changes together.

You can still donate to the cause and support Team Babeland in Climate Ride! We’ve raised almost $5,000 and we’d love to get that number higher. Sales from several eco-friendly toys, including the Solar Bullet Vibrator, the Eco-Sexy Kit, and the Babeland Eco-Tote Bag, benefit Climate Ride or you can donate directly on our fundraising pages.

Training for Climate Ride and Connecting with Summer's Glory

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:15:00 GMT

Summertime in Seattle is a prolonged flash of bright, natural light. Like an old timey camera, where you position yourself, anticipate the high pitched whirl and wait for the blinding light to temporarily fill the room. This is how many Seattlites feel—this panicked need to fill a single moment with everything they spent dreaming about during the long months of darkness and dampness. When I signed up for Climate Ride, the Seattle summer was just on the horizon. I looked at my current bike, my lovable but not touring-practical single speed, and knew that it would be a challenge, but at least it would all be done in that flash of rare Seattle sun.

I opted in for Babeland's Climate Ride Team in mid-May, alongside my amazing co-worker, Megan. In the months since then, I took a trip home to the South, moved to a new house across town in Seattle and went on a serious bike purchasing expedition where I met my new Jamis Satellite. My training to cycle 300 miles over 5 days has been a myriad of activities, including weight training at the gym, running and of course, biking.

Highlights from my rides so far cover so many things, such as crossing Portland’s famous Broadway Bridge at sunset and stopping to see a mother duck and her ducklings cross the Willamette River. Another was just the other day, when a friend and I biked about twenty miles from Seattle to Woodinville; the heat index was above 90 degrees at one point as we sweated our way along the beautiful Burke Gilman Trail. On the way home at dusk, we stopped at Matthew's Beach Park to watch the sky have its final moments of light. Moments like these are one of the biggest reasons why I love biking and why I want to advocate for bicycles as sustainable modes of transportation for more people. Biking is a new way to see a city, to experience your neighborhood and interact with the world around you. I have seen, heard and had more moments biking in the past year than I remember experiencing in my first 7+ years of living in the Pacific Northwest and using my car as my main mode of transportation.

I still have some long rides to conquer before I head out in September for the big ride down the Northern California Coast. Many more moments, both of challenging training days and the wonderful feeling of well-earned soreness the next day-but it is the anticipation and collection of these moments that inspires me and pedals me forward.
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Two Babeland Sex Educators are riding 300 miles in September as part of Climate Ride. You can support Team Babeland by logging in directly to their fundraising pages, donating in a store in NYC or Seattle, or buying one of Babeland's eco-friendly toys that are in our Come for a Cause section.

Sex Tips From a Cyclist

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 23:55:00 GMT

On September 9th, two Babeland Sex Educators from Seattle, Megan Collier and Ashley Allen, will embark on Climate Ride, a 300 mile bike ride down the California Coast to raise awareness about bike advocacy and sustainable energy solutions. Babeland is sponsoring their participation in Climate Ride becasue we believe that environmental issues need our urgent attention and we're so proud to support Megan and Ashley on this journey. Want to help? Donate directly to Climate Ride on Ashley or Megan's fundraising pages or purchase one of our Come for a Cause products and Babeland will donate a portion of the sale to Climate Ride. Enjoy the Eco-Sexy Kit, the Solar Bullet Vibrator, or the Babeland Eco-Tote.

In addition to being great for the environment (which is sexy in its own right), here are five ways that Megan (pictured at right) wants to highlight in which biking can be great for your sex life:

It makes you feel good about your body- Your brain is your most important sex organ.Getting out there on a bike can help make you feel great about your body, more desirable, and sexy. If you feel positive about yourself and your body, you can transfer those good vibes into your sex life.
Tighten up that core- Cycling is great for working out your core muscles. Tone your abs and PC muscles to help promote stronger erections and increase blood flow to your sexy parts.
Improve your endurance- Trekking around the city and increasing miles, my strength and endurance has improved immensely. With these hot summer nights, cycling is a great way to up your endurance and keep the fun going long after the sun goes down.
Flexibility- Been wanting to try out that complicated position? Cycling can help you improve your flexibility and limber up your muscles. So get riding that bicycle, flex those muscles, and before you know it, you can try that new G-spot position you’ve been fantasizing about.
Tone up your bum for a good spanking- We all know Fifty Shades of Grey fever has everyone wanting a good SMACK. Cycling is excellent for getting your bum in shape. What better way to get in touch with your kinky side than a good spanking?

