The Everything To Do With Sex Show is returning to Halifax for its eighth year. We had a chat with show manager Mikey Singer about how ETDWSS keeps up with ever-evolving trends.
How do you keep the show edgy and relevant?
We always try to bring a new feature into the show, whether it’s a new piece of education or a new educator. It’s always important to have one or two new elements every year. We have to spend a lot of time seeing what’s new and interesting in the industry and keeping up to date with the sexologists to see what the trends are.
What are the emerging trends you see this year?
One of the cool things we just saw at a show in Montreal this year, the Oculus Rift is now being used for pornography. It’s far more immersive than anything I’ve seen so far.
I’ve seen an uptick in the lifestyle, I mean people who are into sort of going to adults-only parties, being what used to be called swingers or being exhibitionists. There’s become a lot less of a negative connotation when you talk about the lifestyle, I think it’s become a lot more acceptable.
WeVibe just came out with the WeVibe Classic. You can have the toy itself and your partner can have the app on their phone and you can play together over long distance. It’s a way for people to stay together while being apart. You can physically touch each other virtually.
How has the Sex Show programming changed over the years?
It’s becoming more inclusive of all genders. Working with the companies that we do, they provide such great info on that because they're right on the forefront of that. The LGBT is well represented there, so is the kink community. They provide a very comfortable environment, a safe place to ask questions. The kink community exploded when 50 Shades of Gray came out–it was great for a conversation, but terrible for information.
Have you faced backlash or criticisms of the show?
Honestly, in Halifax, it has been nothing but positive feedback and welcoming arms since day one. We’ve had a rough ride in certain cities, but Halifax isn’t one of them. It gets a bad rep for being a conservative city, but it’s a really fun town.
