### #BookTok
Maybe Fourth Wing was your gateway drug into romance, maybe the Netflix show Bridgerton inspired a deeper dive, or maybe you read Fifty Shades of Grey ten years ago and the algorithm is just catching up to you. But if you've been scrolling through #BookTok on TikTok lately, you've probably started seeing Gothic-looking book covers adorned with skulls, roses, and the occasional shirtless man in stark black and white.

Welcome to the dark side—let’s explore the wild world of dark romance. We’ll show what you can expect from dark romance authors, the common tropes in these love stories, and some book recommendations for you to explore dark themes. 

### What is dark romance?
Let's get one thing straight: Dark romance isn't for everyone. It's not about kisses, butterflies, and happy endings where the heroine rides off into the sunset with her love interest. No, dark romance is a subgenre of romance that’s all about the messy, complicated, and sometimes downright twisted side of love and relationships. It (sometimes) even explores themes of violence, abuse, and trauma.

That's what makes dark romance so addictive to its fans. It has all of the most delicious themes common in most romance—love, chemistry, and spice. But where most romance keeps its characters unequivocally good and its themes light, dark romance is not afraid to explore the darker aspects of human nature and relationships. 

This genre delves into taboo themes like power dynamics, obsession, and fear. And its characters often walk a very thin line between good guy and bad guy.

### 3 common tropes found in dark romance
There is a diverse spectrum of dark romance novels. While some popular BookTok books are full-on stalking fantasies, many are closer to a beach read with a dose of darkness. Let’s explore three common themes that tie the dark romance genre together.

__1. Morally gray characters and anti-heroes__

The male protagonists of dark romance are often flawed, not-so-good guys who may engage in questionable or even criminal behavior. They might even be a straight-up serial killer. Often, they’ll stop at no cost to protect what they love (usually, their girl). 

In a typical romance, a love interest might quit bull riding for his lover or practice figure skating lifts with her. Dark romance MMCs tend to ruthlessly destroy the lives of (or in some cases, like, actually kill) any man who’s ever wronged their beloved. Kind of a different storyline!

__2. Internally consistent (but not traditional) moral codes__

The men of dark romance may not abide by a traditional definition of right and wrong, but they do usually have a code they live by that is consistent with their own morals, and tend to be extremely pragmatic in a violent and unjust world. 

Zade of Haunting Adeline has no qualms killing people if they are violent men who prey on the weak (women and children). 

Draco in Manacled (a popular Harry Potter fanfic with a juicy enemies to lovers trope) will do anything to protect and defend his mother, and is also critically aware that if he didn’t do the Dark Lord’s dirty work, someone else would.

Hades in Forbidden Fruit, a spicy audiobook on Dipsea, refuses to play by the rules of the other gods. He’s happy to let them think that Persephone is kept in the Underworld against her will, because he will do absolutely anything to have her. 

But whether the MMCs in dark romance are villains or just seem like villains, across the board they are willing to be the “monster” if it means protecting, loving, and cherishing their princess. And while the men (and gods) of dark romance certainly aren’t good, they are usually only bad for a very good reason. 

__3. Taboo themes and intense emotional journeys__

Dark romance novels often explore controversial topics such as obsession, captivity, violence, BDSM, and dubious consent or non-consensual acts. The flawed characters of this genre are often working through childhood trauma or otherwise living in violent circumstances that have shaped their ruthless attitudes and informed their personal moral codes. 

These themes create a sense of intensity and extremity which heighten the drama and addictiveness of the stories, but these challenging topics also act as deep paths of connection between the main characters. They can heal, protect, and cherish each other in a world that has been cruel to them or does not understand them. 

### Books recs for beginners

For those just starting their journey into the tantalizing world of dark romance, dipping your toes into the genre can be both thrilling and slightly intimidating. To ease your way into this spicy realm, here are five popular dark romance books that serve as perfect entry points for beginners:

"Still Beating" by Jennifer Hartmann: This gripping standalone novel introduces readers to a world where love and danger collide in unexpected ways. Following the tumultuous relationship between a young woman named Ava and a mysterious man with a troubled past, "Still Beating" explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the healing power of love. With its compelling storyline and complex characters, this book is sure to keep you hooked from beginning to end.

"Hawke" by Jescie Hall: If you're a fan of steamy romance with a hint of suspense, "Hawke" is the perfect choice. Set in a small town where secrets run deep, this novel follows the forbidden romance between a brooding bad boy named Hawke and a fiercely independent woman named Liv. As their attraction intensifies, they must navigate the dangerous consequences of their love in a town where everyone has something to hide. With its sizzling chemistry and edge-of-your-seat suspense, "Hawke" is a must-read for fans of dark romance.

The Never After series by Emily McIntire: Dive into a world of forbidden love and dark magic with this captivating series. Set in a dystopian future where society is ruled by ruthless leaders, these books follow the journey of a young woman named Elara as she navigates a dangerous romance with a mysterious stranger named Kael. Filled with twists, turns, and heart-pounding suspense, "The Never After series" will keep you guessing until the very end.

"Does It Hurt?" by H.D. Carlton: For readers who enjoy their romance with a side of psychological intrigue, "Does It Hurt?" delivers in spades. This chilling tale follows the twisted relationship between a young woman named Lily and a seductive stranger named Jack. As Lily becomes entangled in Jack's dark world of obsession and manipulation, she must confront her deepest fears and desires. With its haunting prose and spine-tingling suspense, "Does It Hurt?" is a must-read for fans of psychological dark romance.

”Wicked Words” an audiobook on the Dipsea app: When celebrity biographer Adrienne Stone's father passes away, he leaves the family estate to her reckless brother. But her brother, burned by his debts, is forced to sell it to notorious tech mogul, Alexander Blackwood. In a twist of fate, Adrienne finds herself agreeing to write Alexander's biography and, despite their initial animosity, she discovers a man far different from what the headlines suggest. With its blend of intrigue, passion, and unexpected twists, "Wicked Words" will keep you enthralled from start to finish.

### Trigger warnings and critiques of dark romance
There are a few critiques of dark romance and dark fantasy that often come up.

Some people argue that this subgenre romanticizes and glorifies toxic relationships and unhealthy behaviors. There's a concern that readers, especially younger ones, might internalize these problematic dynamics and view them as desirable or acceptable in real life. 

Critics also point out that the power imbalances and non-consensual elements in many dark romance stories can be triggering or harmful to readers who have experienced trauma or abuse. There's a fine line between exploring these themes in a fictional setting and glamorizing them, and some believe that dark romance writers cross that line. 

However, at Dipsea we think that dark romance provides a safe space to explore these darker themes and fantasies without real-world consequences. And we’re confident that readers are capable of distinguishing between fiction and reality. Ultimately, as with any genre, it's up to individuals to decide what they're comfortable with.

In most dark romance books, there are trigger warnings which will tell you what to expect beforehand. If you’re worried about encountering content that disturbing or upsetting, make sure you read these warnings ahead of time!

### Explore the dark side of romance
Fiction plays a unique role in everyone’s lives and we’re not here to shame you! 

If you have a fresh download on your Kindle or are browsing Amazon listings, you can check trigger warnings and content warnings on Goodreads. 

If you’re listening on a spicy audiobook platform like Dipsea, you can get all the information you need in the tags before you press play.


### #BookTok
Maybe Fourth Wing was your gateway drug into romance, maybe the Netflix show Bridgerton inspired a deeper dive, or maybe you read Fifty Shades of Grey ten years ago and the algorithm is just catching up to you. But if you've been scrolling through #BookTok on TikTok lately, you've probably started seeing Gothic-looking book covers adorned with skulls, roses, and the occasional shirtless men in stark black and white.

Welcome to the dark side—let’s explore the wild world of dark romance. We’ll show what you can expect from dark romance authors, the common tropes in these love stories, and some book recommendations for you to explore dark themes. 

### What is dark romance?
Let's get one thing straight: Dark romance isn't for everyone. It's not about kisses, butterflies, and happy endings where the heroine rides off into the sunset with her love interest. No, dark romance is a subgenre of romance that’s all about the messy, complicated, and sometimes downright twisted side of love and relationships. It (sometimes) even explores themes of violence, abuse, and trauma.

That's what makes dark romance so addictive to its fans. It has all of the most delicious themes common in most romance—love, chemistry, and spice. But where most romance keeps its characters unequivocally good and its themes light, dark romance is not afraid to explore the darker aspects of human nature and relationships. 

This genre delves into taboo themes like power dynamics, obsession, and fear. And its characters often walk a very thin line between good guy and bad guy.

### 3 common tropes found in dark romance
There is a diverse spectrum of dark romance novels. While some popular BookTok books are full-on stalking fantasies, many are closer to a beach read with a dose of darkness. Let’s explore three common themes that tie the dark romance genre together.

__1. Morally gray characters and anti-heroes__

The male protagonists of dark romance are often flawed, not-so-good guys who may engage in questionable or even criminal behavior. They might even be a straight-up serial killer. Often, they’ll stop at no cost to protect what they love (usually, their girl). 

In a typical romance, a love interest might quit bull riding for his lover or practice figure skating lifts with her. Dark romance MMCs tend to ruthlessly destroy the lives of (or in some cases, like, actually kill) any man who’s ever wronged their beloved. Kind of a different storyline!

__2. Internally consistent (but not traditional) moral codes__

The men of dark romance may not abide by a traditional definition of right and wrong, but they do usually have a code they live by that is consistent with their own morals, and tend to be extremely pragmatic in a violent and unjust world. 

Zade of Haunting Adeline has no qualms killing people if they are violent men who prey on the weak (women and children). 

Draco in Manacled (a popular Harry Potter fanfic with a juicy enemies to lovers trope) will do anything to protect and defend his mother, and is also critically aware that if he didn’t do the Dark Lord’s dirty work, someone else would.

Hades in Forbidden Fruit, a spicy audiobook on Dipsea, refuses to play by the rules of the other gods. He’s happy to let them think that Persephone is kept in the Underworld against her will, because he will do absolutely anything to have her. 

But whether the MMCs in dark romance are villains or just seem like villains, across the board they are willing to be the “monster” if it means protecting, loving, and cherishing their princess. And while the men (and gods) of dark romance certainly aren’t good, they are usually only bad for a very good reason. 

__3. Taboo themes and intense emotional journeys__

Dark romance novels often explore controversial topics such as obsession, captivity, violence, BDSM, and dubious consent or non-consensual acts. The flawed characters of this genre are often working through childhood trauma or otherwise living in violent circumstances that have shaped their ruthless attitudes and informed their personal moral codes. 

These themes create a sense of intensity and extremity which heighten the drama and addictiveness of the stories, but these challenging topics also act as deep paths of connection between the main characters. They can heal, protect, and cherish each other in a world that has been cruel to them or does not understand them. 

### Books recs for beginners

For those just starting their journey into the tantalizing world of dark romance, dipping your toes into the genre can be both thrilling and slightly intimidating. To ease your way into this spicy realm, here are five popular dark romance books that serve as perfect entry points for beginners:

"Still Beating" by Jennifer Hartmann: This gripping standalone novel introduces readers to a world where love and danger collide in unexpected ways. Following the tumultuous relationship between a young woman named Ava and a mysterious man with a troubled past, "Still Beating" explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and the healing power of love. With its compelling storyline and complex characters, this book is sure to keep you hooked from beginning to end.

"Hawke" by Jescie Hall: If you're a fan of steamy romance with a hint of suspense, "Hawke" is the perfect choice. Set in a small town where secrets run deep, this novel follows the forbidden romance between a brooding bad boy named Hawke and a fiercely independent woman named Liv. As their attraction intensifies, they must navigate the dangerous consequences of their love in a town where everyone has something to hide. With its sizzling chemistry and edge-of-your-seat suspense, "Hawke" is a must-read for fans of dark romance.

The Never After series by Emily McIntire: Dive into a world of forbidden love and dark magic with this captivating series. Set in a dystopian future where society is ruled by ruthless leaders, these books follow the journey of a young woman named Elara as she navigates a dangerous romance with a mysterious stranger named Kael. Filled with twists, turns, and heart-pounding suspense, "The Never After series" will keep you guessing until the very end.

"Does It Hurt?" by H.D. Carlton: For readers who enjoy their romance with a side of psychological intrigue, "Does It Hurt?" delivers in spades. This chilling tale follows the twisted relationship between a young woman named Lily and a seductive stranger named Jack. As Lily becomes entangled in Jack's dark world of obsession and manipulation, she must confront her deepest fears and desires. With its haunting prose and spine-tingling suspense, "Does It Hurt?" is a must-read for fans of psychological dark romance.

”Wicked Words” an audiobook on the Dipsea app: When celebrity biographer Adrienne Stone's father passes away, he leaves the family estate to her reckless brother. But her brother, burned by his debts, is forced to sell it to notorious tech mogul, Alexander Blackwood. In a twist of fate, Adrienne finds herself agreeing to write Alexander's biography and, despite their initial animosity, she discovers a man far different from what the headlines suggest. With its blend of intrigue, passion, and unexpected twists, "Wicked Words" will keep you enthralled from start to finish.

### Trigger warnings and critiques of dark romance
There are a few critiques of dark romance and dark fantasy that often come up.

Some people argue that this subgenre romanticizes and glorifies toxic relationships and unhealthy behaviors. There's a concern that readers, especially younger ones, might internalize these problematic dynamics and view them as desirable or acceptable in real life. 

Critics also point out that the power imbalances and non-consensual elements in many dark romance stories can be triggering or harmful to readers who have experienced trauma or abuse. There's a fine line between exploring these themes in a fictional setting and glamorizing them, and some believe that dark romance writers cross that line. 

However, at Dipsea we think that dark romance provides a safe space to explore these darker themes and fantasies without real-world consequences. And we’re confident that readers are capable of distinguishing between fiction and reality. Ultimately, as with any genre, it's up to individuals to decide what they're comfortable with.

In most dark romance books, there are trigger warnings which will tell you what to expect beforehand. If you’re worried about encountering content that disturbing or upsetting, make sure you read these warnings ahead of time!

### Explore the dark side of romance
Fiction plays a unique role in everyone’s lives and we’re not here to shame you! 

If you have a fresh download on your Kindle or are browsing Amazon listings, you can check trigger warnings and content warnings on Goodreads. 

If you’re listening on a spicy audiobook platform like Dipsea, you can get all the information you need in the tags before you press play.


Safely explore the dark side of romance books by learning what dark romance is, common tropes and trigger warnings, and what to expect from this spicy genre.

What is Dark Romance?

What is Dark Romance? Tropes, trigger warnings, and book recs

Ready to take your next solo sesh to a whole new level? That's what Dipsea is for.

Dipsea is an app for Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions designed to turn you on and then tuck you in.

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Get the story behind the spicy story, and meet the team building the next-gen of romance.

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<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Ready to hear what men written by women actually sound like? Dipsea has you covered.</p>

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Dipsea is an app for Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions designed to turn you on and then tuck you in. You can download Dipsea from the App Store, Google Play Store, or online at app.dipseastories.com.</p>

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  >
    Try Dipsea Free
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It’s no secret that male authors aren’t always the most adept when it comes to writing female characters. If you’ve read almost any book written by a man, it’s pretty immediately apparent that many may have never interacted with an actual woman before. Or, if they have, it might have just been the apparition of a woman, which they themselves psychically projected. 

Should you need evidence of this strange, perplexing, and sometimes actually offensive phenomenon, the subreddit [r/menwritingwomen](https://www.reddit.com/r/menwritingwomen/) does an exceptional job of chronicling examples of men attempting to write women across multiple forms of media. Aptly given the headline, “She breasted boobily down the stairs.....” posts you’ll find on this thread run the gamut from lesser-known authors doing their best (worst?) to describe what a woman’s body looks like, to better-known authors, like Stephen King, who talks about a kindergarten-aged girl experiencing symptoms of menopause. 

