Future of Sex
tagline
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Policing Intimacy: AI Companion Apps Are Removing NSFW Features, and People Are Not Happy

  • The Future of Sex Is Non-binary Genital Surgery That Advances Bodily Agency

  • Is Equity Crowdfunding the Future of Sex Tech Investment?

  • Sex Tech News: New VR Sex Game, a User-Generated Erotica App and ‘Porn for TV’ Streaming Relaunches

  • Blyynd Brings on Investors to Build Anonymous Sexting App

  • A Fitbit for the Penis? The FirmTech Tech Ring Product Review

  • Sex Tech at CES 2023: 6 Brands Exhibited, Including an Anonymous Sexting App

  • Sex Tech Mixers, Hackathons & Conferences [UPDATED]

Future of Sex is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Home > Sex Tech > Introducing Fin: Kickstarter’s First Sex Toy

Sex Tech
Home›Sex Tech›Introducing Fin: Kickstarter’s First Sex Toy

Introducing Fin: Kickstarter’s First Sex Toy

By M. Christian
November 8, 2016
3075
2

Meet the finger-vibe that's broken the erotic crowdfunding ceiling.

Fin is the first sex toy to be featured on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.

Here’s a quickie quiz for you: what does Indiegogo have that Kickstarter didn’t, until very recently?

The answer was sex—or, to be more specific, sex toys.

Then the Fin arrived.

Welcome, Fin

The brainchild of Dame Products, the Fin is billed as a “vibrator for fingers”—though its intended purpose, like many sex toys, is definitely much more below the belt.

However, unlike—shall we say—phallic devices, the Fin is worn and controlled by the user’s two fingers. “It seamlessly adds vibration to foreplay and sex, without spoiling the mood,” Dame says on its Kickstarter page.

While other finger-vibrators have hit the market, the Fin is unique for its groundbreaking Kickstarter campaign, if nothing else.

 

The crowdfunding wall

While other crowdfunding sites, such as the already-mentioned Indiegogo, have welcomed sexual devices, Kickstarter had previously kept themselves technologically chaste.

As Lux Alptraum reported, one reason for Kickstarter’s denial of sex aid crowdfunding may have had to do with its original payment system, Amazon Payments, which refused to deal with anything “adult oriented.” That argument doesn’t hold much water, however, as Kickstarter has since moved to Stripe, which doesn’t have any trepidations against sex tech.

It would be nice to report that Kickstarter’s change of conscience in deciding that every innovator, no matter the intended purpose of their products, deserve access to the crowdfunding platform.

Alas, according to Alptraum, the decision may have been more about persistence and familiarity than about Kickstarter realizing the legitimacy of sexual technology.

As Alexandra Fine, the cofounder of Dame Products, put it: “Kickstarter is literally around the block from us. We know them.”

Getting into Kickstarter

Using their Brooklyn neighborliness, Fine managed to secure a meeting and them, eventually, a kink in Kickstarter’s armor—leading to Fin’s placement on the popular crowdfunding site.

But sharing a city in common may not have been the only factor in getting Kickstarter to change its mind. After all, Dame Products is no virgin when it comes to crowdfunding: its first product, the Eva—“the first truly wearable couples' vibrator”—was immensely popular on Indiegogo. Clearly, Fine and Dame Products know very well how to play the crowdfunding game—as well as Kickstarter’s.

Despite her product’s achievement, Fine still has some criticisms of Kickstarter’s “family friendly” bias. “When you just cut off a whole industry the way the sex toy industry tends to get cut off, you’re just… keeping everybody in the shade,” Fine says.

Alptraum’s article points out that products such as Semenette and Autoblow, both of which should technically qualify to be on Kickstarter, might fail to do so because of their “lowbrow” marketing.

While Dame Products, Alexandra Fine, and the new Fin sex toy deserve recognition for doing what no one else has done before, their victory highlights Kickstarter’s aim to portray a particular image. Agree with it or not, Fine says “it’s really about what lines up with [their] brand as Kickstarter.”

There’s hope, however, that Dame Products has cracked, at least a little, Kickstarter’s barrier—paving the way for other sex tech companies to get their fair share of crowdfunding exposure.