Keep checking the blog for more updates on Megan and Ashley's progress on their training and fundraising goals.

Team Babeland is Cycling 300 Miles to Raise Money for Sustainable Energy

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:00:00 GMT

This September two Babeland Sex Educators who work at Babeland Seattle are taking their convictions on the road. Ashley Allen and Megan Collier, aka Team Babeland, are participating in Climate Ride California, a bike journey that will have them cycling 300 miles down the coast from the Redwood Empire to San Francisco over the course of five days. Climate Ride is a non-profit that organizes East Coast and West Coast rides every year to raise money for organizations that are committed to sustainable energy solutions, bike advocacy and environmental causes. Team Babeland wants to raise at least $5,000 and you can help.

Attend the fundraising event at Babeland Seattle this Saturday and enjoy a fun party for a good cause! Meet Ashley and Megan, make DIY floggers from recycled bike tires, and snack on Popcycl.es.

Buy an eco-friendly sex toy and come for a cause! With every purchase of a Solar Bullet Vibrator, an Eco-Sexy Kit or a Babeland Eco-Tote, Babeland donates $1-$10 of the purchase price.

Donate directly to Team Babeland on Ashley and Megan's fundraising pages.

Babeland is sponsoring our staff to do this ride as part of our Come for a Cause program and a way to further our commitment to a healthy planet. In addition to our eco-friendly sex toys, we work with the companies that design our toys to cut down on waste, excess packaging, and ensure that everything we sell is healthy for bodies and the planet. Over the past few years, we've raised thousands of dollars for environmental organizations like Grist.org, combining our dollars with customer donations and partnerships with many of the fine companies who make the toys we sell, including Cal Exotics, who is sponsoring this effort with us.

Share your stories about something you've done to promote a cause you believe in with us in the comments.

Tenga and Keith Haring Create Artfully Designed Men's Toys

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Our bestselling men's sleeves from Japanese-designer Tenga just got better. Tenga partnered with the Keith Haring Foundation to launch a line of Tenga Eggs illustrated with artwork from Keith Haring, who was a proponent of making art available to everyone and gained international recognition in the 1980's. Haring's art often carried social messages and his murals on buildings in New York City are cherished and still preserved. Haring died very young in 1990 from AIDS related complications and his art continues to inspire and educate people all over the world.

Babeland is offering a selection of three limited-edition Keith Haring Tenga Eggs with the illustrations Dance, Party and Street. The illustrations on the packaging are also reflected in the texture of the egg inside. And best of all? $1 of every sale is donated to the Keith Haring Foundation, which supports organizations that help kids, and others that are involved in research, education and care related to AIDS. Get yours before we run out! You'll probably need two sets- one to display and one to use.

Giving Feels Good

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:01:49 GMT

As we're thinking about giving gifts to our friends and loved ones, many of us will be moved to help others with charitable donations, too. With unemployment at record highs, most people know someone who has been impacted by the terrible state of the economy in recent years. These are tough times for many people. Babeland has tried to be part of the forces for good and has had ongoing fundraising campaigns for different organizations this year. Our efforts so far have raised $50,000 this year for several organizations, including SIECUS (Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US), Grist, and Young Survival Coalition. Through the end of the year, you can still help us donate to Immigration Equality, Food Bank for NYC and the Pike Market Food Bank in Seattle. $2 of the sale from every Sliquid Lube Cube, a collection of our favorite Sliquid lubes, is donated to Immigration Equality, an organization committed to LGBT rights in the immigrant community.