Perhaps male authors have no idea how women actually move, talk, or just generally experience the world because historically, men [don’t read books written by women](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jul/09/why-do-so-few-men-read-books-by-women). We’re not here to make excuses for anyone, mostly because too many of the examples on r/menwritingwomen are inexcusable, but this would appear to be a pretty damning reason. 

According to The Guardian, of the top 10 bestselling female authors, just 19% of their readership are men, while 81% are women. Of the top 10 bestselling male authors, 55% are men, and 45% are women. 

Of course, the study doesn’t account for what percentage of that male readership are also authors themselves, so really their inability to realistically portray women could be for any number of reasons. Our bet is on the general misogyny that permeates much of (most of?) society, culture and has for essentially all of history. In many ways, that’s an oversimplification of the idea, but it does best get the point across. 

As a counter conversation, over on TikTok, users have begun posting under the hashtag #menwrittenbywomen. To be fair, most of the men being talked about are not fictional characters but real-life human men, who the posters believe to be so perfect they could only have been written into existence by a woman. However, the trend derived from the realization that women wrote many of the best men in film, television, and literature. 

![men-by-women](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/ba7sdYvx57nDgegULHZDr/53834c12093b481a5e6b2040d0787026/Screen_Shot_2021-07-29_at_11.45.00_AM.png)

Naturally, at Dipsea, all the men are written by women, which is just one reason why the men of Dipsea are so great. The women of Dipsea are also written by women, for what it’s worth, which might be why they come across as actual people, rather than just caricatures of what a woman might be like. 

<a href="https://player.captivate.fm/show/47ee60a7-be99-4845-8cb7-252807ff2929" class="embedly-card" data-card-width="100%" data-card-controls="0">Embedded content: https://player.captivate.fm/show/47ee60a7-be99-4845-8cb7-252807ff2929</a>

Every once in a while, we look to the real world for some good old-fashioned inspiration. We can neither confirm nor deny that any of these men will appear as characters in the Dipseaverse one day, but we can confirm that we had a great time watching these TikToks!

### I mean, it’s obvious

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@healingmushroom04/video/6975145486965689606" data-video-id="6975145486965689606" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@healingmushroom04" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@healingmushroom04">@healingmushroom04</a> <p>Ah <a title="fyp" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp">#fyp</a> <a title="foryou" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryou">#foryou</a> <a title="foryoupage" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage">#foryoupage</a> <a title="menwrittenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/menwrittenbywomen">#menwrittenbywomen</a> <a title="benbarnes" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/benbarnes">#benbarnes</a> <a title="colinfirth" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/colinfirth">#colinfirth</a> <a title="newt" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/newt">#newt</a> <a title="harrystyles" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/harrystyles">#harrystyles</a> <a title="andrewgarfield" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/andrewgarfield">#andrewgarfield</a> <a title="greenscreen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/greenscreen">#greenscreen</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny's Child" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Bills-Bills-Bills-222597111081832449">♬ Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny's Child</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

### The energy we need 

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@cringeykelly/video/6944005382327094533" data-video-id="6944005382327094533" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@cringeykelly" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cringeykelly">@cringeykelly</a> <p>they’re just so much better <a title="menwrittenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/menwrittenbywomen">#menwrittenbywomen</a> <a title="mybacksachingmybrastootight" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mybacksachingmybrastootight">#mybacksachingmybrastootight</a> <a title="myhipsareshakingfromlefttoright" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/myhipsareshakingfromlefttoright">#myhipsareshakingfromlefttoright</a> <a title="fictionalmenarebetter" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fictionalmenarebetter">#fictionalmenarebetter</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ the real sorority check - elizabeth the first" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/the-real-sorority-check-6737698700086233861">♬ the real sorority check - elizabeth the first</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

### For your consideration

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@dipseastories/video/6983009837789629702" data-video-id="6983009837789629702" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@dipseastories" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dipseastories">@dipseastories</a> <p>Dipsea, where all men are written by women 😘 <a title="dipseastories" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/dipseastories">#DipseaStories</a> <a title="menwrittenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/menwrittenbywomen">#menwrittenbywomen</a> <a title="forwomenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/forwomenbywomen">#forwomenbywomen</a> <a title="femalewriters" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/femalewriters">#femalewriters</a> <a title="malecharacters" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/malecharacters">#malecharacters</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ loverboy - <3" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/loverboy-6937758895574141702">♬ loverboy - <3</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

Want a few shining examples of what it looks like when men and women are both written as fully realized, sensual characters with agency? Check them out above! 

  <div style="max-width: 41.25em; margin: 0 auto">
<div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row">

<div style="text-align: center; margin: 0 10px 0 0">
  <a target="_blank" href="https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/on-the-apps">
    <img src="//images.contentful.com/03of3q5qzesq/2ebxEGrODZph41PqNMP1IJ/fc2ae0b5569fb5827594290359ede194/329_OnTheApps_JosephineRais.png?h=250" />
    <p style="text-align: center;">On the Apps I</p>
  </a>
</div>

<div style="text-align: center; margin: 0 0 0 10px">
  <a target="_blank" href="https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/wild-hearts-i">
    <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/uKUgJ2jViYBbPf0TOBUyi/d8679a95ce52a3c2b153068f6657e48c/473_OffSeasonI_SarahAliceRabbit.png?h=250" />
    <p style="text-align: center;">Wild Hearts I</p>
  </a>
</div>

</div>
</div>

<br /><br />


It’s no secret that male authors aren’t always the most adept when it comes to writing female characters. If you’ve read almost any book written by a man, it’s pretty immediately apparent that many may have never interacted with an actual woman before. Or, if they have, it might have just been the apparition of a woman, which they themselves psychically projected. 

Should you need evidence of this strange, perplexing, and sometimes actually offensive phenomenon, the subreddit [r/menwritingwomen](https://www.reddit.com/r/menwritingwomen/) does an exceptional job of chronicling examples of men attempting to write women across multiple forms of media. Aptly given the headline, “She breasted boobily down the stairs.....” posts you’ll find on this thread run the gamut from lesser-known authors doing their best (worst?) to describe what a woman’s body looks like, to better-known authors, like Stephen King, who talks about a kindergarten-aged girl experiencing symptoms of menopause. 

Perhaps male authors have no idea how women actually move, talk, or just generally experience the world because historically, men [don’t read books written by women](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jul/09/why-do-so-few-men-read-books-by-women). We’re not here to make excuses for anyone, mostly because too many of the examples on r/menwritingwomen are inexcusable, but this would appear to be a pretty damning reason. 

According to The Guardian, of the top 10 bestselling female authors, just 19% of their readership are men, while 81% are women. Of the top 10 bestselling male authors, 55% are men, and 45% are women. 

Of course, the study doesn’t account for what percentage of that male readership are also authors themselves, so really their inability to realistically portray women could be for any number of reasons. Our bet is on the general misogyny that permeates much of (most of?) society, culture and has for essentially all of history. In many ways, that’s an oversimplification of the idea, but it does best get the point across. 

As a counter conversation, over on TikTok, users have begun posting under the hashtag #menwrittenbywomen. To be fair, most of the men being talked about are not fictional characters but real-life human men, who the posters believe to be so perfect they could only have been written into existence by a woman. However, the trend derived from the realization that women wrote many of the best men in film, television, and literature. 

![men-by-women](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/ba7sdYvx57nDgegULHZDr/53834c12093b481a5e6b2040d0787026/Screen_Shot_2021-07-29_at_11.45.00_AM.png)

Naturally, at Dipsea, all the men are written by women, which is just one reason why the men of Dipsea are so great. The women of Dipsea are also written by women, for what it’s worth, which might be why they come across as actual people, rather than just caricatures of what a woman might be like. 

<div style="width: 100%; height: 600px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 600px;" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" allow="clipboard-write" seamless src="https://player.captivate.fm/show/47ee60a7-be99-4845-8cb7-252807ff2929"></iframe></div>

Every once in a while, we look to the real world for some good old-fashioned inspiration. We can neither confirm nor deny that any of these men will appear as characters in the Dipseaverse one day, but we can confirm that we had a great time watching these TikToks!

### I mean, it’s obvious

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@healingmushroom04/video/6975145486965689606" data-video-id="6975145486965689606" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@healingmushroom04" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@healingmushroom04">@healingmushroom04</a> <p>Ah <a title="fyp" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp">#fyp</a> <a title="foryou" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryou">#foryou</a> <a title="foryoupage" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/foryoupage">#foryoupage</a> <a title="menwrittenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/menwrittenbywomen">#menwrittenbywomen</a> <a title="benbarnes" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/benbarnes">#benbarnes</a> <a title="colinfirth" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/colinfirth">#colinfirth</a> <a title="newt" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/newt">#newt</a> <a title="harrystyles" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/harrystyles">#harrystyles</a> <a title="andrewgarfield" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/andrewgarfield">#andrewgarfield</a> <a title="greenscreen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/greenscreen">#greenscreen</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny's Child" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Bills-Bills-Bills-222597111081832449">♬ Bills, Bills, Bills - Destiny's Child</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

### The energy we need 

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@cringeykelly/video/6944005382327094533" data-video-id="6944005382327094533" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@cringeykelly" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cringeykelly">@cringeykelly</a> <p>they’re just so much better <a title="menwrittenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/menwrittenbywomen">#menwrittenbywomen</a> <a title="mybacksachingmybrastootight" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mybacksachingmybrastootight">#mybacksachingmybrastootight</a> <a title="myhipsareshakingfromlefttoright" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/myhipsareshakingfromlefttoright">#myhipsareshakingfromlefttoright</a> <a title="fictionalmenarebetter" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fictionalmenarebetter">#fictionalmenarebetter</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ the real sorority check - elizabeth the first" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/the-real-sorority-check-6737698700086233861">♬ the real sorority check - elizabeth the first</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

### For your consideration

<blockquote class="tiktok-embed" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@dipseastories/video/6983009837789629702" data-video-id="6983009837789629702" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;" > <section> <a target="_blank" title="@dipseastories" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@dipseastories">@dipseastories</a> <p>Dipsea, where all men are written by women 😘 <a title="dipseastories" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/dipseastories">#DipseaStories</a> <a title="menwrittenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/menwrittenbywomen">#menwrittenbywomen</a> <a title="forwomenbywomen" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/forwomenbywomen">#forwomenbywomen</a> <a title="femalewriters" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/femalewriters">#femalewriters</a> <a title="malecharacters" target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/malecharacters">#malecharacters</a></p> <a target="_blank" title="♬ loverboy - <3" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/loverboy-6937758895574141702">♬ loverboy - <3</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>

Want a few shining examples of what it looks like when men and women are both written as fully realized, sensual characters with agency? Check them out above!


Fictional Men Podcast Cover Art

Men written by women

Ready to hear what men written by women actually sound like? Dipsea has you covered.

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Whether you’re sapphic, or just sapphic curious, there’s so much romance and erotica for you to explore. Start a free trial to check out sapphic stories on Dipsea. 
</p>

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Dipsea is an app for Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions designed to turn you on and then tuck you in. You can download Dipsea from the App Store, Google Play Store, or online at app.dipseastories.com.</p>

<div class="blog-cta-centered">
  <a
    class="blog-cta-purple-pill"
    href="https://app.dipseastories.com/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=sapphic-blog"
  >
    Try Dipsea Free
  </a>
</div>

## What does “Sapphic Mean” 

According to the dictionary, the word “Sapphic” originates from the Greek goddess Sappho, who lived on The Isle of Lesbos. In the nineteen fifties, “sapphic” began being used to describe women who were into women. And today it’s taken on a more expansive meaning, referring to attraction between women, whether they identify as lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, non-binary or queer. Although the mythological Sappho lived long ago, some of her tradition still lives on through erotica written about women who love women. 

You might not be able to visit an island full of sensual sapphics, but you can certainly read stories that transport you to worlds full of queer fantasy. 

At Dipsea, we make all kinds of queer erotica, here’s a few of our favorite Sapphic Stories:  

__[Goddess of the Hunt](https://dipsea.app.link/27FolvJJMGb):__  
This series reimagines the Greek myth of Artemis and Callisto, but instead of having their love be cursed, it gets to bloom in full. There’s woman warriors, mortal peril, and some very very spicy sapphic scenes. 

__[The Ticket](https://dipsea.app.link/J755uG1JMGb):__  
Looking for an escape, but not into fantasy? The Ticket is like taking a very sexy vacation without ever leaving home. In this series, Juliette, a wealthy and mysterious woman, whisks the protagonist away on adventures where they have high stakes sex, often in public. 

__[Office Hours](https://dipsea.app.link/ECHAr38JMGb):__  
This series is all about an off limits relationship between a professor and and her former student. It’s an intense and romantic, and so erotically charged 

__[Moonshadowe Chronicles](https://dipsea.app.link/llt1CCdKMGb):__  
This series was made for the romantasy booktok girls, for the fans of ACOTAR, and Fourth Wing…it’s got fae, magic, and so much enemies to lovers action. It’s the story of a woman warrior and princess traveling through a dangerous realm together, who over the course of their journey, fall in love. 

Whether you’re sapphic, or just sapphic curious, there’s so much romance and erotica for you to explore. 

<div style="width: 100%; height: 600px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 600px;" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" allow="clipboard-write" seamless src="https://player.captivate.fm/show/407d0dcb-7e6b-4c8a-acfc-69cedfdf712e"></iframe></div>

## What does “Sapphic Mean” 

According to the dictionary, the word “Sapphic” originates from the Greek goddess Sappho, who lived on The Isle of Lesbos. In the nineteen fifties, “sapphic” began being used to describe women who were into women. And today it’s taken on a more expansive meaning, referring to attraction between women, whether they identify as lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, non-binary or queer. Although the mythological Sappho lived long ago, some of her tradition still lives on through erotica written about women who love women. 

You might not be able to visit an island full of sensual sapphics, but you can certainly read stories that transport you to worlds full of queer fantasy. 

At Dipsea, we make all kinds of queer erotica, here’s a few of our favorite Sapphic Stories:  

__[Goddess of the Hunt](https://dipsea.app.link/27FolvJJMGb):__  
This series reimagines the Greek myth of Artemis and Callisto, but instead of having their love be cursed, it gets to bloom in full. There’s woman warriors, mortal peril, and some very very spicy sapphic scenes. 

__[The Ticket](https://dipsea.app.link/J755uG1JMGb):__  
Looking for an escape, but not into fantasy? The Ticket is like taking a very sexy vacation without ever leaving home. In this series, Juliette, a wealthy and mysterious woman, whisks the protagonist away on adventures where they have high stakes sex, often in public. 

__[Office Hours](https://dipsea.app.link/ECHAr38JMGb):__  
This series is all about an off limits relationship between a professor and and her former student. It’s an intense and romantic, and so erotically charged 

__[Moonshadowe Chronicles](https://dipsea.app.link/llt1CCdKMGb):__  
This series was made for the romantasy booktok girls, for the fans of ACOTAR, and Fourth Wing…it’s got fae, magic, and so much enemies to lovers action. It’s the story of a woman warrior and princess traveling through a dangerous realm together, who over the course of their journey, fall in love. 

Whether you’re sapphic, or just sapphic curious, there’s so much romance and erotica for you to explore. 

<div style="width: 100%; height: 600px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;"><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 600px;" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" allow="clipboard-write" seamless src="https://player.captivate.fm/show/407d0dcb-7e6b-4c8a-acfc-69cedfdf712e"></iframe></div>

Sapphic Blog Art

Sapphic Erotica: Women Loving Women Fantasy and Romance

Whether you’re sapphic, or just sapphic curious, there’s so much romance and erotica for you to explore. Start a free trial to check out sapphic stories on Dipsea.

## Frequently Asked Questions

---

### __What is Dipsea?__

Dipsea is the app for spicy audiobooks and more, featuring your favorite tropes and irresistible characters. Crafted by a team of professional writers and top-tier narrators, it’s next-gen romance created by and for women.

You can download Dipsea in the App Store, Google Play Store, or browse audiobooks [here](https://www.dipseastories.com/discover/). 

### __What can I listen to with a free trial?__

You’ll get access to the entire Dipsea library when you sign up for a free trial. Choose an annual or monthly subscription and explore 1000+ spicy audiobooks, romance novels, sleep scenes, and steamy sounds. 