Image source: Dame Products

M. Christian

M.Christian (they/them) loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology—and speculating on the future of both. A highly regarded erotica writer they have six novels,12 collections, 100+ short stories, and 25 anthologies as an editor to their name. Their non-fiction regularly appears in many sites, but they're most proud of being a regular contributor to Future of Sex.

Of their erotic fiction, Tristan Taormino said that “M.Christian is a literary stylist of the highest caliber: smart, funny, frightening, sexy—there's nothing [they] can't write about… and brilliantly.”

Reflecting their unique ability to sympathetically and convincingly write for a range of genders and sexual orientations, their stories have appeared in multiple editions of Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, The Mammoth Books of Erotica, and others. Their collection of gay erotic fiction, Dirty Words, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.

While a majority of their stories have been collected into books like Dirty Words, their fondness for combining sex and science fiction is clearly evident in collections that include Rude Mechanicals, Technorotica, Better Than The Real Thing, Skin Effect Effect, Bachelor Machine, and Hard Drive: The Best Sci-Fi Erotica of M.Christian.

As a novelist, M.Christian’s versatility is on full display with Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Brushes, Painted Doll; and the somewhat controversial queer BDSM/horror/thrillers Finger's Breadth, and Me2.

M.Christian has worked on the industry’s production side as an Associate Publisher for Renaissance E Books and as a Publisher for Digital Parchment Services. The latter dedicated to celebrating the works of science-fiction legends such as William Rotsler, Jerome Bixby, Jody Scott, Arthur Byron Cover, Ernest Hogan, and James Van Hise.

Covering topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, plus reviewing a variety of sex tech products, M.Christian’s non-fiction has appeared on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Sex for Every Body, and—of course—their ongoing work for Future of Sex.

If there’s anything M.Christian enjoys more than writing, it’s teaching. A featured presenter, sometimes with their friend Ralph Greco Jr, at national sex and BDSM events, they have lectured on kink play (with an emphasis on safety), polyamory, boosting sexual creativity, and erotica writing--for beginners or those wanting to go pro.

M.Christian is a cohost on two popular sex-education podcasts: Love’s Outer Limits with Dr. Amy Marsh and Licking Non-Vanilla with Ralph Greco, Jr.

M.Christian's Books (Sizzler Editions)
M.Christian's Audiobooks
Previous Article

Would You Buy a Lara Croft Sex ...

Next Article

Sex in the Cloud: Erotic Technology and ...

Related articles More from author

  • Sex Tech

    Talk Dirty to Me: Slutbot Will Teach You How to Sext

    June 5, 2019
    By M. Christian
  • Designers Off the Rack with Pandemic Fashions
    AugmentationSex Tech

    Designers Unveil Wildly Creative Fashions for Pandemic Living

    January 17, 2021
    By M. Christian
  • Sex Tech

    Playboy Files Fraud Suit Against Global Blockchain Technologies

    October 22, 2018
    By M. Christian
  • Kiiroo CEO Toon Timmermans appears on a stage wearing a face mic and a vest.
    Remote SexSex Tech

    Kiiroo Plays to Its Strengths with New Round of Sex Tech Partnerships

    November 21, 2017
    By Natasha Turner
  • An illustration of a space deck where the pilot would sit. The shift is instead shaped like a penis.
    Sex Tech

    Pleasure and Consent in Sex in Space

    June 21, 2022
    By Dr. Eleanor Armstrong
  • The Handy penis stroker sitting on a bedside table next to a cactus and soothing warm lamp.
    Sex Tech

    Handy Stroker Partners with FeelXVideos For ASMR Interactivity

    April 24, 2022
    By M. Christian

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Remote SexVirtual Sex & EntertainmentImmersive Entertainment

    Techno-sex Researcher on Orgasmic Frequencies and Massive Online Haptic Orgies

  • Sex Tech

    Kiiroo Finally Focuses on the Clit, Releasing the Cliona Smart Vibrator

  • Image of Yareel A 3D Sybian Sex Machine
    Virtual Sex & Entertainment

    3D Sex World Yareel Releases 6 New Poses for Sybian Sex Machine

Virtual Lust is a 3D interactive sex game.
3DXChat
Discover the best virtual sex parties and 3D sex worlds.
  • TOP REVIEWS

  • Woman in blue lighting with yellow binary code projected across her face.

