The History and Rise of Lesbian Sex Toys – Told by One of Us

Let me tell you, as a queer woman who’s spent years chasing both history and pleasure, dildos have been around longer than most of our grandmothers. And the story? It’s honestly wild—and kind of empowering.

 From Olive Oil to Olisbos – The Ancient Start

Way before battery packs and dual density silicone, the earliest “toys” were rooted in survival, healing, and yes, desire. Ancient Greek women used olisbos—dildos carved from wood, stone, or made from stitched leather. These weren’t hush-hush secrets under the bed. They were mentioned in literature, traded in markets, and even shared in some of the earliest erotic pottery.

Some historians say olisbos were “prescribed” when men were away at war—to calm the “wandering womb,” a totally ridiculous idea that the uterus might roam the body causing hysteria if not "emptied." (Yes, that was an actual medical belief. Insert eye roll here.)

Still, what matters is this: ancient women found ways to own their sexuality, even when the world tried to pathologize it.

The Renaissance Dildo Boom

Now let’s move to 15th-century Italy. Enter the “diletto” (which literally means “delight”)—leather-wrapped and worn under clothing, these dildos were works of art. Italian nobility commissioned custom toys encrusted with gems and gold. That’s right. Pleasure was fashion.

By the late Renaissance, lesbian relationships were appearing in art and literature across Europe, often with a dildo as a central object of female agency. They weren’t just tools—they were symbols of intimacy, rebellion, and self-love.

But—and it’s a big but—the fun didn’t last. As patriarchy dug its heels in, many European women were imprisoned or even executed for owning or using dildos. Laws referred to “unnatural acts” and “instruments of male imitation,” showing how deeply pleasure was politicized.

 Dildo Lore: Cross-Dressing & Love Letters

Some fascinating nuggets: Historical court records show women cross-dressing as men, often using dildos to live out their true sexual identities. There’s even evidence of love letters between women describing “wooden friends” and leather straps sewn in secrecy.

Queer Resilience Through Pleasure

Let’s be clear—dildos weren’t just sex toys. They were affirmations of identity. In eras when queerness was criminalized, when women’s pleasure was suppressed, these objects became vessels of resistance. Women carved them, crafted them, passed them on. They were whispers of autonomy in a loud world telling us to be quiet.

 From Industrial Age to Innovation

The Industrial Revolution brought mass production to pleasure. Rubber dildos (heavy and often smelly) were sold discreetly as “massagers” or “medical aids.” But materials were clunky, porous, and difficult to clean. For many of us, that meant infections, irritation, and a clear reminder: these weren’t built with us in mind.

In our communities, we often had to settle for hand-me-downs from heteronormative design. Most toys were hyper-realistic, complete with balls, veins, and a “manly” feel—none of which many of us wanted inside us.

That’s why the birth of high-quality silicone changed everything.

That’s when queer designers—our people—stepped in. We began crafting toys that spoke to our needs: non-realistic shapes, gender-affirming designs, curves that caress, textures that excite, and sizes that felt empowering instead of overwhelming.

Silicone opened the door to experimentation. Suddenly we had:

• Dual density dildos that felt soft on the outside, firm on the inside—kind of like a real body, but better.

• Cute pastel or vibrant queer colors instead of just... pink or flesh.

• Strap-on compatibility for all body sizes, thanks to clever harness designs and base shapes.

• Safer, easier-to-clean toys that didn’t carry bacteria after one night of fun.

This era gave birth to brands like Crassie—lesbian-owned, lesbian-designed, and absolutely unapologetic about centering our bodies. We didn’t want to just tolerate our sex toys. We wanted to love them. And finally, we could.

From wooden olisbos to leather Renaissance ‘dilettos’, women have always found ways to pleasure themselves. The difference today? We get to do it safely, proudly, and queerly.

So whether you're new to toys or deep in the drawer, remember this:
You deserve toys that were made for you—not just reshaped versions of his.