### __How often is there new content?__

New content is released each week and with thousands of stories to explore, there’s plenty to discover.

### __Who are the people behind the app?__

We're a [women-led team](https://www.dipseastories.com/about/) of writers, producers, and engineers who are obsessed with making the very best audio romance. Every story on Dipsea has been created by us. And we partner with an incredible network of narrators to guarantee the quality of every single story.

### __What makes Dipsea different?__

We like to think of Dipsea as HBO for your ears. It isn’t just your average romance audiobook—it’s like the juiciest scenes from your favorite spicy story, but better… Crafted with care by our team of professional writers, voice actors, and audio producers, each story in our library is a high-quality, immersive sonic experience. And because our content is created by women, the female gaze is always front and center.

### __Can I work for Dipsea?__ 

We’re only as great as the people we work with, and we’d love to meet you. Check out the current opportunities for working with us:

- [Work with us](https://angel.co/dipsea/jobs)
- [Voice act for us](https://www.dipseastories.com/voice/)  


Read the FAQs to find out what Dipsea is and learn more about the team behind it.

Dipsea FAQ

FAQ-v2

Ready to explore a new side of yourself? That's what Dipsea is for. 

Your all-access pass to the creative inspiration behind your favorite Dipsea stories, books, and characters. From first drafts to final chapters, tropes and archetypes, get the story behind the spicy story, and meet the team building the next-gen of romance.

The Dipsea Blog

Happy Pride Month! 

Pride technically only comes once a year, but in the Dipseaverse, you can celebrate queer love and pleasure any month (or day…or hour…) you choose. Thirty five percent of Dipsea’s library is queer because celebrating queerness is not only important – it’s also hot. Plus, over half of our amazing team identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community, so you know your erotica is made by queer people, for queer people. 🌈

Join us in celebrating Pride by diving into the Dipsea team’s favorite queer series! These stories have touched our hearts and stoked our imaginations, and we’re excited to share why we love them with you.

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='https://images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/27QmjH1FkjWZh5tYeeVrRl/bd98cfa56a3535bd0d47a0bff4793260/3.png' />
  <h2>Bethany</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> she/her<br>
    <b>Position:</b> Growth Marketing Lead<br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> Under Construction
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>"It’s the queer handyman fantasy I’ve always wanted! As a person who also crushes hard, I love that Lucy’s crush
      on Rachel keeps bringing them together. Rachel is the butch babe you can trust to be handy in more ways than
      one."</i>
  </p>
</div>

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='https://images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/5lcwbrLXaYbS6ML5ozFNqP/e282df443c4919b229095426ddfdd4b6/6.png' />
  <h2>Angela</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> she/her
    <br>
    <b>Position:</b> Senior Audio Producer
    <br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> The Ticket
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>
      "I always love an escape to distant lands, so I naturally gravitate towards The Ticket. The sense of adventure is
      heightened by Juliette, an alluring and mysterious woman who aims to please no matter how risqué the location."
    </i>
  </p>
</div>

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='https://images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/4UrFkeHkv5WObIpgwIDx7d/33e619226fd38cb2527efa921a388263/7.png' />
  <h2>Sy</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> they/them/their
    <br>
    <b>Position:</b> Data Analyst
    <br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> Plus One
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>
      "E.R. Fightmaster’s Jay is such a hunk! They’re so smooth and effortless and cheeky. Also our writers did such a
      great job making this series feel queer and contemporary – there are so many great details and little jokes about
      iced oatmilk lattes that make the story and characters feel like actual people I know. The story is about making
      your ex jealous by bringing a fake partner as your “plus one” to a wedding you’re both invited to – get into the
      queer chaos!"
    </i>
  </p>
</div>

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='https://images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/7kWRnJm94j0OMDSdfLKtWW/3cd015c87896e1dca2e2f26e82ce3fba/4.png' />
  <h2>Kara</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> she/her
    <br>
    <b>Position:</b> Audio Producer
    <br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> Say Yes
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>
      "A solo vacation that turns into a three day hedonistic adventure with two experienced guides? I say YES! The
      dynamic between these three characters is insatiable - more is more with them. Their instant bond makes it safe
      for them to explore all of their desires, and is a joy to listen to!"
    </i>
  </p>
</div>

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='https://images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/6V7YS6ApePxmBMaMmw91qR/631f7f40fd4151b945123c6fb6eafc3b/8.png' />
  <h2>Ang</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> she/her
    <br>
    <b>Position:</b> Audio Producer
    <br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> Raise the Bar
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>
      "I love the off-limits workplace tension! Knowing you shouldn't be doing it makes the sex (and foreplay) even more
      heated ❤️‍🔥 Isa’s calm, dominant nature pairs so well with Alex’s spunk and brattiness. Plus, there are eight
      episodes in the series available so the two of them really get to explore different dynamics and settings."
    </i>
  </p>
</div>

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='https://images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/6zndWC1L1sxgaqIXTs0IdU/b27c05d4a316d0cd7cf8a3d894d23e94/2.png' />
  <h2>Dan</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> he/him
    <br>
    <b>Position:</b> VP of Engineering
    <br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> Gods & Men
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>
      "Our main character intimately teaches Apollo how to draw an arrow…which–leads to sex–of course! The sexual
      chemistry is hot and intense. My favorite: we discover Apollo’s special bag of godly oils…. ✋, yes please! What
      else is in that bag 👀?"
    </i>
  </p>
</div>

<br>
<br>

<div style='width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;display:flex;flex-direction:column'>
  <img src='//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/5zxIS8sDL6uEPXyEwHeYOp/1907e8cad5e89e67e0fb4766fa9033d2/1.png' />
  <h2>Liz</h2>
  <p>
    <b>Pronouns:</b> she/they
    <br>
    <b>Position:</b> Senior Brand Manager
    <br>
    <b>Favorite Dipsea series:</b> Homecoming
    <br>
    <br>
    <i>
      "The only thing better than a friends-to-lovers story is a friends-to-enemies-to-lovers story! The initial tension
      and then intense chemistry between Zoe and Adrianne in “Homecoming” are top tier! And I love how Zoe continuously
      checks in with Adrianne and reassures her that they can take things slow."
    </i>
  </p>
</div>


Pride may only be one month a year, but at Dipsea, we celebrate queer pleasure all year long!

dipsea-pride-queer-stories

Picks for Pride: A roundup of the Dipsea team’s favorite queer series

Trace Lysette is the title character in the buzzy new film *Monica*, for which she received an 11.5-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival. Her star is rising fast, but Lysette is the first to tell you that her career has been a slow burn. Despite scene-stealing roles like Tracey in Jennifer Lopez’s *Hustlers* and Shae in Amazon’s *Transparent*, her phone hasn’t always been ringing with opportunities. It’s one of the many struggles confronting trans women in entertainment. While trans people are more likely to play the best friend than ever, they rarely get the center stage, and even more rarely get to ride off into the sunset with great sex and a love that lasts. 

When we approached Trace about creating a series that rewrites the narratives we commonly see in the media about trans women, she said yes–as long as we didn’t shy away from any of the details. She wanted to tell a story about a big romance. She wanted to be real and get graphic about post-op trans women’s bodies. She was ready to break ground, and so were we. 

Trace Lysette is as dynamic off-screen as she is on. Our team was struck by what we saw as her “bothness”: she’s soft-spoken and gentle, but she also exudes an unassuming strength and sexiness. She’s wholeheartedly herself, and that authenticity makes her a match made in heaven for the intimacy of a Dipsea audio story. And the chemistry between Trace and her male co-star? Well, you really just need to hear it for yourself...

Trace Lysette’s series *Close Up* stars Sophia, a trans woman and trained actress who lived in stealth for years. Sophia was just cast in her first big film alongside Austin Adams, and she’s nervous to see him again. Sophia and Austin hooked up while she was still a bartender and he was still on the B-List, and he didn’t know she was trans. When sparks fly between the two of them, their budding relationship in the spotlight brings its challenges–and surfaces big feelings. 

The first episode of the three-part series drops on Friday, June 9, with a new episode dropping every Friday. 

As both the star and a co-producer, Trace Lysette was involved in the development of *Close Up* every step of the way. Her character Sophia was influenced by Trace’s own lived experiences, and even her love interest, Austin, has characteristics borrowed from a former fling. The tender realness of this story, plus the chemistry between two people falling in love, showcases the joy we want to see at the center of many more trans stories. 

In advance of her series release, we talked to Lysette about her collaboration with Dipsea. Here’s what she had to say: 

What drew you towards creating the *Close Up* series with Dipsea?

I wanted to collaborate with Dipsea because it’s a women-led company and I feel like they do a good job of telling stories that…tell the whole, full spectrum of womanhood, and are very inclusive of different types of womanhood.

When we first started collaborating you talked about the lack of stories about trans women in the media–and specifically stories that highlight trans women’s sexual experiences. Could you elaborate on that? 

There’s this longstanding myth about our bodies and the functionality of our bodies and our vaginas, and I never see myself represented in storytelling in the way that I know to be true to my own life.

I was just really interested in going there, and getting graphic, and romantic, and talking about my body in a way that validates my sexual experiences unapologetically…and not shying away from everything that I know to be true. 

Tell us a little more about the characters, Sophia and Austin. What excited you about their dynamic? 

`[Sophia is]` an actress, and a post-op trans woman. The male lead in this story was inspired by a leading man that I had a fling with probably a decade ago. And then it’s been fictionalized and has an alternative kind of ending and chapter that we never got to explore. 

It’s been fantasized…but I see so much of myself in Sophia, and it’s really cool to have that play out. 

What were some of your favorite moments from *Close Up*? (Warning: Spoiler Alert!) 

Some of my favorite moments in the Dipsea series are the complicated romantic moments between Sophia and Austin. I especially like the ending where he finds the courage to love her unapologetically.

The interview scene `[in episode 3]` is special because Austin takes it upon himself to surprise her…and claim her, for lack of a better word, to the world. Or claim his own feelings. And I just think that has been so elusive for trans women. So for me it was really special. 

Why is this series meaningful to you, as an actress and as a co-producer?

This series is meaningful to me as an actor and a co-producer because it’s a story I’ve never heard before. And as a co-producer, I think it’s important that trans people are involved in crafting our own stories.

What was it like for you to take part in a story that puts romance and pleasure at the center?

The link between romance and pleasure is very important to me. I have learned how to separate the two in my adult life, like I think a lot of people have, but innately I think that they are linked, and the best pleasure for me is always linked to romance. 

What do you hope listeners take from your Dipsea series? 

I hope listeners take away that trans women are deserving of love and opportunity and unapologetic romance. Our bodies are desirable in a way that’s not just a fetish. If they take that with them, I’ll be happy! 

Trace Lysette is the title character in the buzzy new film *Monica*, for which she received an [11.5-minute standing ovation](https://www.out.com/film/2022/9/06/trace-lysette-gets-11-minute-standing-ovation-venice-festival-film) at the Venice Film Festival. Her star is rising fast, but Lysette is the first to tell you that her career has been a slow burn. Despite scene-stealing roles like Tracey in Jennifer Lopez’s *Hustlers* and Shae in Amazon’s *Transparent*, her phone hasn’t always been ringing with opportunities. It’s one of the many struggles confronting trans women in entertainment. While trans people are more likely to play the [best friend](https://www.them.us/story/trans-best-friend-hollywood-trope-gay-best-friend) than ever, they rarely get the center stage, and even more rarely get to ride off into the sunset with great sex and a love that lasts. 

When we approached Trace about creating a series that rewrites the narratives we commonly see in the media about trans women, she said yes–as long as we didn’t shy away from any of the details. She wanted to tell a story about a big romance. She wanted to be real and get graphic about post-op trans women’s bodies. She was ready to break ground, and so were we. 

Trace Lysette is as dynamic off-screen as she is on. Our team was struck by what we saw as her “bothness”: she’s soft-spoken and gentle, but she also exudes an unassuming strength and sexiness. She’s wholeheartedly herself, and that authenticity makes her a match made in heaven for the intimacy of a Dipsea audio story. And the chemistry between Trace and her male co-star? Well, you really just need to hear it for yourself...

Trace Lysette’s series *Close Up* stars Sophia, a trans woman and trained actress who lived in stealth for years. Sophia was just cast in her first big film alongside Austin Adams, and she’s nervous to see him again. Sophia and Austin hooked up while she was still a bartender and he was still on the B-List, and he didn’t know she was trans. When sparks fly between the two of them, their budding relationship in the spotlight brings its challenges–and surfaces big feelings. 

The first episode of the three-part series drops on Friday, June 9, with a new episode dropping every Friday. 

As both the star and a co-producer, Trace Lysette was involved in the development of *Close Up* every step of the way. Her character Sophia was influenced by Trace’s own lived experiences, and even her love interest, Austin, has characteristics borrowed from a former fling. The tender realness of this story, plus the chemistry between two people falling in love, showcases the joy we want to see at the center of many more trans stories. 

In advance of her series release, we talked to Lysette about her collaboration with Dipsea. Here’s what she had to say: 

### What drew you towards creating the *Close Up* series with Dipsea?

I wanted to collaborate with Dipsea because it’s a women-led company and I feel like they do a good job of telling stories that…tell the whole, full spectrum of womanhood, and are very inclusive of different types of womanhood.

### When we first started collaborating you talked about the lack of stories about trans women in the media–and specifically stories that highlight trans women’s sexual experiences. Could you elaborate on that? 

There’s this longstanding myth about our bodies and the functionality of our bodies and our vaginas, and I never see myself represented in storytelling in the way that I know to be true to my own life.

I was just really interested in going there, and getting graphic, and romantic, and talking about my body in a way that validates my sexual experiences unapologetically…and not shying away from everything that I know to be true. 

### Tell us a little more about the characters, Sophia and Austin. What excited you about their dynamic? 

`[Sophia is]` an actress, and a post-op trans woman. The male lead in this story was inspired by a leading man that I had a fling with probably a decade ago. And then it’s been fictionalized and has an alternative kind of ending and chapter that we never got to explore. 

It’s been fantasized…but I see so much of myself in Sophia, and it’s really cool to have that play out. 

### What were some of your favorite moments from *Close Up*? (Warning: Spoiler Alert!) 

Some of my favorite moments in the Dipsea series are the complicated romantic moments between Sophia and Austin. I especially like the ending where he finds the courage to love her unapologetically.

The interview scene `[in episode 3]` is special because Austin takes it upon himself to surprise her…and claim her, for lack of a better word, to the world. Or claim his own feelings. And I just think that has been so elusive for trans women. So for me it was really special. 

### Why is this series meaningful to you, as an actress and as a co-producer?

This series is meaningful to me as an actor and a co-producer because it’s a story I’ve never heard before. And as a co-producer, I think it’s important that trans people are involved in crafting our own stories.

### What was it like for you to take part in a story that puts romance and pleasure at the center?

The link between romance and pleasure is very important to me. I have learned how to separate the two in my adult life, like I think a lot of people have, but innately I think that they are linked, and the best pleasure for me is always linked to romance. 

### What do you hope listeners take from your Dipsea series? 

I hope listeners take away that trans women are deserving of love and opportunity and unapologetic romance. Our bodies are desirable in a way that’s not just a fetish. If they take that with them, I’ll be happy! 

We partnered with Trace Lysette from Amazon's "Transparent" and Jennifer Lopez's "Hustlers," to showcase the joy we believe should be at the center of many more trans stories.

Trace-Lysette-Dipsea

Trace Lysette’s new series celebrates trans women’s love and pleasure 

Ready to hear Trace Lysette like never before? It's only available on Dipsea. 

2022 was a year of firsts: the first fantasy series on Dipsea (Night School), our first non-binary celebrity voice actor (E.R. Fightmaster), our first time collectively ordering a negroni sbagliato (turns out, the fantasy was better than the reality on that one). 

