A Night of Passion with the Ladies

I am sure either you or someone you know has a mother who attended a Tupperware Party way back in the day. You know, those get-togethers where a consultant comes to the home of a woman and showcases several kinds of Tupperware to girlfriends, in hopes that they will purchase them. Well, how about a similar type of party, except that instead of Tupperware, there were sex toys?

Welcome to the world of Passion Parties. Yes, that's right. Female social gatherings have suddenly reached a whole new level. Combining sexual awareness and enjoyment in a social atmosphere, Passion Parties are a fun way to get the (older, more mature) girls together and have a great time.

Featured in Oprah Magazine, the Today Show and even Anderson Cooper, these parties have become quite the popular social event. These parties were created around 1994 with the mission to, as company president Pat Davis says, "help educate women and enhance their relationships." For some women, simple sexual education class is not enough for them to feel well-informed about the risks that come with sexual activity. Thanks to Passion Parties, women are not only learning about great products, they are also learning about their bodies, along with practicing safe sex.

Made up of a consultant, who works for Passion Parties, a host who chooses to have the party, and many toys of the sensual kind, Passion Parties have become the modern girls' night in. Passion Parties hosts over 128,000 parties each year, meaning that over 1.2 million women will be aware of this fabulous new social activity.

I had heard of these events in passing, and was interested in seeing what all of the hype was about, so when I got an invitation to go to one, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. A night devoted to sexual discussion and objects in a safe environment? Why not? Little did I know, a Passion Party is a lot more than merely, well, sex.

Determined to be the opposite of raunchy and, for lack of a better word, nasty, Passion Parties has made it their mission to create a comfortable environment for women to talk about what they normally hold back from: sex. The fact that these women are surrounded by other females, combined with the professionalism of the consultant, makes for a classy, yet at the same time, sexual experience.

For as long as I can remember, and even before I was in existence, the topic of sex has always seemed to be appropriate discussion for men and, for some reason, very taboo for women. It is the cliche double standard: when men talk about sex, it is generally considered masculine and praise-worthy. However, when women discuss it, they are usually viewed as provocative and tacky. Passion Parties gives women the rare opportunity to be themselves as sexual beings without feeling that they are being judged or looked down upon.

Having a theme for the party is at the discretion of the host, and in this case, the Moulin Rouge theme was very obvious, with sheer pink curtains hung around the walls of the den, candles burning throughout the apartment, and chocolate covered strawberries and other edible aphrodisiacs seducing us at a nearby table. The host, named Jamie, was decked out in a corset and skirt, exemplifying a character straight out of the famous Parisian movie.

But do not automatically assume that Passion Parties are only for the daring and courageous. Even the most unlikely of women are hopping on the Passion Party bandwagon. Jessica, our Passion Party consultant, hosted her very first party for a group of Mormon girls from Utah, who insisted on having a Disney princess theme for their party! They had a wonderful (and tasteful) time, without crossing any boundaries.

After being offered wine or champagne, the twelve or so women took their seats on various couches to begin the party. Jessica started off with an ice breaker. And even though all of the people in attendance were at least acquaintances as well as Drama majors, creating a lack of discomfort, this was a great way to bring everyone together. The ice breaker was a Taboo-esque game in which two teams try to guess a word without using certain words to describe it. Needless to say, the given words were anything but clean.

At first, it is difficult to understand why someone would want to get involved with a job as risque as Passion Parties, but, according to Jessica, it is quite convenient. "Passion Parties are new and interesting," she says. "You are as involved or not involved as you want," explaining that a consultant has the privilege of choosing her own hours whenever she desires. Being involved in Passion Parties, notes Jessica, is equivalent to having your own business without the stress of hiring employees and filling out paperwork.

Upon becoming a Passion Parties consultant, one is sent a starter kit, which allows the consultant to try out the products and gain knowledge. Once she feels ready, the consultant is then able to lead parties as she pleases. What makes this a job is the selling of the products. At the end of a Passion Party, girls are then allowed to place orders for the products that interest them, in confidence. Forty percent of every purchase goes to the consultant. Therefore, the more products bought, the better, which is why it is so important that Jessica showcases the products as best she can. However, according to her, it is not a difficult task. She says she genuinely likes the products as well as the company's positive message to women, and it is easy to see why.

I could not help but notice the atmosphere of Passion Parties in comparison to your average adult toy store or pornography. These parties have the ability to create a fun ambiance filled with products designed for sexual pleasure without losing their classy and wholesome mission to make women comfortable with themselves as well as their partners. Many adjectives, such as alluring, sexual, and even flirtatious, may be used to describe this type of party, but raunchy is definitely not one of them. I never associated the words classy and tasteful with sex, but after attending this event, it is clear that these words can go hand in hand. If women can talk about sex at Passion Parties, maybe they will be more likely to do so outside of that context too. In my opinion, Passion Parties should not be a rare occurrence, because rarity would only make sexual discussion more taboo for women than it already is. Passion Parties seem to be the gateway to talking about sex more freely no matter which gender you are.

If you are looking for a girls' night with a very interesting twist, I highly encourage you to check out passionparties.com, "Where every day is Valentine's Day." With a motive to enlighten and educate women while learning ways to spice up your love life, what's not to love?

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