For a long time, much of the sexual health and wellness conversation has been framed around youth, with a focus on younger demographics. Think fertility, contraception and performance hacks for twenty-somethings. But that’s all changed today, and the menopause market has exploded. Today, we’re experiencing a transformation in the category driven by people over 50. The industry is finally listening to women navigating perimenopause and menopause. Similarly, men experiencing erectile dysfunction and decreased hormones as well as couples of all genders are reimagining intimacy in their later years.
The over-50 demographic is no longer a niche. It’s in the spotlight thanks to a cultural shift that’s rewriting the product roadmap and our everyday lexicon surrounding seniors and sexual wellness. We’re starting to see this shift in pop culture touch-points like And Just Like That… and Grace and Frankie, with the pleasure of older bodies being portrayed realistically with depth and humour, marking a new chapter.
The economic power of the midlife consumer is undeniable. People over 50 control more than half of global consumer spending, but aging bodies are often ignored in sexual wellness product development and marketing, which often focuses on Millennials and Gen Z. Midlife consumers have greater disposable income and purchasing confidence. If the right product is available and speaks to their needs, they’re happy to invest in premium pleasure products.
In 2024, the menopause market was valued at around $17.8 billion and is projected to top $24 billion by 2030. Thanks to the 50+ age cohort being louder than ever and advocating for its needs and pleasure, this lucrative market continues to expand. However, as the market becomes oversaturated with lubes, moisturizers and supplements designed to “fix” issues like ED or vaginal dryness, aging consumers are becoming more wary of products that claim to provide one-size-fits-all solutions that will remedy their issue.
The reality is, finding an empowering solution is usually more nuanced. Many people over 50 were raised in an era of shame surrounding sexuality. Taboo topics like bringing toys and sex games into the bedroom–even just broaching these topics openly with a partner–can be intimidating for these generations. For this reason, midlife sex and relationship experts like myself are helping to educate people in midlife on various tips and tools that they can reclaim pleasure in their lives while addressing myths and stereotypes that menopause puts a stop to sexual satisfaction.
Midlife sexuality isn’t always about novelty, which many brands focus on. It’s often about rediscovery. As a midlife coach and educator, I’ve seen firsthand how intimacy for people 50+ can become better when this stigma is addressed and allow for conversations in a safe space.
AARP recently put out a survey on adults 50 and older, showing they’re still very much interested in sex and intimacy. The study showed that 42% of seniors aren’t satisfied with vanilla sex and are seeking adventure between the sheets. Midlife sex and relationship experts can help share valuable insight on how Gen X and Baby Boomers can integrate kink into their lives and spice things up in the bedroom, as well as other accessible sex and relationship tips that seniors can bring to life.
Sexual wellness educators are essential voices when it comes to shaping the future of inclusive pleasure education. We’re necessary cultural translators, often with first-hand lived experience, who can help bridge a critical knowledge gap for a demographic that isn’t always catered to by brands and dating apps, and realistically, often deals with ageism. What brands need to realize is that people over 50 aren’t just active. They’re increasingly curious and willing to invest in their pleasure as they get older. As educators, we translate the medical and emotional realities like perimenopause/menopause, shifting libido, hormonal changes, slower arousal and medication side effects into stigma-free conversations about desire. This helps consumers understand that sexual satisfaction doesn’t end; it simply evolves.
Platforms like Taboo to Truth: Life & Sex After 50, which includes a podcast, free resources, and a Sex Ed Masterclass, help build trust with consumers and promote body literacy. I built my brand after having my own post-divorce midlife awakening. It inspired me to merge my own experience with expertise in guiding others and letting them know that it is, in fact, possible to rewrite your sexual story. For people who might not be ready to have those intimate conversations with their friends or their partners, start honest, authentic, and transparent conversations that reframe the narrative around topics like changing libido as we get older. Having a relatable space that connects you with a like-minded community to reflect on these topics that so many people have questions on isn’t just a nice-to-have–it’s necessary.
For brands, it’s important to know that customers over 50 aren’t necessarily looking for dazzling features or high-tech bells and whistles. Age-inclusive products start with ease of use and mobility needs in mind. If we can’t hold a toy in an arthritic hand, what good is it if it has tons of speeds and patterns? Age-smart product design with attention to detail regarding the physical challenges of aging should be taking priority. That said, smart features like AI-assisted feedback and temperature control, which adapt to slower arousal patterns, are forms of smart tech that can help.
Smartly designed products are extremely important for this demographic. This means more intuitive vibrators and wands with longer handles, larger grips, flexible materials, and easy-to-access controls (there’s a reason why the Magic Wand continues to be a bestseller across this demographic). For people with penises, it translates into sleeves designed for variable erectile firmness and other accessories that keep the user comfortable during a longer arousal ramp, such as warming lubes or constriction rings. For couples, app-connected and wearable toys can also be a game-changer. Sex tech products from brands like Luxus, which has created the first magnet-powered wearable vibrator and penis ring, can help couples in midlife focus on intimacy and connection in the moment rather than fumbling with a device.
It’s critical that brands start to recognize the everyday realities of aging bodies and acknowledge the reality that pleasure and comfort need to coexist. Brands like Ah! Yes, vaginal moisturizers are rising in popularity, as are CBD and THC-infused lubes from brands like Foria, which encourage relaxation and blood-flow while reducing inflammation. Wedge pillows, sex chairs and slings can all help enhance comfort and stability while reducing strains on joints. Additionally, the right collaborations with platforms like Taboo to Truth can also be transformative, providing on-the-ground insights from the community and ensuring that product design and campaigns resonate with the cultural conversation that’s happening out there.
When you zoom out, it goes beyond sex toys and accessories; it’s how we talk about sexual function in general. Even the word ‘dysfunction’ carries an unfair stigma, making people feel like they’re failing or broken in some way. When in reality, what’s happening to them is completely normal and part of the natural changes that occur with age. ED, vaginismus, and dryness aren’t about ‘performance failure.’ It’s about seeing things through a more holistic lens and leading with conversations that include emotional intimacy, body awareness and open communication.
Telehealth companies, urologists and sex therapists are leading the charge by integrating traditional ED treatments with more holistic approaches like mindfulness techniques, pelvic-floor therapy or guided intimacy coaching. Brands like Hims and Eddie by Giddy are introducing branding with more empathy and compassion, moving away from a cold or clinical feel.
Ultimately, the narrative is shifting from restoring pleasure as we experienced it in our younger years to making pleasure more sustainable. All of us in the sexual health and wellness ecosystem, from educators and therapists to brands and retailers, have a personal responsibility to make intimacy feel more accessible and affirming at every stage in life. This starts with creating age-inclusive products, using empowering language and ensuring that representation is happening. This way, people over 50 can see themselves as the active, crucial participants rather than an afterthought.
Karen Bigman is a certified sex educator through the Sexual Health Alliance, an intimacy and menopause coach, and a midlife sexpert for both men and women. She hosts the podcast Taboo to Truth: Life & Sex After 50, which sheds light on what sex, desire, and connection look like after 50 with a dose of honesty and humour. Her work is focused on destigmatizing sexuality, intimacy, desire, and pleasure in midlife and beyond.