But let’s take a step back! Scientists tell us that we live in an era that has made our perception of time funkier than ever. So whether you look back at this year and remember the months crawling by, or feel like it all happened in a blink—one thing we can all agree on is that it’s more important than ever to savor the moment, and mark the memories. 

As a Dipsea listener, you’re already way ahead of the curve on savoring the moment by prioritizing me-time and putting pleasure front and center. Well done, you! So as we close out 2022, let’s mark those memories. It’s been an action-packed year in the Dipseaverse! 

## We’ve got a praise kink, can we brag for a second?

The incredibly talented writers, editors, audio producers, and voice actors of the Dipseaverse released 200 new stories this year, bringing the grand total to nearly 700 erotic stories, sleep scenes, and wellness sessions on the Dipsea app. And that’s not even including the 7 books we published this year! 

More stories meant more chances for you to get lost in immersive worlds with your favorite characters, resulting in a whopping 5.4 million listens. That’s over 50 million minutes of Dipsea in 2022! 50 million minutes is a whole lot of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs,’ shivers and sighs—and we hope you feel just as good about that as we do. 

## Your 2022 favorites, revealed

There’s a clear favorite series in town, and it’s…*Hometown*! High school crushes die hard. The next two most popular series were *Lecture Me* and *The Local*, and it’s no mystery why: lots of us get hot for a teacher fantasy, and Irish accents are to die for. And the book you all couldn’t get enough of this year? It’s probably no surprise that *James After Class* was at the top of the list. 

The first episode of *Plus One*, starring the intensely crushable E.R. Fightmaster, reigned as the top queer story of 2022. And the top queer series were *Office Hours* and *The Figure*–you went hard for teacher types in 2022! 

The top tag on Dipsea this year was “Rough & Wild”. Turns out, the steamier, the better for most of you. But the “Dirty Talk” tag got lots of love too. We’re all audiophiles here, so it checks out that we love hearing someone verbalize the action! 

On the sleepy side of things, *Autumn Rainstorm* came out on top. We think it’s pretty sweet how universal it is to enjoy falling asleep all cozied up during a rainstorm. 

## A little local flavor 

Incredibly, Dipsea had listeners in nearly every country in the world this year! The fact that we have folks tuning in from Bhutan, The Marshall Islands, and Uzbekistan will never get old for our small, U.S.-based team. 

The top Dipsea cities were far-flung and far-reaching: New York City came in at number one, followed closely by London, LA, Chicago, and then Melbourne. Special shout out to Warsaw, a queer hotspot, where over 25% of listens were to queer stories! And an honorable mention to a few smaller American cities that were also queer story hotspots. We see you, Burlington, Albuquerque, and Omaha! 

And it’s always fun when a city’s reputation lines up with the stories people like most. Portland, Oregon—famous for its outdoorsy vibes—fell asleep most often to *Forest Thunderstorm*, and loved the episode of *Hometown* called "Gone Camping". And in fashion-forward LA and NYC, the *Off the Record* episode called "The Exclusive" came out on top. That’s fashion, baby. 

## Sexy on a schedule

Sunday night is hands down the most popular listening time on Dipsea. We’ve always known that Dipsea is the ultimate answer to the Sunday Scaries, and it looks like everyone else has figured that out too! When the clock strikes 9pm local time, listeners are most likely to be opening the app. 

Right as we put the darkest day of the year behind us, let us remember that the sexiest time of year is right around the corner! Summer marks the hottest Dipsea listening months, and we get it! More skin + more heat = a perfect recipe for the sexiest listening season. 

## That’s a wrap!

As we approach 2023, we want to remind you that the only kind of resolutions we believe in at Dipsea are the ones about giving yourself more. More pleasure, more rest, and more time to make yourself feel good. We’re so excited you spent 2022 with us, and we can’t wait for you to hear what’s coming in 2023!

2022 was a year of firsts: the first fantasy series on Dipsea (*Night School*), our first non-binary celebrity voice actor (E.R. Fightmaster), our first time collectively ordering a negroni sbagliato (turns out, the fantasy was better than the reality on that one). 

But let’s take a step back! Scientists tell us that we live in an era that has made our perception of time funkier than ever. So whether you look back at this year and remember the months crawling by, or feel like it all happened in a blink—one thing we can all agree on is that it’s more important than ever to savor the moment, and mark the memories. 

As a Dipsea listener, you’re already way ahead of the curve on savoring the moment by prioritizing me-time and putting pleasure front and center. Well done, you! So as we close out 2022, let’s mark those memories. It’s been an action-packed year in the Dipseaverse! 

## We’ve got a praise kink, can we brag for a second?

The incredibly talented writers, editors, audio producers, and voice actors of the Dipseaverse released 200 new stories this year, bringing the grand total to nearly 700 erotic stories, sleep scenes, and wellness sessions on the Dipsea app. And that’s not even including the 7 books we published this year! 

More stories meant more chances for you to get lost in immersive worlds with your favorite characters, resulting in a whopping 5.4 million listens. That’s over 50 million minutes of Dipsea in 2022! 50 million minutes is a whole lot of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs,’ shivers and sighs—and we hope you feel just as good about that as we do. 

## Your 2022 favorites, revealed

There’s a clear favorite series in town, and it’s… *Hometown*! High school crushes die hard. The next two most popular series were *Lecture Me* and *The Local*, and it’s no mystery why: lots of us get hot for a teacher fantasy, and Irish accents are to die for. And the book you all couldn’t get enough of this year? It’s probably no surprise that *James After Class* was at the top of the list. 

The first episode of *Plus One*, starring the intensely crushable E.R. Fightmaster, reigned as the top queer story of 2022. And the top queer series were *Office Hours* and *The Figure*–you went hard for professor types this year! 

The top tag on Dipsea was “Rough & Wild”. Turns out, the steamier, the better for most of you. But the “Dirty Talk” tag got lots of love too. We’re all audiophiles here, so it checks out that we love hearing someone verbalize the action! 

On the sleepy side of things, *Autumn Rainstorm* came out on top. We think it’s pretty sweet how universal it is to enjoy falling asleep all cozied up during a rainstorm. 

## A little local flavor 

Incredibly, Dipsea had listeners in nearly every country in the world this year! The fact that we have folks tuning in from Bhutan, The Marshall Islands, and Uzbekistan will never get old for our small, U.S.-based team. 

The top Dipsea cities were far-flung and far-reaching: New York City came in at number one, followed closely by London, LA, Chicago, and then Melbourne. Special shout out to Warsaw, a queer hotspot, where over 25% of listens were to queer stories! And an honorable mention to a few smaller American cities that were also queer story hotspots. We see you, Burlington, Albuquerque, and Omaha! 

And it’s always fun when a city’s reputation lines up with the stories people like most. Portland, Oregon—famous for its outdoorsy vibes—fell asleep most often to *Forest Thunderstorm*, and loved the episode of *Hometown* called "Gone Camping". And in fashion-forward LA and NYC, the *Off the Record* episode called "The Exclusive" came out on top. That’s fashion, baby. 

## Sexy on a schedule

Sunday night is hands down the most popular listening time on Dipsea. We’ve always known that Dipsea is the ultimate answer to the Sunday Scaries, and it looks like everyone else has figured that out too! When the clock strikes 9pm local time, listeners are most likely to be opening the app. 

Right as we put the darkest day of the year behind us, let us remember that the sexiest time of year is right around the corner! Summer marks the hottest Dipsea listening months, and we get it! More skin + more heat = a perfect recipe for the sexiest listening season. 

## That’s a wrap!

As we approach 2023, we want to remind you that the only kind of resolutions we believe in at Dipsea are the ones about giving yourself more. More pleasure, more rest, and more time to make yourself feel good. We’re so excited you spent 2022 with us, and we can’t wait for you to hear what’s coming in 2023!

All the stories and characters of the Dipseaverse that kept you coming back for more.

Dipsea's 2022 year in review

year in review dipsea

Who… hasn’t seen a TED Talk? Their videos are ubiquitous on the internet, teaching us about humanity, culture, science, and technology. TED is the best curator of ideas in the world, exposing us to the most exciting new concepts and the thinkers that brought them to life. 

So when our co-founder, Gina, was invited to give a TED Talk on the main stage alongside speakers like Al Gore, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Olympian Allyson Felix…well, we were all freaking out. It’s an honor, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spread some of the messages we care most about at Dipsea. We hope Gina’s talk will help a lot more people feel a lot more agency over their own pleasure and sexual wellness. 

In the talk, Gina shares that while we intuitively understand that our minds matter when it comes to sex, we massively underestimate the power of our own imaginations in giving us pleasure. That’s especially true for women, by the way–whose physical arousal systems can be kicked into overdrive, or shut off completely, by the thoughts that they’re thinking. The solution, she says, is simpler than you’d think. Get comfortable using your own sexual imagination. Flex it like a muscle. And explore where those stories take you. 

The video is now live, so check it out! 

On the eve of the video’s release, we asked Gina a few questions about how it all went down in Vancouver. Here’s what she had to say: 

How does someone even get discovered for a TED Talk?

Most people who speak at TED are found by “Curators”, who go out and seek people that are doing the most interesting things in whatever category. What’s interesting about how I got found is that it was actually because of an article about one of our competitors. And I remember reading the article and saying to my co-founder Faye, “Wow that was a big win for them,” and then I got the call from TED. At the very end of the article the writer had said, “But there is this one company Dipsea and they’re ahead of the game and have been doing this for longer,” and my Curator pulled that thread and looked us up. 

Did you get any challenging feedback or pushback?

I don’t expect people who aren’t talking about sex all day every day like I am to pick it up right where I’m putting it down, you know what I mean? Everyone’s baseline is so different. Some people feel really sex-comfortable and so me trying to talk in a way that makes sense to the average person can feel too basic. But more often, it can make people feel uncomfortable. Maybe because they were made to feel shame growing up, or never got sex education, or have hangs ups that they’ve struggled to kick – and for those people, any conversation around sex feels really edgy. 

That’s why I always try and calibrate based on who I’m talking to. Which is hard, when you’re talking to thousands of people. Everyone’s going to have a different baseline. 

And that showed up while I was preparing for TED too. When I was rehearsing with the TED team, who are actually a very diverse group of people, a 60+ year old man said that he thought it was dangerous for me to recommend that people who are married fantasize about whatever they want. And so I had to say, respectfully: you asked me to come and give this talk for a reason, and so I’m going to give it. Fantasy isn’t a gateway drug to infidelity, or worse. That’s just one among many myths that we really, really need to debunk. 

What was harder, writing it or memorizing it?

Ohhh. Writing is hard because there’s only so much you can say in 10 minutes! And you can’t say it all. It feels like this one shot, and you have to make it count! But I felt that the memorizing was the most stressful part. When you repeat the same thing over and over 100 times, you start to feel like none of it makes sense. But I did learn some really helpful [memorization techniques](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ginagutierrez1_ted2022-publicspeaking-tipsandtricks-activity-6932774255529013248-TELk?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web).   

Any cool moments from your time at TED in Vancouver?

So many! Getting there was overwhelming and a little intimidating. You’re like, "Oh my gosh there’s that person, and there’s that person." A woman came up to me backstage in a rehearsal room after I practiced on stage for the first time and she had tousled hair and big sunglasses and she said, “I heard your rehearsal, I loved your talk!” and I said “Oh, thank you!” and only later did I realize that it was Meg Ryan. 

I also just felt really inspired by what so many people had to say. I remembered that the future is going to be shaped by all kinds of passionate people, each one obsessed with their particular way of making the world a better place.

How do you think the talk went? Are you happy with it? Was there more that you wish you got to say?

Ask me after I see the video go live tomorrow (laughs)! Yes, I am happy with it. But there is always more that I want to say. We’re only just scratching the surface on helping people discover how to be their fullest, realest, most empowered selves in the bedroom and beyond. I’m hopeful a video like mine gets people hearing ideas like these for the first time feeling…curious. And inspired. 

Did it go well? What’s the crowd like at TED?

It did! Shout out to some of the women in the front rows who gave me a standing O. But yeah, most people in the TED audience aren’t 18-35 year old female-identifying people…so, I’d say the energy was more like “big intro lecture” than “hyped up vibes”. At one point in the talk I play an audio clip and I could visibly feel 1,500 people freeze up (laughs). They thought I was going to play a Dipsea story. 

What was your favorite line from the talk?

There’s a part about “you being the protagonist” that I really liked. I thought it was a powerful message. But I also thought it was hilarious that the biggest laugh I got was a line I totally ad-libbed – and the joke I made about Outlander got crickets! I thought everybody would get that reference (laughs).

What do you hope people take away from your TED Talk?

I hope people hear it and take one extra step towards taking more agency over their own sex life. Maybe that’s trying a new thing. Maybe that’s trying out an imagination exercise. Maybe that’s downloading Dipsea. I hope it makes people feel like they don’t need to wait, that it starts with them.  

Who… hasn’t seen a TED Talk? Their videos are ubiquitous on the internet, teaching us about humanity, culture, science, and technology. TED is the best curator of ideas in the world, exposing us to the most exciting new concepts and the thinkers that brought them to life. 

So when our co-founder, Gina, was invited to give a TED Talk on the main stage alongside speakers like Al Gore, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Olympian Allyson Felix…well, we were all freaking out. It’s an honor, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spread some of the messages we care most about at Dipsea. We hope Gina’s talk will help a lot more people feel a lot more agency over their own pleasure and sexual wellness.

![Gina on TED stage](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/wvpvC66YdKh78OG2VAIDN/300007da24adbaed89e0b379ec4fdde1/3f631978-6dce-487b-8aad-2c5eb19fe2c1-New-2.jpg)

In the talk, Gina shares that while we intuitively understand that our minds matter when it comes to sex, we massively underestimate the power of our own imaginations in giving us pleasure. That’s especially true for women, by the way–whose physical arousal systems can be kicked into overdrive, or shut off completely, by the thoughts that they’re thinking. The solution, she says, is simpler than you’d think. Get comfortable using your own sexual imagination. Flex it like a muscle. And explore where those stories take you. 

The video is now live, so check it out!

<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://embed.ted.com/talks/lang/en/gina_gutierrez_the_link_between_sex_and_imagination" width="854" height="480" style="position:absolute;left:0;top:0;width:100%;height:100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

On the eve of the video’s release, we asked Gina a few questions about how it all went down in Vancouver. Here’s what she had to say:  

### How does someone even get discovered for a TED Talk?

Most people who speak at TED are found by “Curators”, who go out and seek people that are doing the most interesting things in whatever category. What’s interesting about how I got found is that it was actually because of an article about one of our competitors. And I remember reading the article and saying to my co-founder Faye, “Wow that was a big win for them,” and then I got the call from TED. At the very end of the article the writer had said, “But there is this one company Dipsea and they’re ahead of the game and have been doing this for longer,” and my Curator pulled that thread and looked us up. 

### Did you get any challenging feedback or pushback?

I don’t expect people who aren’t talking about sex all day every day like I am to pick it up right where I’m putting it down, you know what I mean? Everyone’s baseline is so different. Some people feel really sex-comfortable and so me trying to talk in a way that makes sense to the average person can feel too basic. But more often, it can make people feel uncomfortable. Maybe because they were made to feel shame growing up, or never got sex education, or have hangs ups that they’ve struggled to kick – and for those people, any conversation around sex feels really edgy. 

That’s why I always try and calibrate based on who I’m talking to. Which is hard, when you’re talking to thousands of people. Everyone’s going to have a different baseline. 

And that showed up while I was preparing for TED too. When I was rehearsing with the TED team, who are actually a very diverse group of people, a 60+ year old man said that he thought it was dangerous for me to recommend that people who are married fantasize about whatever they want. And so I had to say, respectfully: you asked me to come and give this talk for a reason, and so I’m going to give it. Fantasy isn’t a gateway drug to infidelity, or worse. That’s just one among many myths that we really, really need to debunk. 

