Dear Readers,
Happy September!
Samantha and Barnabus recently had the pleasure of attending a beautiful wedding in the Bay area. It was wedding business as usual, for the most part – the ohs and ahs over the bride, champagne toasts, the delicious spread of chocolate-covered strawberries and truffles. The only out-of-the-ordinary part of the evening came during what is normally typical conversation with congenial but complete strangers over drinks and food. The inevitable question – “And what do you do for a living?”
Samantha, ever proud of the creative sexual brainchild that she shares with Jordan, would simply answer, “I own an online magazine for women’s erotica.”
It was at this point that she would watch faces become blank and eyes grow distant – and strangely, it was mainly when she was speaking with women that she would encounter this reaction. It was as if the person she was talking to would have to take a mental step back and reassess the situation. At times, the woman would come back and calmly ask what it was called or what it was about; but there were other times when the entire conversation would come to a screeching halt, leaving Samantha feeling like she had just said the most repugnant and offensive thing possible.
Outside on the patio in the perfect northern California air, Samantha was chatting quietly with Barnabus, wondering if she should come up with a more veiled way of talking about what she does at functions like this. It was then when one of Barnabus’s best friends came out to announce that there was a group of women at the table, gathered around a cell phone, looking at Oysters & Chocolate and searching through its contents, whispering and giggling amongst themselves.
It was an important reminder to us that, for whatever social or personal reasons, women truly are more private about their sex lives and their sexuality. While the women at the wedding who met Samantha may have not wanted to talk in public to her about O&C, they did visit the site, and hopefully, some will return.
So ladies, as we always say – while we love our male readers and contributors – this site was inspired by you and made for you. There is enough stuff out there for men; this one is for women! Let us know what you think. What do you like? What do you hate? What do you want more of? Use our anonymous commenting system or shoot us an email. We love doing this work for you, and we want to hear from you.
Xoxo
Jordan & Samantha
Originally published September, 2008