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17 of the best gender-affirming sex toys for trans and non-binary people
There’s a toy out there for *every* body

Sex can be a great way to explore and learn things about yourself; what you like, how you communicate, and what roles you like to play — to name just a few. It can also be a great way to explore and express your gender identity; while sexuality and gender aren’t the same thing, there is definitely a link.
Sex, whether solo or partnered can be a way to affirm and further delve into your gender identity and expression. “Sex is often about how we relate to our own bodies and how others relate to us as people, both of which are places in which gender affirmation (or in less good circumstances, a lack of affirmation) can be or feel particularly intense,” says Kelvin Sparks, author of Trans Sex: A Guide for Adults.
Sex toys can also play an important part. As Sparks points out, tools like wands can enable you to experience pleasure without needing to be naked, while strap-ons allow you to penetrate a partner without having to use your own penis or if you don’t have one, and “anal toys can allow somebody to experience pleasurable penetration without having to involve their own genitals.”
Best gender-affirming sex toys at a glance
“Toys can play a huge role in the ways in which sex can be gender-affirming in that they can be used to change a lot of experiences of sex — what parts of our bodies we’re using, what ways we use them, the functions our bodies can have and/or what parts of our body we use for those functions, what sensations we experience, what our bodies look like, and how other people interact with our bodies, just to name a few,” says Sparks.
“The bedroom in general can be a place to explore gender expression, and I think toys can add a level of playfulness to sex (both partnered and solo) that can make it feel easier to try out and explore what works for you, or even just what feels fun in the moment!”
What is a gender-affirming sex toy?
So what doth a gender-affirming sex toy make? Well, according to Dee Whitnell, multi-award winning sex educator and author of Beyond Bananas and Condoms, gender-affirming sex toys are “any toys that make someone feel euphoric as they use them, and this is unique to each and every individual.”
Just as not everyone's identity can be packaged neatly into two prescribed genders, there isn’t just *one* design of sex toy that can be described as “gender-affirming”.
“What is a gender-affirming toy is unique to each person, and this can also vary from day to day, too,” Whitnell explains.
But, Whitnell points to a few types that could be gender-affirming for different folks as an example. “For folks who are masc-leaning, using strap-ons or packers can be a great way to feel euphoric during sex,” they say.
“Strokers can also be great for trans men and masc folks who want to stimulate their bottom growth. For fem-leaning individuals, vibrators can be really fun to use and for those who engage with penetration, dildos, and dilators can be affirming.”
Traditional sex toys aren’t the only thing that can be used to affirm someone’s gender during sex, either, Whitnell explains. “Gender-affirming clothing can also be used to make someone feel more comfortable during sex, whether it’s tucking underwear for those with a penis or a binder for those with a chest, these clothing items help folks feel more comfortable in their body during intimacy,” they add.
What to consider when buying a gender-affirming sex toy
When considering any type of sex toy, there are factors to consider such as the kind of material it uses, whether it’s body-safe and ergonomic, its features, battery power, and whether it’s waterproof.
If you’re buying a sex toy specifically to affirm your gender expression, however, Whitnell advises thinking about how the toy makes you feel and the designer’s values.
“One thing to look out for when shopping for gender-affirming toys is neutral packaging and wording,” they say. “Even if a toy itself can make you feel euphoric, if the packing and branding is heavily gendered, this can ruin the experience. [Look for] brands that don’t use words like ‘women's pleasure’ or ‘mens pleasure’ but rather say ‘for penises’ or ‘for vaginas/vulvas’.”
It’s also worth thinking about what kind of stimulation you like during manual masturbation or partnered sex — do you prefer precise or broad? Soft or hard? Suction, thumping, or strokes? Then look for toys that mimic these feelings.
To help you on your shopping journey, we’ve rounded up a few gender-affirming toy suggestions for you to explore. Remember, what might be affirming for you might not be for someone else, and it’s important to talk to your partner(s) first about what toys they’re happy to be used around them.
17 best gender-affirming sex toys to shop 2025
Lois Shearing is Cosmoplitan's Former Senior Sex and Relationship Writer. They have been writing about sex, sexuality, gender, politics, and relationships for almost ten years. Their writing on these topics has appeared in Mashable, The Independent, Metro, The Advocate, and Byline Times, among others. In 2021, they published their first book, Bi the Way with JKP. They are currently working on two other books, set to be published in 2024. In a previous life, they worked as a content marketer and content writer for various tech start-ups. They continue to be interested in the tech sector and its impact on our lives, relationships, and work, with particular regard to the ways AI will shape our relationships in the future. Outside of work, they are deeply passionate about queer community organising, and run the only support resource for bisexual survivors of sexual violence in the UK: the Bi Survivors Network. You can find them on Instagram and X.
Honey is the Senior Sex and Relationships E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health and Men’s Health. She covers shopping guides and reviews of the best sex toys; deals events — including Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday; and sex, dating, and LGBTQ+ trends.
Her journalism career started in 2020 when she started Sextras, a podcast and digital magazine about sex and relationships. Find Sextras on Spotify or Substack, where she writes and chats about everything from positive masculinity and how to practise sex magic, to why the latest kink or porn category is blowing up.
She has an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and previously reported for HR magazine. Her features also appear in Glamour, Refinery29, The Independent, and more.
When she's not asking everyone she meets invasive questions about their sex and dating lives, you'll find Honey singing around her flat, teaching herself a new craft, or working her way through a new '90s/'00s box set with her flatmate.

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