### What was harder, writing it or memorizing it?

Ohhh. Writing is hard because there’s only so much you can say in 10 minutes! And you can’t say it all. It feels like this one shot, and you have to make it count! But I felt that the memorizing was the most stressful part. When you repeat the same thing over and over 100 times, you start to feel like none of it makes sense. But I did learn some really helpful [memorization techniques](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ginagutierrez1_ted2022-publicspeaking-tipsandtricks-activity-6932774255529013248-TELk?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web).   

### Any cool moments from your time at TED in Vancouver?

So many! Getting there was overwhelming and a little intimidating. You’re like, "Oh my gosh there’s that person, and there’s that person." A woman came up to me backstage in a rehearsal room after I practiced on stage for the first time and she had tousled hair and big sunglasses and she said, “I heard your rehearsal, I loved your talk!” and I said “Oh, thank you!” and only later did I realize that it was Meg Ryan. 

I also just felt really inspired by what so many people had to say. I remembered that the future is going to be shaped by all kinds of passionate people, each one obsessed with their particular way of making the world a better place.

### How do you think the talk went? Are you happy with it? Was there more that you wish you got to say?

Ask me after I see the video go live tomorrow (laughs)! Yes, I am happy with it. But there is always more that I want to say. We’re only just scratching the surface on helping people discover how to be their fullest, realest, most empowered selves in the bedroom and beyond. I’m hopeful a video like mine gets people hearing ideas like these for the first time feeling…curious. And inspired. 

### Did it go well? What’s the crowd like at TED?

It did! Shout out to some of the women in the front rows who gave me a standing O. But yeah, most people in the TED audience aren’t 18-35 year old female-identifying people…so, I’d say the energy was more like “big intro lecture” than “hyped up vibes”. At one point in the talk I play an audio clip and I could visibly feel 1,500 people freeze up (laughs). They thought I was going to play a Dipsea story. 

### What was your favorite line from the talk?

There’s a part about “you being the protagonist” that I really liked. I thought it was a powerful message. But I also thought it was hilarious that the biggest laugh I got was a line I totally ad-libbed – and the joke I made about Outlander got crickets! I thought everybody would get that reference (laughs). 

### What do you hope people take away from your TED Talk?

I hope people hear it and take one extra step towards taking more agency over their own sex life. Maybe that’s trying a new thing. Maybe that’s trying out an imagination exercise. Maybe that’s downloading Dipsea. I hope it makes people feel like they don’t need to wait, that it starts with them.

Dipsea's co-founder, Gina Gutierrez, talks about the power of our imaginations, the beauty of audio, and the importance of taking pleasure into your own hands on the main stage at TED.

Gina-Gutierrez-TED-2022

Dipsea takes its place on the TED main stage

What’s not to love about E.R. Fightmaster? From the moment we saw them on Hulu’s Shrill, and of course, on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, we were hooked. 

They’ve got it all—they’re unassumingly sexy, totally disarming, and their voice, well, that’s how we knew we absolutely had to work with them. They collaborated with us to bring our new series, Plus One, to life. The first episode of the three-part series drops on Sunday, May 29, with a new episode dropping every Sunday through June 12. 

In Plus One, Fightmaster stars as Jay—a charming, playful barista. When one of their regulars, Eva, jokes about needing a date for her friend’s wedding to make her ex jealous, Jay eagerly volunteers. But when they actually start catching feelings for each other, the weekend takes an unexpected turn.

Fightmaster has been part of the development of Plus One every step of the way. Their character has been informed by their lived experience—which allows us to lean into the parasocial relationships fans already have with them in a way traditional media hasn’t figured out how to capture yet. 

“Plus One” is also an homage to the playful intimacy and spontaneity that permeate queer relationships. Queer content has been part of Dipsea from the beginning, but we’re so excited to launch our first queer celebrity series—especially one that centers non-binary folks and queer women.

In advance of their series release, we talked to Fightmaster about their collaboration with Dipsea. Here’s what they had to say: 

What made you want to create this series with Dipsea? 

Well, I’m a Women and Gender Studies major and a raging feminist, and when I met with the team at Dipsea and they described the mission of centering the ways not-male-people feel pleasure, I felt extremely passionate about it right away. 

And, if we can get people horny in unconventional ways, that's always my goal.

What does the media get wrong about sex and relationships, in your opinion?

I think a lot of our understanding of sex and relationships are developed through cis male wants and needs and their gaze and view of the world. So, when we de-center their gaze, we actually have this entire world of creativity that hasn’t been fully explored yet. And I think Dipsea is doing that.

Why is this series meaningful to you, as an actor and as a co-producer? 

I loved the premise for this series, and I think the writer did such a great job. I love the idea of the face that we give to the world, this outward-facing projection of self, and how intimate it is when you take off that armor. And, you know, share the little creature inside with somebody else.

I think that intimacy is inherently sexy. So, especially as someone who spends a lot of time publicly facing, it felt nice to get to act out sharing that vulnerability with someone else.

Can you talk a little bit about how your own life and personal experiences informed the creation of the character of Jay?

Well, I definitely have a lot of parasocial relationships. That’s absolutely true, but I also really love weddings. I just think weddings are kind of naturally… Actually, I don't know how it is for the bride and bride, groom and groom, or whatever and whatever, but it's a horny experience to go to a wedding. 

Everybody's in love. Everybody's friends and family from both sides of these people's lives are coming together. So a whole room is just all this, like, beautiful connected energy. And then to go there with a stranger and not know anyone and just witness all this raw love? It’s very kinky to me.

What themes were you most excited to touch on in this series?

You know what? I’m a really horny person. I've built an entire career off being horny. I’m really excited to explore that in this series.

What was I excited about outside of being horny? 

You know what's wrong with me? My brain is like, ‘Uh.. when I got to talk about the thighs.’ [laughs].

This also fits into the hornyverse. It’s horny adjacent. But, one of the things that I liked about this series, and I liked about collaborating with the team, was focusing on hands and moments with hands. 

This is no disrespect to strap-ons and whatever else we're playing with, but I find so much true tenderness and passion and feeling comes from the hands. They are these incredible multipurpose tools that we get to feel every sensation of while they work. And so, Plus One, for me, is an ode to hands.

How was this project different from your other acting projects?

I think there's something so intimate about this process, even down to the way that you are controlling your own breath. You're having this intimate experience with the self, of checking in with your body, listening to your own voice, and listening to the sounds you make. And you are acting out these sounds by imagining this moment. 

And so it's this private moment inside of a little sound box where you're letting your brain kind of unselfconsciously explore what sex sounds like and feels like to you. And so, I think checking in with those sensations during this process was very calming to me in a way that I didn't expect. 

What does creating more open dialogue about healthy sexuality mean to you?

One of the things that I like about Dipsea as a whole is that the team seems to be exploring options. It's all of these options about what makes you feel connected between your brain and your body. And I think a lot of times in other forms of erotica, once again, we've centered the cis-hetero male gaze so much that sometimes it even bleeds into queer spaces, and Dipsea doesn't feel like that to me.

We're told from the time that we are little that cis men are more visual, and so all erotica has to be eye-catching. To completely take out the visual components and create something that is just you and your brain, so you are centering your experience, you are centering this super intimacy with your brain, and you are doing it, in my opinion, in an inherently queer way, because you're subverting a norm and then you are centering a queer story—that to me is this beautiful cross-section of all of the goals that we should try to accomplish in creating something that's for queer people in order to deliver queer pleasure.

Anything else to add? 

Something that I am intrigued by, and I’d like to know, is how my erotica is made and how the people that are making this erotica feel during the process. How are they protected? How are they celebrated? How do they feel comfortable enough to get to this place?

And I will say that one of the things I really like about Dipsea is that the whole process seems very focused on making sure that we are constantly checking in with each other. The voice actor and the team, the actor slash co-producer, and the writers slash producers. It's this constant process of consent that I think helps everyone to relax over the course of the project.

And so, you are listening to an actor who is feeling very safe and who is feeling very engaged. And if there was ever a moment where that disengagement happened, we've been working with each other in such a, like, a lovely consensual, creative way that I think we would feel it. And I don't think listeners will feel that in "Plus One."

What’s not to love about E.R. Fightmaster? From the moment we saw them on Hulu’s *Shrill*, and of course, on ABC’s *Grey’s Anatomy*, we were hooked. 

They’ve got it all—they’re unassumingly sexy, totally disarming, and their voice, well, that’s how we knew we absolutely had to work with them. They collaborated with us to bring our new series, "Plus One," to life. The first episode of the three-part series drops on Sunday, May 29, with a new episode dropping every Sunday through June 12. 

In "Plus One," Fightmaster stars as Jay—a charming, playful barista. When one of their regulars, Eva, jokes about needing a date for her friend’s wedding to make her ex jealous, Jay eagerly volunteers. But when they actually start catching feelings for each other, the weekend takes an unexpected turn.

Fightmaster has been part of the development of "Plus One" every step of the way. Their character has been informed by their lived experience—which allows us to lean into the parasocial relationships fans already have with them in a way traditional media hasn’t figured out how to capture yet. 

“Plus One” is also an homage to the playful intimacy and spontaneity that permeate queer relationships. Queer content has been part of Dipsea from the beginning, but we’re so excited to launch our first queer celebrity series—especially one that centers non-binary folks and queer women.

In advance of their series release, we talked to Fightmaster about their collaboration with Dipsea. Here’s what they had to say:

### What made you want to create this series with Dipsea? 

Well, I’m a Women and Gender Studies major and a raging feminist, and when I met with the team at Dipsea and they described the mission of centering the ways not-male-people feel pleasure, I felt extremely passionate about it right away. 

And, if we can get people horny in unconventional ways, that's always my goal.

### What does the media get wrong about sex and relationships, in your opinion?

I think a lot of our understanding of sex and relationships are developed through cis male wants and needs and their gaze and view of the world. So, when we de-center their gaze, we actually have this entire world of creativity that hasn’t been fully explored yet. And I think Dipsea is doing that.

### Why is this series meaningful to you, as an actor and as a co-producer? 

I loved the premise for this series, and I think the writer did such a great job. I love the idea of the face that we give to the world, this outward-facing projection of self, and how intimate it is when you take off that armor. And, you know, share the little creature inside with somebody else.

I think that intimacy is inherently sexy. So, especially as someone who spends a lot of time publicly facing, it felt nice to get to act out sharing that vulnerability with someone else.

### Can you talk a little bit about how your own life and personal experiences informed the creation of the character of Jay?

Well, I definitely have a lot of parasocial relationships. That’s absolutely true, but I also really love weddings. I just think weddings are kind of naturally… Actually, I don't know how it is for the bride and bride, groom and groom, or whatever and whatever, but it's a horny experience to go to a wedding. 

Everybody's in love. Everybody's friends and family from both sides of these people's lives are coming together. So a whole room is just all this, like, beautiful connected energy. And then to go there with a stranger and not know anyone and just witness all this raw love? It’s very kinky to me.

### What themes were you most excited to touch on in this series?

You know what? I’m a really horny person. I've built an entire career off being horny. I’m really excited to explore that in this series.

What was I excited about outside of being horny? 

You know what's wrong with me? My brain is like, ‘Uh.. when I got to talk about the thighs.’ [laughs].

This also fits into the hornyverse. It’s horny adjacent. But, one of the things that I liked about this series, and I liked about collaborating with the team, was focusing on hands and moments with hands. 

This is no disrespect to strap-ons and whatever else we're playing with, but I find so much true tenderness and passion and feeling comes from the hands. They are these incredible multipurpose tools that we get to feel every sensation of while they work. And so, Plus One, for me, is an ode to hands.

### How was this project different from your other acting projects?

I think there's something so intimate about this process, even down to the way that you are controlling your own breath. You're having this intimate experience with the self, of checking in with your body, listening to your own voice, and listening to the sounds you make. And you are acting out these sounds by imagining this moment. 

And so it's this private moment inside of a little sound box where you're letting your brain kind of unselfconsciously explore what sex sounds like and feels like to you. And so, I think checking in with those sensations during this process was very calming to me in a way that I didn't expect. 

### What does creating more open dialogue about healthy sexuality mean to you?

One of the things that I like about Dipsea as a whole is that the team seems to be exploring options. It's all of these options about what makes you feel connected between your brain and your body. And I think a lot of times in other forms of erotica, once again, we've centered the cis-hetero male gaze so much that sometimes it even bleeds into queer spaces, and Dipsea doesn't feel like that to me.

We're told from the time that we are little that cis men are more visual, and so all erotica has to be eye-catching. To completely take out the visual components and create something that is just you and your brain, so you are centering your experience, you are centering this super intimacy with your brain, and you are doing it, in my opinion, in an inherently queer way, because you're subverting a norm and then you are centering a queer story—that to me is this beautiful cross-section of all of the goals that we should try to accomplish in creating something that's for queer people in order to deliver queer pleasure.

### Anything else to add? 

Something that I am intrigued by, and I’d like to know, is how my erotica is made and how the people that are making this erotica feel during the process. How are they protected? How are they celebrated? How do they feel comfortable enough to get to this place?

And I will say that one of the things I really like about Dipsea is that the whole process seems very focused on making sure that we are constantly checking in with each other. The voice actor and the team, the actor slash co-producer, and the writers slash producers. It's this constant process of consent that I think helps everyone to relax over the course of the project.

And so, you are listening to an actor who is feeling very safe and who is feeling very engaged. And if there was ever a moment where that disengagement happened, we've been working with each other in such a, like, a lovely consensual, creative way that I think we would feel it. And I don't think listeners will feel that in "Plus One."

From the moment we saw E.R. Fightmaster on Hulu’s Shrill, and of course, on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, we were hooked. Now they star as Jay, a charming barista, in the newest Dipsea series, “Plus One.”

ER-Fightmaster

E.R. Fightmaster brings a queer, parasocial love story to life 

Ready to hear E.R. Fightmaster like never before? It's only available on Dipsea. 

You probably know Luke Cook as the incredibly charming, albeit evil, Lucifer from Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Now, he’s Jake Rader, the star of the new Dipsea series “Act Natural.” 

As both the star and co-producer of the series, Cook worked closely with the Dipsea creative studio.His passion and creativity inspired much of the way his character, Jake, navigates the Hollywood machine in a subversive, sexy way—and without ever losing the optimism that you can really have it all.

The three-part audio series launches March 20, 2022, and follows Jake, an overnight Hollywood heartthrob, as he grapples with his newfound fame and the interesting, unexpectedly-sexy ways it spices up his marriage.

Cook, a certified Hollywood heartthrob in his own right, pulled inspiration from his personal life when working with the Dipsea team to bring “Act Natural” to life. Happily married and a new father, Cook wanted to highlight the eroticism and spontaneity that is still very much alive in long-term relationships, regardless of what people see in movies or on TV. 

“I really wanted to show a relationship where married people are having good, delicious, interesting moments and sex together,” Cook shared. “Because what I see more and more of in media is that it's only ever people who've just met having good sex, or people who are having an affair who are having good sex, everyone in a marriage is miserable—kids are running all over them, and their hair's a mess….and so this was a good opportunity for me to say what I thought, and to tell a different story.” 

In episode one of “Act Natural”, Jake’s agent suggests he fakes a relationship for publicity, so he and his wife use it as an opportunity to explore new sides of their marriage. In episode two, dropping March 27th, Jake and his wife escape to the desert, along with his new PR girlfriend, and things get even more interesting. A Pillowtalk, also dropping on March 27th, provides a more intimate experience with Jake as he talks directly to you, the listener.

Cook is the perfect balance of everything we want in a man: a little bit of mischief, a lot of sweetness, and a deep Australian accent that’ll make anyone weak in the knees—and he brought all of that and more to his collaboration with Dipsea. We had the chance to talk with him about the series and why he feels so connected to Dipsea’s mission. You can read the interview below, and listen to episode one of “Act Natural” on March, 20th exclusively on Dipsea.

What made you want to work with Dipsea? 

I love sex, and I've always disliked visual erotica in its classic form, where it's purely visual, and it only looks good from the male perspective. I just never believed or liked it. Once I heard about what Dipsea was, heard what they did, I was like, I love what they do. 

I feel like what's so important about what Dipsae does is it creates a backstory and gives you some feeling, some tone, and perhaps a connection between the people having sex.

