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Four months ago, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) revoked a Consumer Electronics Show (CES) award that was to be presented to Lora DiCarlo for the company's "blended orgasm" micro-robotic sex toy. Now, the CTA has reversed course:
The group behind the Consumer Electronics Show is returning an award it revoked from a women's sex toy company earlier this year, which ignited a controversy around the industry's inclusion of women and acceptance of sex tech. But for now, the show's operator isn't announcing broader changes that would actually allow sex toys to be exhibited and win awards in the future.
A CES Innovation Award was initially presented to Lora DiCarlo for its Osé Robotic Massager ahead of the conference in January, honoring the device in the show's robotics and drones category. But the show's operator later revoked the award, saying that sex toys weren't allowed. Lora DiCarlo's ability to even exhibit at the show was revoked as well.
Now, the show's operator, the Consumer Technology Association, is returning the Innovation Award to Lora DiCarlo. The CTA says it "did not handle this award properly," leading to some "important conversations" about the show's policies around sex tech.
Also at BBC.
Previously: CES Announces $10 Million Diversity Fund, Revokes Award From Female-Founded Sex Tech Company
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 09 2019, @04:14PM (3 children)
The political pressure to award this device was immense.
A company headed by a woman came out with a device to specifically replace a man.
(Score: 5, Informative) by bob_super on Thursday May 09 2019, @04:56PM (2 children)
Yes, sex toys for women never existed before.
The pressure was because previous awards were given for other sex toys, so the ruling was completely arbitrary.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 09 2019, @05:17PM (1 child)
The shitstorm coverage after pulling it didn't stress that it was a sex toy, so much as a sex toy from a company owned by a woman, and oh how horrible that they are discriminating against a female entrepeneur who puts the power into the hands of women to satisfy themselves. The gender angle sold the story.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 09 2019, @06:12PM
> oh how horrible that they are discriminating against a female entrepeneur who puts the power into the hands of women to satisfy themselves.
Yeah, it is horrible.