Friday, March 29, 2024

Headspace, But Make it Horny: Delving into Dipsea

Ok, so imagine Headspace had a baby with PornHub – ladies, welcome to Dipsea.

Audio erotica is a massively growing (ahem) segment of the online pornography world. And its current darling is Dipsea, an app aimed at millennial women that offers short erotic audio stories – between five and 20 minutes – that are written and recorded with the modern lady in mind.

The app’s creators, who refer to their endeavour as a ‘female-founded start-up and story studio,’ bill Dipsea as ‘Relatable, Feminist and Celebratory’ – ok, what’s not to like – and was first conjured into thought during wine-fuelled, late-night chats between mates about their own sexual sojourns. Yes, relatable.

Gina Gutierrez and Faye Keegan say that for too long, female sexuality has been defined by men as physical, rather than mental, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Citing a study published in the US National Library of Medicine, a whopping 90% of women use the act of conjuring a scenario to get themselves going – enter Dipsea.

“…[it’s] proffered as a method of self-care and sexual wellness as much as it is a sex aid”

It’s captured the Zeitgeist perfectly – a feminist-led, beautifully designed, convenient and discreet method of stimulus that is proffered as a method of self-care and sexual wellness as much as it is a sex aid. So, how does it work?

Users first download the app, which, it has to be said, is gorgeous. Every story is accompanied by beautiful artwork and it’s exceptionally user-friendly. You can explore by category – there’s something for everyone’s tastes, with options such voyeur, vacation, queer, BDSM, romantic, couples and rough, to name a few – as well as a search function to find specific tags, a space to save your favourite stories, and a ‘guided’ section that explains and teaches users different concepts such as self-touch and erotic meditation.

A massive plus, fans of the app say, is the sense of empowerment. You pick the story, you’re in control of the journey, and you get to frame the mental picture exactly as you like it, rather than watch a pre-conceived notion of what some American dude reckons women want. Because that’s always worked?!

The stories themselves are just that – stories. Women are complicated creatures, and our sexuality is no different. Dipsea’s stories have a pleasurable narrative, with voice actors delivering their lines without the typical over-dramatisation you’d find in mainstream porn. They’re made for by women, for women, and thanks to the fact they’re audio-led, your imagination can run WILD. They also seem to avoid the traditional pitfalls of female porn – you know, when you get to the good stuff and there’s a line in there that makes you freeze up and cool down faster than a Nailed It! contestant’s shitty cake going into the blast freezer. I’m looking at you, EL James – who the hell calls a vagina a goddess or ‘my sex’? Instead, there are oh-so-relatable lines such as “He kind of smells like a luxury candle I’d buy at Barneys and then return out of guilt”.

Choose between yarns such as ‘Fixer Upper’, where you listen in to a couple renovating their new home before christening the kitchen floor, ‘Deep Tissue’, where a masseuse and client explore both her and her happy ending, or ‘Libra Season’, a spontaneous threesome that happens after a marathon (that one did leave me asking who the hell can be f***ed, literally, after running a marathon?!)

Each story is accompanied by a flame rating which indicates its sexiness level – three flames and, girl, you have some action. You can give the app a go for free, with a few stories made available at no cost, and there’s a free seven-day trial too. After that, you’re looking at $15.49 a month, or $79.99 a year.

So, if you’re looking for a discreet, easy way to explore the world of erotica either by yourself or with a partner(s), Dipsea is a great option. Happy humping.

This story was originally published on Capsule on May 7, 2020

THE ONE THING… ‘I Wish I Knew Before Giving Birth’. 27 Mums Share Their Thoughts!

There's a lot written and shared about giving birth - but there's also a lot of information we don't share, sometimes not even with...

The Wellness Advocate Teaching Us How To Heal From Burnout With Te Ao Māori

Wellness advocate Maia Gardiner is using her platform Wellbeing with Maia to share how using a Te Ao Maori lens, and the hauora health...

‘The Simple Pleasure of Sailing’ – What Motivates and Moves Kiwi Black Foils Strategist Liv Mackay

It's one of the most exciting sports to make a home in Aotearoa, and now it's back in its second year on Kiwi shores!...

What To Expect From A Miscarriage: A Capsule Reader’s Story & The NZ Charity Aiming To Get Information to Those Who Need It

One in four pregnancies will end in miscarriage, but the information on what to expect from a miscarriage can often be hard to find....