The best part of sex is the connection. It's not the wham, bam, thank you, ma'am…It's the things that happen between the lines: the little looks, the connection between two people.

What do you think media gets wrong about sex and relationships that you wanted to get right with this series?

With this series we're doing right now, we see a couple who make their own action. They don't wait for it to come to them. They seek it. And I think that's what people get wrong about being sexual and sensual. You know, love is a verb. It's an action.

In this story, they're looking for inspiration. They're looking to take something new into the bedroom. They're actively seeking it out. They’re actively curious. That's something I aspire to, that we should all aspire to. Don't wait for the inspiration. You are the inspiration. Go, go looking for it, seek it out.

Why is it important for everyone to have a more honest dialogue about healthy sexuality? 

I think everyone deserves connection, and everyone is capable of connection. I think opening up and talking about sex with everyone, your friends, you lovers, talking about what you like and what you don't like is a great way for people to connect with you. 

I think once you get honest about sex and the things that we pretend that we like, we can say, actually, I don't like that. And I never have, and I don't know why I continue to do it.

Why is this series is so meaningful to you as an actor and co-producer?

Well, number one, it's definitely stepping outside of my comfort zone, and I love stepping outside of my comfort zone. I'm expressing myself in a way that I've never done before, and I get to use a talent I've never been able to show many people. I don't only write little notes to lovers—it's an opportunity for me to express myself.

And I think Dipsea and this whole thing, in general, is incredibly healthy.

What parts of your own life informed the character of Jake?

This is kind of close to my life. As close to my life as it can be. I kind of was an overnight sex symbol. [Laughs] That's far too complimentary, but it was kind of like, out of nowhere, everyone was posting about me and my body.

And then, you know, I'm a married man. So I really wanted to show a relationship where married people are having good, delicious, interesting moments and sex together. 

Because what I see more and more of in media is that it's only ever people who've just met having good sex, or people who are having an affair who are having good sex, everyone in a marriage is miserable—kids are running all over them, and their hair's a mess….and so this was a good opportunity for me to say what I thought, and to tell a different story.

Is there anything that surprised you about this experience?

Yeah—the first moan that I did. I was like, oh my God, what am I doing? Am I doing this wrong? And then I was like, no, shut up, keep going. And I gave a couple more moans, and I completely relaxed and got over it. 

You’ve just got to do it. Just give it 100%. No, give it 110% straight away.

Are there any specific moments from the story that you love?

I like how Jake and Annie eye each other across rooms—they're always looking for fun. I reckon that's probably pretty important. Always look for fun. Be fun. Look for opportunities to be fun. I always think it's a good sign.

When you see a couple staring at each other across the room and smiling… I don't know. I think it's a sign that there are good things happening. Every so often, you'll catch a couple who has separated at a party, and then they’ll wave across the room, and you're like, oh, they're good. Everything's good in that department. 

Anything else you wanted to talk about with this collaboration or your experience or your thoughts on Dipsea? 

I'm glad Dipsea exists. I think it's necessary. I think that visual erotica, in the traditional sense, just doesn't do it. It doesn't hit on connectivity, and it doesn't hit on your imagination. When I used to watch it, I felt it was taking over my sexual imagination in a way that wouldn’t make me a better lover. Dipsea doesn’t do that. It allows you to enter your imagination and tether your imagination to the story. 

I think it's good, healthy. It's a revolution, really, and I hope it's just up and up and up—let storytellers blow your mind. 

You probably know Luke Cook as the incredibly charming, albeit evil, Lucifer from Netflix’s *Chilling Adventures of Sabrina*. Now, he’s Jake Rader, the star of the new Dipsea series “Act Natural.” 

As both the star and co-producer of the series, Cook worked closely with the Dipsea creative studio.His passion and creativity inspired much of the way his character, Jake, navigates the Hollywood machine in a subversive, sexy way—and without ever losing the optimism that you can really have it all.

The three-part audio series launches March 20, 2022, and follows Jake, an overnight Hollywood heartthrob, as he grapples with his newfound fame and the interesting, unexpectedly-sexy ways it spices up his marriage.

Cook, a certified Hollywood heartthrob in his own right, pulled inspiration from his personal life when working with the Dipsea team to bring “Act Natural” to life. Happily married and a new father, Cook wanted to highlight the eroticism and spontaneity that is still very much alive in long-term relationships, regardless of what people see in movies or on TV. 

“I really wanted to show a relationship where married people are having good, delicious, interesting moments and sex together,” Cook shared. “Because what I see more and more of in media is that it's only ever people who've just met having good sex, or people who are having an affair who are having good sex, everyone in a marriage is miserable—kids are running all over them, and their hair's a mess….and so this was a good opportunity for me to say what I thought, and to tell a different story.” 

In episode one of “Act Natural," Jake’s agent suggests he fakes a relationship for publicity, so he and his wife use it as an opportunity to explore new sides of their marriage. In episode two, dropping March 27th, Jake and his wife escape to the desert, along with his new PR girlfriend, and things get even more interesting. A Pillowtalk, also dropping on March 27th, provides a more intimate experience with Jake as he talks directly to you, the listener.

Cook is the perfect balance of everything we want in a man: a little bit of mischief, a lot of sweetness, and a deep Australian accent that’ll make anyone weak in the knees—and he brought all of that and more to his collaboration with Dipsea. We had the chance to talk with him about the series and why he feels so connected to Dipsea’s mission. You can read the interview below, and listen to episode one of “Act Natural” on March, 20th exclusively on Dipsea.

### What made you want to work with Dipsea? 

I love sex, and I've always disliked visual erotica in its classic form, where it's purely visual, and it only looks good from the male perspective. I just never believed or liked it. Once I heard about what Dipsea was, heard what they did, I was like, I love what they do. 

I feel like what's so important about what Dipsea does is it creates a backstory and gives you some feeling, some tone, and perhaps a connection between the people having sex.

The best part of sex is the connection. It's not the wham, bam, thank you, ma'am…It's the things that happen between the lines: the little looks, the connection between two people.

### What do you think media gets wrong about sex and relationships that you wanted to get right with this series?

With this series we're doing right now, we see a couple who make their own action. They don't wait for it to come to them. They seek it. And I think that's what people get wrong about being sexual and sensual. You know, love is a verb. It's an action.

In this story, they're looking for inspiration. They're looking to take something new into the bedroom. They're actively seeking it out. They’re actively curious. That's something I aspire to, that we should all aspire to. Don't wait for the inspiration. You are the inspiration. Go, go looking for it, seek it out.

### Why is it important for everyone to have a more honest dialogue about healthy sexuality? 

I think everyone deserves connection, and everyone is capable of connection. I think opening up and talking about sex with everyone, your friends, you lovers, talking about what you like and what you don't like is a great way for people to connect with you. 

I think once you get honest about sex and the things that we pretend that we like, we can say, actually, I don't like that. And I never have, and I don't know why I continue to do it.

### Why is this series is so meaningful to you as an actor and co-producer?

Well, number one, it's definitely stepping outside of my comfort zone, and I love stepping outside of my comfort zone. I'm expressing myself in a way that I've never done before, and I get to use a talent I've never been able to show many people. I don't only write little notes to lovers—it's an opportunity for me to express myself.

And I think Dipsea and this whole thing, in general, is incredibly healthy.

### What parts of your own life informed the character of Jake?

This is kind of close to my life. As close to my life as it can be. I kind of was an overnight sex symbol. [Laughs] That's far too complimentary, but it was kind of like, out of nowhere, everyone was posting about me and my body.

And then, you know, I'm a married man. So I really wanted to show a relationship where married people are having good, delicious, interesting moments and sex together. 

Because what I see more and more of in media is that it's only ever people who've just met having good sex, or people who are having an affair who are having good sex, everyone in a marriage is miserable—kids are running all over them, and their hair's a mess….and so this was a good opportunity for me to say what I thought, and to tell a different story.

### Is there anything that surprised you about this experience?

Yeah—the first moan that I did. I was like, oh my God, what am I doing? Am I doing this wrong? And then I was like, no, shut up, keep going. And I gave a couple more moans, and I completely relaxed and got over it. 

You’ve just got to do it. Just give it 100%. No, give it 110% straight away.

### Are there any specific moments from the story that you love?

I like how Jake and Annie eye each other across rooms—they're always looking for fun. I reckon that's probably pretty important. Always look for fun. Be fun. Look for opportunities to be fun. I always think it's a good sign.

When you see a couple staring at each other across the room and smiling… I don't know. I think it's a sign that there are good things happening. Every so often, you'll catch a couple who has separated at a party, and then they’ll wave across the room, and you're like, oh, they're good. Everything's good in that department. 

### Anything else you wanted to talk about with this collaboration or your experience or your thoughts on Dipsea? 

I'm glad Dipsea exists. I think it's necessary. I think that visual erotica, in the traditional sense, just doesn't do it. It doesn't hit on connectivity, and it doesn't hit on your imagination. When I used to watch it, I felt it was taking over my sexual imagination in a way that wouldn’t make me a better lover. Dipsea doesn’t do that. It allows you to enter your imagination and tether your imagination to the story. 

I think it's good, healthy. It's a revolution, really, and I hope it's just up and up and up—let storytellers blow your mind. 

You probably know Luke Cook as the incredibly charming, albeit evil, Lucifer from Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Now, he’s Jake Rader, the star of the new Dipsea series “Act Natural.” 

Luke-Cook

Luke Cook brings his Aussie charm to Dipsea

Ready to hear Luke Cook like never before? It's only available on Dipsea. 

Since our launch in 2018, Dipsea has been focused on helping women tap into their sexuality more easily, all through the power of storytelling. The world hasn’t stopped changing, and Dipsea hasn’t stopped evolving. We’re telling the best stories in the world about relationships, sex, and intimacy. We’ve released a dozen new formats and 10Xed our library since launch. 

As we grow into the company that was just a twinkle in our eyes a few short years ago, we want to make sure our brand look and feel continues to reflect our vision. That’s why we’re very excited to unveil the new branding that our team has been working on behind the scenes for months. 

### Where We Started

We’ve always worked hard to make sure that the Dipsea experience is simple, beautiful, and considered. The Dipsea app is design-forward on purpose. In the same way we believe that women should feel empowered to talk openly about their sexuality, we wanted our app to be something that felt made for them, and that they would be proud of. Something they could pull up on their phones and say, with confidence, check this out…this app is beautiful, it was created by women, and it’s how I get turned on and explore what it is I really want. 

Our signature visual design was feminine, elegant, curvy, and also ahead of the curve. It represented a brand all about women’s sexuality without any of the pink and black clichés people expected to see. It made people stop and pay attention to a space they’d always ignored, or written off as taboo. It was a radical First Act, and one we knew would be important to do right by with Act Two.  

### Where We’re Going

Our updated branding doesn’t change the DNA of Dipsea, but it does change our expression— and gives us the room we need to grow into a truly mainstream brand. If you poke around our website or open the Dipsea app, you’ll notice that a few things have changed. Here’s what’s new in the Dipseaverse. 

### Our curvy new logomark 
Our previous logo was bold and direct—kind of like us. Our new logomark is more about you. It points inwards to express the idea of it all starting with you, and illuminating the parts of yourself that you’ve either lost touch with or have yet to discover. It also gives a subtle nod to the shape of an ear and the intimacy of listening. What can we say, we love layers. 

![ezgif-2-04a79ca865](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/7f4j68KWZ1xWFlC3aQqMuT/59d821983e478c2f397d7fbc442afb55/ezgif-2-04a79ca865.gif)

### We’ve given a fresh coat of paint to our apps and website
The gorgeous dusk and dawn gradients you’ll see everywhere are evocative of dusk, twilight, and dawn hours: the times Dipsea finds its way onto our listeners’ pillows and nightstand. The pops of orange represent the idea of lighting yourself up. Which brings us to…

### Our new tagline
“Listen, light yourself up.” This phrase embodies our belief that it is a radical and freeing realization that the answers to your own pleasure are already inside you. Our storytelling is a door to that inner world—letting you feel more. More in touch with your body, more connected to your partner, more flirtatious before a date, and the most like yourself.

![ezgif-2-39e3ce2c9e](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/5DfS356g9hox5LFvCLNpI8/a623e10a28ae58d4b14c4e2c6d7ec109/ezgif-2-39e3ce2c9e.gif)

### All sorts of other visual goodies. 
For all the design minds out there, you’ll spot new typography, colors, and a ton of new visual elements we love, and that better showcase who we are and the imaginative world of our story universe. 

---

When we launched Dipsea in 2018, our Co-Founder and President Gina wrote this for our blog:

*To us, Dipsea stories are more than 15 minutes of fun—they’re a catalyst for what happens afterward. Maybe that means feeling more alive, more in touch with yourself. Or more intimate or explorative with a partner. Maybe it means heading out the door feeling empowered, sexy, and confident. That’s the real power of nurturing the sexual being inside all of us.*

Four years later, we’re proud that this is still wonderfully, meaningfully, deeply true. Dipsea has become the sexiest storytelling experience in the world, and remains a powerful way to access what’s already inside of you, just waiting to be nurtured and let out. 

We hope you love our new look and feel. But even more than that, we hope that you listen, and that you light yourself up. 

See you in the Dipseaverse. 

xx,
Dipsea

Since our launch in 2018, Dipsea has been focused on helping women tap into their sexuality more easily, all through the power of storytelling. The world hasn’t stopped changing, and Dipsea hasn’t stopped evolving. We’re telling the best stories in the world about relationships, sex, and intimacy. We’ve released a dozen new formats and 10Xed our library since launch. 

As we grow into the company that was just a twinkle in our eyes a few short years ago, we want to make sure our brand look and feel continues to reflect our vision. That’s why we’re very excited to unveil the new branding that our team has been working on behind the scenes for months. 

### Where We Started

We’ve always worked hard to make sure that the Dipsea experience is simple, beautiful, and considered. The Dipsea app is design-forward on purpose. In the same way we believe that women should feel empowered to talk openly about their sexuality, we wanted our app to be something that felt made for them, and that they would be proud of. Something they could pull up on their phones and say, with confidence, check this out…this app is beautiful, it was created by women, and it’s how I get turned on and explore what it is I really want. 

Our signature visual design was feminine, elegant, curvy, and also ahead of the curve. It represented a brand all about women’s sexuality without any of the pink and black clichés people expected to see. It made people stop and pay attention to a space they’d always ignored, or written off as taboo. It was a radical First Act, and one we knew would be important to do right by with Act Two.  

### Where We’re Going

Our updated branding doesn’t change the DNA of Dipsea, but it does change our expression— and gives us the room we need to grow into a truly mainstream brand. If you poke around our website or open the Dipsea app, you’ll notice that a few things have changed. Here’s what’s new in the Dipseaverse. 

### Our curvy new logomark 
Our previous logo was bold and direct—kind of like us. Our new logomark is more about you. It points inwards to express the idea of it all starting with you, and illuminating the parts of yourself that you’ve either lost touch with or have yet to discover. It also gives a subtle nod to the shape of an ear and the intimacy of listening. What can we say, we love layers. 

![ezgif-2-04a79ca865](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/7f4j68KWZ1xWFlC3aQqMuT/59d821983e478c2f397d7fbc442afb55/ezgif-2-04a79ca865.gif)

### We’ve given a fresh coat of paint to our apps and website
The gorgeous dusk and dawn gradients you’ll see everywhere are evocative of dusk, twilight, and dawn hours: the times Dipsea finds its way onto our listeners’ pillows and nightstand. The pops of orange represent the idea of lighting yourself up. Which brings us to…

### Our new tagline
“Listen, light yourself up.” This phrase embodies our belief that it is a radical and freeing realization that the answers to your own pleasure are already inside you. Our storytelling is a door to that inner world—letting you feel more. More in touch with your body, more connected to your partner, more flirtatious before a date, and the most like yourself.

