Articles by Hallie Lieberman and Maxine Lynn

opinion

Sex Toy Patents Tell Story of Evolving Social Norms

Last month, part one of this column covered the first-ever sex toys that were patented (claiming various non-sexual uses).

opinion

Sex Toy Patents Reveal History, Evolution of Pleasure Products

If you’re searching for the origin of America’s conflicted views on sex, you may want to start in a perhaps surprising place — the patent office. Granted to innovators for new inventions, patents collectively chronicle technological developments over time.