$2 of the sale from every His/Hers Orgasm in Box Kit is a donation to the food banks in New York City and Seattle. Each of these make excellent stocking stuffers and you get the satisfaction of helping organizations doing critical work in the community at the same time. Give pleasure and be a philanthropist. That's something to feel good about it.

Come for a Cause: Cancer, Sexuality, and You

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

When I was diagnosed with cancer at 30, I was shocked. Isn't cancer something that's supposed to happen when you're older? At least not until your 40s or 50s? But then I stopped for a minute, looked around, and realized that four of my friends -- all in their twenties and thirties, mind you -- had already had cancer. Four. No matter your age, cancer affects nearly all of us in one way or another. And depending on the treatment, it can affect everything from desire to employment to relationships to emotional health, and so on, ad infinitum.

This month, with every sale of a Pink October toy, Babeland is donating 10% of its sale to the Young Survival Coalition, an organization dedicated to supporting young women living with breast cancer. I can't tell you how grateful I am that an organization like this exists, and that they're doing such important and tireless work. Check them out, please! And while you're at it, check out our How-To article for women dealing with post-cancer sexuality.

Traditionally, there hasn't been a lot of attention paid to women's sexuality following cancer diagnosis and treatment -- many doctors don't even discuss possible sexual and reproductive side effects of treatment with their patients. I have my theories about why this is, and one is that we still have an outdated notion that only older people get cancer, making post-cancer sexuality an afterthought. After all, we're taught that sex is for the young(-ish), and that older women should gracefully tuck away their libidos and sublimate all that energy into embroidery and cross-stitch. Not only is that a ridiculous notion -- for so many women, sex only gets better with age! -- but it leaves out the countless young survivors who are left wondering how to find community, and how to deal with the issues that arise around cancer and their sexuality.

I welcome you to use the comments to tell a story about how cancer has affected you, sexually or otherwise. Share concerns or inspirations, ask questions... the intersection of cancer and sexuality is a reality of many lives, and it's time for us to talk about it!

Babeland Customers Donate Over $22,000 for Sex Education

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:17:13 GMT

We’d like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our customers who really went the distance for our sex education fundraiser this summer. You helped us raise $22,000 for SIECUS, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, which exceeded last year’s amount by $4,000. Give yourselves a hand! With this donation, SIECUS will continue to promote comprehensive sexuality education across America.

Many thanks to our co-sponsor Jimmyjane for donating the fantastic products that helped support this effort.

And since October is Family Sex Education Month, here are a few things you can do to help pay your own sex education forward to the next generation:

Be prepared. If you’re wondering how to approach the topic, pick up a book like Third Base Ain't What it Used to Be: What Your Kids Are Learning About Sex Today and How to Teach Them to be Sexually Healthy Adults by Logan Levkoff or Birds + Bees + YOUR Kids- A guide to sharing your beliefs about sexuality, love, and relationships by Amy Lang. Learn how to make sex education a normal part of life rather than one big scary talk.
Be available. If your child asks you a sex question, even if you can’t answer it in the moment, make sure you circle back around to it later so you don’t leave a curious child in the dark.
Be supportive. If you see a child of any age struggling, offer your support in a non-judgmental way. Helping teens find a useful website, a clinic, or a place to talk can make all the difference.
Help other parents tackle sex ed—post a comment on the Moms in Babeland blog about your experience talking to kids about sex! Offer an open mind and friendly advice. Come to our next Talking With Your Kids About Sex event at a Babeland store in New York City or Seattle.

Through the Come for a Cause philanthropy program, Babeland donated $115,000 to 300+ organizations in 2010 and will exceed that in 2011. Look for your next opportunity to support organizations doing fantastic work in the community during Pink October. Babeland is partnering with Young Survival Coalition again to raise money for their work with women under the age of 40 with breast cancer. Let's keep up the good fight!