![ezgif-2-39e3ce2c9e](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/5DfS356g9hox5LFvCLNpI8/a623e10a28ae58d4b14c4e2c6d7ec109/ezgif-2-39e3ce2c9e.gif)

### All sorts of other visual goodies. 
For all the design minds out there, you’ll spot new typography, colors, and a ton of new visual elements we love, and that better showcase who we are and the imaginative world of our story universe. 

---

When we launched Dipsea in 2018, our Co-Founder and President Gina wrote this for our blog:

*To us, Dipsea stories are more than 15 minutes of fun—they’re a catalyst for what happens afterward. Maybe that means feeling more alive, more in touch with yourself. Or more intimate or explorative with a partner. Maybe it means heading out the door feeling empowered, sexy, and confident. That’s the real power of nurturing the sexual being inside all of us.*

Four years later, we’re proud that this is still wonderfully, meaningfully, deeply true. Dipsea has become the sexiest storytelling experience in the world, and remains a powerful way to access what’s already inside of you, just waiting to be nurtured and let out. 

We hope you love our new look and feel. But even more than that, we hope that you listen, and that you light yourself up. 

See you in the Dipseaverse. 

xx,
Dipsea

At Dipsea, we’re not big fans of resolutions. But evolutions? That’s another story. We’re heading into 2022 with a totally refreshed look and feel and are so excited to share it with you.

Welcome to the new Dipsea

dipsea gif

Ready to connect with yourself in a whole new way? That's what Dipsea is for. 

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Ready to learn for yourself what all the hype is about. Now's the time!</p>

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Dipsea is an app for Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions designed to turn you on and then tuck you in. You can download Dipsea from the App Store, Google Play Store, or online at app.dipseastories.com.</p>

<div class="blog-cta-centered">
  <a
    class="blog-cta-purple-pill"
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  >
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Looking back at this year in the Dipseaverse, one thing was clear: “me time” was more important than ever. Connecting with yourself and your body, and making time to make yourself feel good was high on everyone’s priority list, to which we say, hell yeah. 

In many ways, 2021 crept by like the last hour of a road trip while stuck in traffic, and on the other hand, it was very much a blink and you missed it kind of year. Entire months seemed to vanish before our eyes while it felt like it was June for a decade. 

To try and preserve some memories, particularly the sweetness of the Dipseaverse, let’s take a look at what everyone was listening to, reading, falling asleep to, and everything in between this year. 

### A few numbers (but just a few, we promise)

This year, the Dipsea library exploded to include over [500 Sexy Stories](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/celebrating-500-stories-and-our-favorite-moments/), Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions. That’s over 85% growth since our launch. Creating over 500 pieces of original content, all thoughtfully written, expertly acted, and carefully directed and sound designed by our in-house team of creatives and the wonderful network of voice actors we work with is no small feat, but it’s something we’re so, so proud of. 

AND, more stories meant more opportunities for you to get lost in immersive worlds with your favorite characters, resulting in more listens than ever before. __4.9 million__ to be exact (and the year isn’t quite over yet!). 4.9 million listens is a whole lot of ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ and shivers and good vibes and we hope you feel just as good about that as we do. 

### The stories you loved

Of course, every place had its own regional favorite too. In __Sydney, Australia__ ‘[Leather & Lace](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/leather-and-lace-series)’ came out on top, while in __Charlotte, North Carolina__ it was ‘[Five Years](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/five-years-series).’ __In Toronto, Canada__ it was ‘[Focus](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/focus-series),’ and over in __Boston, Massachusetts__ it was ‘[On the Apps](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/on-the-apps-series).’ 

And although everyone enjoyed [Sleep by Dipsea](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/dipsea-sleep-stories/) this year, in __London__ the track on repeat was '[Cozy Rainstorm](https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/cozy-rainstorm-sleep),' which proves once and for all that Dipsea is even better than the real thing. 

This year Dipsea also [released five books—bingeable](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/now-on-dipsea-read-sexy-stories/) chapters about your favorite Hunks you can (and did) read over and over again! It was a close race, but when all was said and done ‘James After Class’ was the one nobody could put down. 

### Twists and Trends 

If 2021 was anything, it was the year of delayed gratification. Of stopping and starting and stopping… and starting again. Which is why we can’t decide if it’s totally surprising or not surprising at all that the top Wellness track of the year was '[Edging](https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/self-touch-edging-ii).' Maybe a little bit of the madness of the outside world made its way into the bedroom after all. 

And, for the third year in a row, the most popular day of the week for listening is __Sunday__, specifically __Sunday night__. We’ve always known that Dipsea was the ultimate answer to the Sunday Scarries, and it looks like everyone else figured that out too. All those in favor of rebranding to Sunday Sexies say ‘Aye!’ (We’ll keep working on it.)

Also for the third year in a row, __Threesome__ was the most searched term in the Dipseaverse. It looks like everyone was still looking for a little more companionship (and we’re glad you found it!). __Oral Sex__ and __Dirty Talk__ rounded out the top three search terms, kocking __Co-worker__ and __Friends Become More__ out of the places they held last year. Guess no one was ready to head back to the office after all!

### Like, comment, and subscribe

The Dipseaverse, as it’s lovingly referred to, is so much more than the app. It’s all of the places and ways we get to engage with listeners outside of Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions. And we had so much fun doing that with you this year!

You spent a lot of time with us on Tiktok—you picked the [sexiest voice of the year](https://www.tiktok.com/@dipseastories/video/7032439917699566894) in our first-ever Sexiest Voice Contest (congratulations again, Naya!), and you also made [this video](https://www.tiktok.com/@dipseastories/video/6989368809563950341) about Spontaneous vs. Responsive desire our most viewed (1.2 million and counting). 

We also got to know so many of you so well over on Instagram, where you’ve continued to break down the barriers around sex and sexuality, showing up in the comments for honest, fun, freeing conversations about all things sexual wellness. [This post](https://www.instagram.com/p/CWmPOscFugk/?utm_medium=copy_link) about the most important lessons you’ve learned about sex was the most liked this year (at over 8k!), and [this one](https://www.instagram.com/p/CXE7AlSNKaG/?utm_medium=copy_link) about describing your sex live with emojis got 260 comments that are definitely worth revising! 

---

As we approach 2022, we want to remind you that the only kind of resolutions we believe in at Dipsea are the ones about giving yourself more. More pleasure, more rest, and more time to make yourself feel good. We’re so excited you spent 2021 with us, and we can’t wait for you to hear what’s coming in 2022!

<div class="blog-cta-centered">
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    class="blog-cta-purple-pill"
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xx, 
Dipsea 

All the audio erotica Dipsea listeners were listening to in 2021. All of the trends, steam stories, and adult bedtime stories people love on the Dipsea app. 

All the audio erotica Dipsea listeners were listening to in 2021

2021

Dipsea 2021 year in review

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Ready to try something new? Dipsea has you covered.</p>

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Dipsea is an app for Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions designed to turn you on and then tuck you in. You can download Dipsea from the App Store, Google Play Store, or online at app.dipseastories.com.</p>

<div class="blog-cta-centered">
  <a
    class="blog-cta-purple-pill"
    href="https://app.dipseastories.com/?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog"
  >
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  </a>
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We launched Dipsea in 2018 with six stories and the promise that we would release feminist, sex-positive, inclusive content each week to inspire our listeners to find joy and confidence in and out of the bedroom. 

Now, just three years later, we’re celebrating over 500 Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions live in the app—and we’re not slowing down anytime soon. That means that the deeper you dive into the Dipseaverse, the more you’re going to find!

And when we say more, we mean more. A lot more. As our library continues to expand, so does our audience. And each new person who enters the Dipseaverse brings with them their own interests, desires, and reasons for exploring. All the things that make sexuality and pleasure so unique and exciting. 

There are some things you’ll find in every Dipsea story. Consent, first and foremost. Also, characters and scenarios that feel at once real and immersive, like you’re right there in the story, but also transportive enough that you can truly let your mind wander and yourself get lost. A sense of safety and calm. Dipsea is and will always be a place where only good things happen and where your pleasure is the only priority. 

And then there are things you’ll find all over the Dipseaverse, but are unique to different stories and series. Group play, dirty talk, edging, roleplay, we’ve got it all. From rough and wild to flirty and romantic—as our audience has grown, we’ve created more stories that meet their unique interests so that there will always be something new to explore, right alongside their tried and true favorites. We also know that the same listeners come back for different things on different days. One day you might be looking to be tucked in, the next, tied up. We’ve got a story for both of those moods, and everything in between.

And each of those Dipsea stories, every kiss, spark, and sigh, are carefully crafted by our in-house content team, who work tirelessly to bring our listeners the immersive escapes they crave. 

Creating over 500 pieces of original content (with more coming all the time!) that connects with Dipsea listeners’ unique, intimate lives is no small feat, but the six women who make up our content team rise to the occasion every single day. Of course, everyone at Dipsea has played a part in bringing these stories to life, but our content team has brought each of these stories from just an idea, a spark of inspiration, to the immersive audio landscapes you hear in the app. 

We love every single story on Dipsea, the content team especially so. But surely, after over 500 stories, there had to be one moment for each of them that rose above the rest. A shining moment that they each felt stood out as their number one Dipsea story moment. And so, we asked them to let us know what each of theirs was. Here’s what they said! 

### Selene, Senior Audio Producer

In the midst of all the–everything?–going on in the world, creating worlds of rest and relaxation in [Sleep Overs](https://app.dipseastories.com/categories/sleep-overs-category?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog) has been such a relief. We get to dream up the coziest scenes using the right mix of comforting sounds and let our favorite characters invite our listeners to relax and unwind. My favorite might be “[Elliot’s Porch](https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/elliots-porch?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” Something about the gentle guitar strumming, rocking chair, and soft nature sounds puts me right there on a warm summer evening, listening to the forest fall asleep.

### Kristina, Head of Audio

We love to create chemistry, tension, and desire between our protagonists and their crushes, but I have to give a shout-out to the unsung heroes of Dipsea: the best friend characters. They are the ones who will hype you up, express some much-needed tough love, and are down to help you on your quest for self-love actualization! 

In the "[On the Market](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/on-the-market-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog)" series, the main character Jordan turns to their best friend Beck when they can’t quite hack the dating scene in a new city. Beck not only flies across the country to bleach Jordan’s hair but is right there to support Jordan in getting their groove back. In "On the Market II," we get a glimpse of Beck’s own dating life (BFF characters are fully autonomous humans with their own relationships, okay!). But we also see the true intimacy of their friendship. And I’m not saying that in this series, friends could become more, but I guess you’ll have to keep listening to find out. 

### Angela, Senior Audio Producer

I’m a big fan of cozy moments, and lucky for me, there are plenty in the Dipseaverse—a warm fire on a cold winter evening, whispers in a snuggle sesh, a request for french fries after sex. But the first story where I felt something really click in terms of bringing a cozy moment to life was “[Extra Hot](https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/extra-hot?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” Near the end of the story, the two actors discuss what an orgasm feels like. This is definitely a hard question to answer, and any attempt at it requires tapping deep inside one’s own truth. I’m so humbled by our actors’ willingness to collaborate with us in making these moments happen. 

### Olivia, Senior Content Editor

I feel really lucky to tell stories about sex, but I also feel really privileged to bear witness to them. As a society, we’ve been discouraged from talking about sex, attraction, desire, and being able to do it so openly is something I don’t take for granted. A while back, I got to interview a queer tailor for a story called “[Tailormade](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/tailormade-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” They were so open and vulnerable with me, and the details and perspective they provided made for a final product we’re all proud of. Every part of that story-making process was special. Interviewing the collaborator, writing the script, and getting to listen to it for the first time. But getting on the phone and getting to listen to someone share their experiences with me is something I won’t ever forget. 

### Kara, Senior Audio Producer

As our Head of Audio says (hi Kristina!), one of our goals at Dipsea is to put our listeners in a different mood state, whether it’s sparking desire with our narrative stories or lulling them to sleep with our Sleep Overs. Our Wellness content is no different-it inspires new thoughts the listener can learn and grow from. Earlier this year, we produced two 7-day wellness series, “[Get Grounded with Mark](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/get-grounded-with-mark-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog)” and “[Tough Love with Freddie](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/tough-love-with-freddie-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” Through more physical exercises in “Get Grounded,” and more mental ones in “Tough Love,” we tried to answer questions like “how does movement in our bodies affect the way we think?” and “can we transform our relationships to ourselves through positive self-talk?”. We got to create a collection of 3-minute episodes whose only job was to make the listener feel better than when they started. How amazing is that?! I feel so proud to be a part of a team that creates content for listeners that is stimulating in all of the ways.

We launched Dipsea in 2018 with six stories and the promise that we would release feminist, sex-positive, inclusive content each week to inspire our listeners to find joy and confidence in and out of the bedroom. 

Now, just three years later, we’re celebrating over 500 Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions live in the app—and we’re not slowing down anytime soon. That means that the deeper you dive into the Dipseaverse, the more you’re going to find!

And when we say more, we mean more. A lot more. As our library continues to expand, so does our audience. And each new person who enters the Dipseaverse brings with them their own interests, desires, and reasons for exploring. All the things that make sexuality and pleasure so unique and exciting. 

There are some things you’ll find in every Dipsea story. Consent, first and foremost. Also, characters and scenarios that feel at once real and immersive, like you’re right there in the story, but also transportive enough that you can truly let your mind wander and yourself get lost. A sense of safety and calm. Dipsea is and will always be a place where only good things happen and where your pleasure is the only priority. 

And then there are things you’ll find all over the Dipseaverse, but are unique to different stories and series. Group play, dirty talk, edging, roleplay, we’ve got it all. From rough and wild to flirty and romantic—as our audience has grown, we’ve created more stories that meet their unique interests so that there will always be something new to explore, right alongside their tried and true favorites. We also know that the same listeners come back for different things on different days. One day you might be looking to be tucked in, the next, tied up. We’ve got a story for both of those moods, and everything in between.

And each of those Dipsea stories, every kiss, spark, and sigh, are carefully crafted by our in-house content team, who work tirelessly to bring our listeners the immersive escapes they crave. 

Creating over 500 pieces of original content (with more coming all the time!) that connects with Dipsea listeners’ unique, intimate lives is no small feat, but the six women who make up our content team rise to the occasion every single day. Of course, everyone at Dipsea has played a part in bringing these stories to life, but our content team has brought each of these stories from just an idea, a spark of inspiration, to the immersive audio landscapes you hear in the app. 

We love every single story on Dipsea, the content team especially so. But surely, after over 500 stories, there had to be one moment for each of them that rose above the rest. A shining moment that they each felt stood out as their number one Dipsea story moment. And so, we asked them to let us know what each of theirs was. Here’s what they said! 

### Selene, Senior Audio Producer

In the midst of all the–everything?–going on in the world, creating worlds of rest and relaxation in [Sleep Overs](https://app.dipseastories.com/categories/sleep-overs-category?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog) has been such a relief. We get to dream up the coziest scenes using the right mix of comforting sounds and let our favorite characters invite our listeners to relax and unwind. My favorite might be “[Elliot’s Porch](https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/elliots-porch?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” Something about the gentle guitar strumming, rocking chair, and soft nature sounds puts me right there on a warm summer evening, listening to the forest fall asleep.

### Kristina, Head of Audio

We love to create chemistry, tension, and desire between our protagonists and their crushes, but I have to give a shout-out to the unsung heroes of Dipsea: the best friend characters. They are the ones who will hype you up, express some much-needed tough love, and are down to help you on your quest for self-love actualization! 

In the "[On the Market](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/on-the-market-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog)" series, the main character Jordan turns to their best friend Beck when they can’t quite hack the dating scene in a new city. Beck not only flies across the country to bleach Jordan’s hair but is right there to support Jordan in getting their groove back. In "On the Market II," we get a glimpse of Beck’s own dating life (BFF characters are fully autonomous humans with their own relationships, okay!). But we also see the true intimacy of their friendship. And I’m not saying that in this series, friends could become more, but I guess you’ll have to keep listening to find out. 