    Policing Intimacy: AI Companion Apps Are Removing NSFW Features, and People Are Not Happy

  • Porn for TV logo (computer screen graphic with pink u shapes and a mouse cursor).

    Sex Tech News: New VR Sex Game, a User-Generated Erotica App and ‘Porn for TV’ ...

  • The Blyynd logo with two screens. One has a chat screen and one has the sexual desire options listed.

    Blyynd Brings on Investors to Build Anonymous Sexting App

  • FirmTech Tech Ring

    A Fitbit for the Penis? The FirmTech Tech Ring Product Review

  • Sex Tech at CES 2023: 6 Brands Exhibited, Including an Anonymous Sexting App

  • What Vibrating Buttplug Support in a Video Game Taught Us About the Future of Webcam ...

  • Is Virtual Reality Dating Going Mainstream?

  • Sex Doll Brothels: Reality vs. Expectation

  • Replika AI Chatbot saved human marriage

    How Replika’s AI Chatbot Saved One Man’s Human Marriage

  • Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

    Replika Romance: Meet the Humans Forming Romantic Relationships With AI

  • The future of sex is mind-reading AI that reveals your deepest, most unconscious fantasies

    The Future of Sex Is Mind-Reading AI That Reveals Your Deepest, Most Unconscious Fantasies

  • Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

    Sex Robots Are Getting Closer to Feeling Human-Like With Second Skin Materials

  • R/gonewildaudio's gender inclusive audio erotica

    /R/gonewildaudio: An Array of Free, Inclusive and Categorized Audio Erotica

  • Fantasy Inspired Sex Toy by Tentickle Toys

    Out of This World: How Fantasy-Inspired Sex Toys Could Be the Next Big Trend

  • Virtual Sex in the Metaverse

    Virtual Sex Will Soon Become a Reality in the Metaverse

  • OnlyBans Game Play As A Sex Worker

    Play as a Sex Worker in New Onlybans Game

  • Black chess pieces laying across an orange background.

    Teledildonics and Chess: The Unexpected Possibilities That Could Enhance Sex

  • A couple with a woman sitting on a man's lap. They each are holding the Tenuto 2 with one hand.

    Tenuto 2 Erection-Enhancing Vibrator Rises To The Occasion

  • Woman looking at a laptop in a bed. You can see a blurry European city outside of the window.

    Here’s How Often Each European Country Is Searching For Sex Toys Online

  • A Woman Showing Her Smartphone.

    Disclosing Trans-ness on Dating Apps

  • Image of Emma the AI bot.

    Will Young Women of the Future Feel Pressure to Perform Like Robots?

  • Realistic Sex Games

    Review of the Best Sex Games and Most Realistic Sex Simulators of 2021 [UPDATED]

    0
  • Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    Review of the Best Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    0
  • Sex Games for Mac

    The Best Sex Games for Mac

    0
  • foot-fetish-sex-games-girlvania

    Foot Fetish Games That Will Knock Your Socks Off

    0
  • The Best RPG Sex Games of 2021

    0
Fantasy sex game Dream Sex World lets you explore your wildest desires.
Multiplayer sex world Red Light Center continues to impress with its massive userbase and incredible sex graphics.
A blonde and light-skinned love doll face sppears next to the text Go now realdollxthe future is real.
  • 27KFollowers

Like Us on Facebook

Newsletter Subscription

Sign up for our monthly newsletter sharing the very best of the future of sex from our publication and others across the web.

DreamSexWorld offers a stunning XXX 3D world filled with incredibly interactive erotic experiences.

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget

RLC_ad_v2

Tweets by @FutureofSex
Future of Sex Report

Follow us

  • Home
  • About
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contribute
  • Story Ideas
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2011 - 2022 Future Exploration Network
This website or its third-party tools use cookies to improve user experience and track affiliate sales. To learn more about why we need to use cookies, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

By clicking the agree button or continuing to browse through the website, you agree to the use of cookies. Accept Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT