Why do people frequent video booths in sex shops? (the strange machine I introduced to you in a previous article)
Some regulars at these venues agreed to shed some light on the subject by sharing their point of view and experiences.
In this first part, here is what Miss Misslady thinks, having kindly agreed to answer my questions.
Video booths in sex shops: places for libertine activities
I have quite a bit of experience with video booths in sex shops.
These are not particularly attractive to me for their primary function (watching a porn film). But rather for the benefits they offer in terms of libertine activities, which I am keen on.
There are several types of video booths:
- the “single” booths, which don’t really interest me,
- the “double” booths,
- and the “giant” ones which, with their dozen seats and a larger screen, can sometimes earn the pompous label of “porn cinema”.
You can find them in sex shops, but also in certain saunas or clubs.
The double booths are for me meeting places very practical for meeting people I don’t want to host (and vice versa) or encounter in outdoor venues that are a little “daunting”. This option seems resolutely interesting to me for encounters I would qualify as “pure one-night stands with no strings attached”.
Understated, but well-equipped venues
I generally choose discreet, clean venues with toilets, and well secured.
The setting is understated: vinyl benches (easily cleaned by yourself with a bottle of disinfectant gel if you don’t trust it), wall mirrors, dim lighting, coat racks for clothes… The room can be heated in winter and air-conditioned in summer, which is a welcome touch.
And as the icing on the cake, a TV plays inspiring porn, which you get to choose yourself in a sex shop rather than a sauna, to get yourself going if needed. All of it at a considerably better price than a hotel, to do exactly the same thing there.
In some saunas, the benches can be replaced by vinyl beds as well. And some rooms sometimes have SM equipment, such as a St Andrew’s cross, a sling (note: a kind of hammock, BDSM version), etc…
Safer than an outdoor meeting place
So yes, I am a very regular customer of video booths in sex shops, which I use and abuse. Same goes for the “porn cinemas”, which turn out to be pleasant places for exhibitionism or orgies and seem to me much more secure and hygienic than certain woods or parks.
Besides, these places seem to be free from police checks (checks that are very chilling when they happen in the heat of the moment to put an end to them). And so far I have never received any fines there for indecency or other fun little things in the event of exhibitionism.
Note: video booths are places with restricted, paid access, reserved for adults. A priori, as in a libertine club, provided you respect the people present and the venues, nudity and sexual practices between consenting adults are not blameworthy.
Finding the right sex shop takes time
On the other hand, I’m going to put a big caveat: finding a sauna or sex shop where you truly feel at ease and safe, with a pleasant clientele, takes quite a bit of time. Not all venues are the same. The first filter is the price: it is generally risky to choose the cheapest. The second is the time you go there. And other precautions are worth considering, of course, if you want to increase the chances of having a good time without worries.
Having visited (sometimes in a whirlwind, just long enough to be annoyed by them) certain touristy Parisian video booths on Rue de la Gaîté, in Clichy, or in Saint-Denis, I can testify to the complete lack of hygiene in some sex shops. Or even the palpable sense of danger that emanates from the clientele that frequents some of these sordid establishments. Even the worst bacteria would probably die there, nibbled by scabies…
My personal preference therefore goes to small out-of-town shops, cleaned daily, that smell fresh rather than of masturbation, whose rolls of Sopalin in the booths and toilet rolls in the toilets are replaced in good time, and whose staff and clientele are courteous, smiling and friendly. In short: compatible with my modest expectations, like any other shop.
A big thank you to Miss Misslady for taking the time to answer my questions.
To read more on this subject:
- The second part of this article: Thierry tells us about his discovery of video booths in sex shops and his experiences as a voyeur.
- Testimony: a libertine couple tells us about their session of exhibitionism in a sex shop.
Illustration source: Daniel Chodusov’s Flickr gallery
Edit: Come discuss exhibitionism and voyeurism on the Sexuality forum!
