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Gross Double Standard! Men Using Sextech Elicit Stronger Disgust Ratings Than Do Women
Madison E Williams1, Gabriella Petruzzello1, Lucia F O'Sullivan1
1Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick.
Journal of Sex Research
|November 17, 2025
Summary
Men using sextech are perceived as more disgusting than women, with disgust increasing for more humanlike devices. Women participants reported higher disgust overall, indicating a sexual double standard in sextech perceptions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Sextech use, including vibrators and advanced devices, is rising but remains stigmatized.
- Disgust, linked to social norms and sexual behavior, may drive this stigma.
- Limited research exists on disgust perceptions of sextech and gender variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender differences in disgust perceptions of sextech use.
- To examine the impact of device humanlikeness on disgust.
- To test for a sexual double standard in sextech stigma.
Main Methods:
- A survey of 371 participants was conducted.
- Participants rated disgust associated with hypothetical sextech use scenarios.
- Scenarios varied by user gender and device humanlikeness (sex toy vs. sex robot).
Main Results:
- Men's sextech use was rated as more disgusting than women's.
- Disgust increased with device humanlikeness, from sex toys to sex robots.
- Women reported higher disgust levels than men across all scenarios.
Conclusions:
- Findings reveal a sexual double standard penalizing men for sextech use.
- Increasing humanlikeness of sextech amplifies disgust perceptions.
- Results contribute to understanding and normalizing diverse sexual behaviors and technology integration.
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