Erotic Public Art Whips Parisians Into Butt Plug Buying Frenzy
Paul McCarthy's Tree is the holiday gift that keeps on giving. First, the massive inflatable butt plug sparked right wing outrage and vandalism; then, it inspired French president Francois Hollande to pen an impassioned butt plug defense. Now, the giant butt plug is gone, but hundreds of ordinary-sized butt plugs have sprung up in its wake.
According to The Local, controversy surrounding the public sculpture created a butt plug bull market in the capital city:
"We used to sell around 50 a month," Richard Fhal, a sex toy wholesaler told The Local.
"Since the controversy (in October) we've moved more than a thousand," said Fhal who supplies shops around the capital as well as his own retail website and chain of three stores.
He noted that previously customers for anal plugs were almost exclusively male and gay, but in recent weeks heterosexuals - with an equal mix of men and women - had been snapping up the products that cost between €20 and €40 each.
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"The term 'plug' didn't mean much in France," said Fhal of Editions Concorde sex toy wholesalers, who said his competitors were also seeing a mini sales boom. "We were selling them as anal stimulators but now everyone in France knows the term 'anal plug'."
Straight Parisians experimenting with anal play after contemplating a sculpture. Don't let anyone tell you art doesn't have the power to effect practical change in the world.