### Angela, Senior Audio Producer

I’m a big fan of cozy moments, and lucky for me, there are plenty in the Dipseaverse—a warm fire on a cold winter evening, whispers in a snuggle sesh, a request for french fries after sex. But the first story where I felt something really click in terms of bringing a cozy moment to life was “[Extra Hot](https://app.dipseastories.com/stories/extra-hot?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” Near the end of the story, the two actors discuss what an orgasm feels like. This is definitely a hard question to answer, and any attempt at it requires tapping deep inside one’s own truth. I’m so humbled by our actors’ willingness to collaborate with us in making these moments happen. 

### Olivia, Senior Content Editor

I feel really lucky to tell stories about sex, but I also feel really privileged to bear witness to them. As a society, we’ve been discouraged from talking about sex, attraction, desire, and being able to do it so openly is something I don’t take for granted. A while back, I got to interview a queer tailor for a story called “[Tailormade](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/tailormade-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” They were so open and vulnerable with me, and the details and perspective they provided made for a final product we’re all proud of. Every part of that story-making process was special. Interviewing the collaborator, writing the script, and getting to listen to it for the first time. But getting on the phone and getting to listen to someone share their experiences with me is something I won’t ever forget. 

### Kara, Senior Audio Producer

As our Head of Audio says (hi Kristina!), one of our goals at Dipsea is to put our listeners in a different mood state, whether it’s sparking desire with our narrative stories or lulling them to sleep with our Sleep Overs. Our Wellness content is no different-it inspires new thoughts the listener can learn and grow from. Earlier this year, we produced two 7-day wellness series, “[Get Grounded with Mark](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/get-grounded-with-mark-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog)” and “[Tough Love with Freddie](https://app.dipseastories.com/series/tough-love-with-freddie-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=500storiesblog).” Through more physical exercises in “Get Grounded,” and more mental ones in “Tough Love,” we tried to answer questions like “how does movement in our bodies affect the way we think?” and “can we transform our relationships to ourselves through positive self-talk?”. We got to create a collection of 3-minute episodes whose only job was to make the listener feel better than when they started. How amazing is that?! I feel so proud to be a part of a team that creates content for listeners that is stimulating in all of the ways.

There are 500 sexy stories, sleep scenes, and wellness sessions now live on Dipsea. That's a lot of audio erotica and bedtime stories for adults to listen to!

500 sexy stories, sleep scenes, and guided wellness session live on Dipsea

500-Stories

Celebrating 500 stories and our favorite moments!

Ready to try something new? Dipsea has you covered.

*Note: Dipsea’s written stories are only available on the iOS and Android apps at this time. Download Dipsea from the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dipsea-sexy-audio-stories/id1434242889) or [Google Play Store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dipsea&hl=en_US&gl=US) today.*

Did you know that the oldest written piece of erotica ever discovered is a love poem that was written sometime between 2037 and 2029 BC? Naturally, it was written by a woman (who we know tend to be the [best writers of erotic content](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/men-written-by-women/)!), or at least it is presumed to have been. The bride of King Shu-Sin of Sumer, the first erotica writer. Well, the first that we know of. 

If you’d like to know more about the history of erotica, you can read our sexy little history of the genre [here](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/a-brief-sexy-history-of-erotica/). The last tidbit we’ll leave you with is that the oldest erotic art ever uncovered is allegedly a carving of a vulva, which might just be proof that nudes are our most universal language.

But back to the written word. 

We’ve come a long way since the bride of King Shu-Sin of Sumer first put pen to paper, or, rather, reed to tablet. And so has written erotica, in the 4,000 or so years since the bride wrote her poem. 

For starters, the romance genre is consistently the [number one selling genre](https://theurbanwriters.com/blogs/publishing/popular-book-genres-for-your-next-bestseller) of literature and has never fallen out of the top 5 genres since sales have started to be recorded. Add to that the fact that the romantic literature industry is worth 1.5 billion dollars and it becomes pretty clear that the mother of written erotica might also be the world’s first-ever girlboss (we’re kidding!). 

At Dipsea, we’re proud to be the pioneers of erotic audio, having created the first-ever audio platform specifically for sexual wellness. We’re a team of storytellers at heart, and we believe that telling immersive, character-driven, sensual stories has the power to help our listeners discover new sides of themselves and connect more deeply with their bodies and their desires. That’s never going to change. 

However, we also know that our listeners are always looking for new ways to engage with Dipsea and be transported by exceptional storytelling. As you might guess, we’re big, big fans of the idea that more is more, and we always believe in giving people more of what they want. So now, in addition to getting lost in the world of audio erotica, you can read bingeable chapters about your favorite Dipsea characters. Maybe it’s their steamy backstory or a retelling of their series from a new perspective. There’s only one way to find out! (Read, of course.)

We started off by releasing four books about four of the most popular Dipsea characters, with four chapters ready to be devoured in each. But don’t worry, more chapters will be added to these stories regularly, so you’ll never be left waiting too long. 

The stories are, obviously, perfect for any occasion, but might be particularly exciting for those who are looking to get their Dipsea fix but might to be somewhere where listening isn’t the most convenient. 

On a crowded bus or train and nervous about being overheard? No worries, just open up “Jennifer’s New Student” and let yourself get lost in a new erotic landscape. Forgot your headphones on your morning commute? “Call Me Freddie” is the answer to your prayers. Just looking for something wonderful to read before bed? “Mark Breaks Rank” is the perfect bedtime story. 

Below, you can check out a little bit about each book, and what you can expect to read in the first four chapters of each. Happy reading! 

### Call Me Freddie
Vera’s intrigued by her new boss, Freddie. As they get closer, professional lines start to blur.

__Chapter 1: He’s Here__
The new guy in the office causes a stir. What’s he all about?

__Chapter 2: The Meeting__
Rumors swirl about Freddie, and things get heated between him and Vera.

__Chapter 3: Do You Trust Me?__
Freddie and Vera smooth things over, but Vera isn’t prepared for what’s next. 

__Chapter 4: Black Silk Tie__
Freddie has one question for Vera. Her answer could change everything.

### Mark Breaks Rank
Disillusioned with his life as a Marine, Mark isn’t sure what he wants anymore. When he meets Ainsley, things start to change, but of course, nothing good ever comes easy... 

__Chapter 1: Roadside Assistance__
Mark stops to help and gets more than he bargained for.

__Chapter 2: Good Initiative, Bad Judgement__
He can’t stop thinking about Ainsley. Is Mark brave enough to make a move?

__Chapter 3: Was I Off-Base?__
Their chemistry is electric, but a chance encounter might ruin it all.

__Chapter 4: Backroads__
Before she takes Mark back to base, Ainsely gets what she wants.

### Jennifer’s New Student
When Taylor first shows up to Jennifer’s office hours, things are purely academic. As time goes on, she’s not so sure anymore.

__Chapter 1: Coincidence__
Taylor’s semester is off to an interesting start after a chance encounter.

__Chapter 2: Office Hours__
Taylor keeps showing up to Jennifer’s office. Why’s she there?

__Chapter 3: Flirting Is Always Serious__
Taylor’s in Jennifer’s office again, only now, something has shifted.

__Chapter 4: On the Desk__
Taylor and Jennifer lock the door and do their best to stay quiet. 

### Jack’s Passenger Seat
Jack and Gia never thought they’d find themselves back in their hometown, but something’s drawn them back together.

__Chapter 1: First Sight__
Jack doesn’t remember a lot about high school, except for meeting Gia.

__Chapter 2: Winter Break__
After a party, Jack finds himself alone in his car with Gia.

__Chapter 3: The In-Between__
The click of her boots, the back of her hair: it had to be her, didn't it?

__Chapter 4: Keep Driving__
Jack drives Gia home, but this time she isn’t quite ready to head inside. 


*Note: Dipsea’s written stories are only available on the iOS and Android apps at this time. Download Dipsea from the [App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dipsea-sexy-audio-stories/id1434242889) or [Google Play Store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dipsea&hl=en_US&gl=US) today.*

Did you know that the oldest written piece of erotica ever discovered is a love poem that was written sometime between 2037 and 2029 BC? Naturally, it was written by a woman (who we know tend to be the [best writers of erotic content](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/men-written-by-women/)!), or at least it is presumed to have been. The bride of King Shu-Sin of Sumer, the first erotica writer. Well, the first that we know of. 

If you’d like to know more about the history of erotica, you can read our sexy little history of the genre [here](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/a-brief-sexy-history-of-erotica/). The last tidbit we’ll leave you with is that the oldest erotic art ever uncovered is allegedly a carving of a vulva, which might just be proof that nudes are our most universal language.

But back to the written word. 

We’ve come a long way since the bride of King Shu-Sin of Sumer first put pen to paper, or, rather, reed to tablet. And so has written erotica, in the 4,000 or so years since the bride wrote her poem. 

For starters, the romance genre is consistently the [number one selling genre](https://theurbanwriters.com/blogs/publishing/popular-book-genres-for-your-next-bestseller) of literature and has never fallen out of the top 5 genres since sales have started to be recorded. Add to that the fact that the romantic literature industry is worth 1.5 billion dollars and it becomes pretty clear that the mother of written erotica might also be the world’s first-ever girlboss (we’re kidding!). 

At Dipsea, we’re proud to be the pioneers of erotic audio, having created the first-ever audio platform specifically for sexual wellness. We’re a team of storytellers at heart, and we believe that telling immersive, character-driven, sensual stories has the power to help our listeners discover new sides of themselves and connect more deeply with their bodies and their desires. That’s never going to change. 


However, we also know that our listeners are always looking for new ways to engage with Dipsea and be transported by exceptional storytelling. As you might guess, we’re big, big fans of the idea that more is more, and we always believe in giving people more of what they want. So now, in addition to getting lost in the world of audio erotica, you can read bingeable chapters about your favorite Dipsea characters. Maybe it’s their steamy backstory or a retelling of their series from a new perspective. There’s only one way to find out! (Read, of course.)

We started off by releasing four books about four of the most popular Dipsea characters, with four chapters ready to be devoured in each. But don’t worry, more chapters will be added to these stories regularly, so you’ll never be left waiting too long. 

The stories are, obviously, perfect for any occasion, but might be particularly exciting for those who are looking to get their Dipsea fix but might to be somewhere where listening isn’t the most convenient. 

On a crowded bus or train and nervous about being overheard? No worries, just open up “Jennifer’s New Student” and let yourself get lost in a new erotic landscape. Forgot your headphones on your morning commute? “Call Me Freddie” is the answer to your prayers. Just looking for something wonderful to read before bed? “Mark Breaks Rank” is the perfect bedtime story. 

Below, you can check out a little bit about each book, and what you can expect to read in the first four chapters of each. Happy reading! 

### Call Me Freddie
Vera’s intrigued by her new boss, Freddie. As they get closer, professional lines start to blur.

__Chapter 1: He’s Here__
The new guy in the office causes a stir. What’s he all about?

__Chapter 2: The Meeting__
Rumors swirl about Freddie, and things get heated between him and Vera.

__Chapter 3: Do You Trust Me?__
Freddie and Vera smooth things over, but Vera isn’t prepared for what’s next. 

__Chapter 4: Black Silk Tie__
Freddie has one question for Vera. Her answer could change everything.

### Mark Breaks Rank
Disillusioned with his life as a Marine, Mark isn’t sure what he wants anymore. When he meets Ainsley, things start to change, but of course, nothing good ever comes easy... 

__Chapter 1: Roadside Assistance__
Mark stops to help and gets more than he bargained for.

__Chapter 2: Good Initiative, Bad Judgement__
He can’t stop thinking about Ainsley. Is Mark brave enough to make a move?

__Chapter 3: Was I Off-Base?__
Their chemistry is electric, but a chance encounter might ruin it all.

__Chapter 4: Backroads__
Before she takes Mark back to base, Ainsely gets what she wants.

### Jennifer’s New Student
When Taylor first shows up to Jennifer’s office hours, things are purely academic. As time goes on, she’s not so sure anymore.

__Chapter 1: Coincidence__
Taylor’s semester is off to an interesting start after a chance encounter.

__Chapter 2: Office Hours__
Taylor keeps showing up to Jennifer’s office. Why’s she there?

__Chapter 3: Flirting Is Always Serious__
Taylor’s in Jennifer’s office again, only now, something has shifted.

__Chapter 4: On the Desk__
Taylor and Jennifer lock the door and do their best to stay quiet. 

### Jack’s Passenger Seat
Jack and Gia never thought they’d find themselves back in their hometown, but something’s drawn them back together.

__Chapter 1: First Sight__
Jack doesn’t remember a lot about high school, except for meeting Gia.

__Chapter 2: Winter Break__
After a party, Jack finds himself alone in his car with Gia.

__Chapter 3: The In-Between__
The click of her boots, the back of her hair: it had to be her, didn't it?

__Chapter 4: Keep Driving__
Jack drives Gia home, but this time she isn’t quite ready to head inside. 

Now, in addition to getting lost in the world of audio erotica, you can read sexy stories about your favorite Dipsea characters. They're perfect to read anywhere.

Now on Dipsea you can read sexy backstories about characters

Read-Sexy-Stories

Now on Dipsea: Read sexy stories

Ready to tap into your sexuality in a whole new way? Dipsea has you covered.

When we launched Dipsea in 2018, we knew exactly what we wanted to be: a space where people, particularly women, felt safe to explore pleasure, cultivate intimacy, and connect with themselves. As 2020 progressed, it became clear that pleasure, intimacy, and connection were exactly what the world needed more than ever, and we're thrilled so many of you were able to find it in the Dipseaverse. 

So here’s a little look back at Dipsea in 2020. The numbers, the new features, and all the moments we got to share with you.

## A year to remember (because it won’t let us forget)

__In January of 2020__, Dipsea launched its [__web app__](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/dipsea-launches-its-web-app/)! It meant that Dipsea became available to everyone on literally any device with a web browser and an internet connection. 

When the world shut down in __March__, we [__unlocked all of our Wellness content__](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/dipsea-free/) as a way to support listeners during a particularly uncertain time. As our founders, Gina and Faye, said back in March, pleasure is usually the first thing overlooked in moments of crisis. But pleasure is an important way to self-soothe, reconnect mind and body, and remember that you are worthy of joy. As Wellness listening spiked in the following weeks, it was clear that the message resonated.

Then, as studios closed around the world, our audio team worked tirelessly to help actors record from their homes, keeping our partners working and our listeners listening. 

## Turning up the volume 

Over the course of the year, listenership __increased over 80%__, culminating in an incredible __37.3 million listening minutes__ on Dipsea. That’s a whole lot of “oohs” and “ahhs” and “mmms” and “yeaas.”

2020 was the year that Dipsea truly went global. We had listeners tuning in and turning on from all 50 states, and a total of 155 countries. And every place seemed to have their favorite stories.

The folks in __Boston__ had a particular interest in “Lecture Me” (looking at you Ivy Leaguers), while the beach babes in __Florida__ couldn’t get enough of “Salty” (welcome to Margaritaville). In __England__, people warmed up with “Extra Hot.” And in __Australia__, people loved “After Hours.” Guess the only thing hotter than the sun Down Under, are the dads.

This year, timing mattered too. It looks like everyone was trying to start their week off right because __Sundays__ were the most popular day listen, while __Wednesday__ failed to live up to it’s Hump Day title. 

2020 was also the year that __Freddie__ came out on top. We don’t pick favorites, of course, but you all certainly did, and no character was more sought after. 

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## We weren’t done yet

In __July__ we partnered with podcast company QCODE to sponsor ”Dirty Diana” starring __Demi Moore__, which was quickly picked up by Amazon Studios to be turned into a TV show. 

In __October__ we launched __Continuous Play__, a whole new way to listen to multiple stories seamlessly, along with some exciting new personalized sections of the app. 

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As we neared the holidays, we still had one more gift left to give. [__Sleep by Dipsea__](https://www.dipseastories.com/blog/dipsea-sleep-stories/) went live in __December__. We created a world of Sleep content because we knew we were already in bed with our listeners. Now you can get turned on and wind down all in one place.

## Social butterflies 

The next time you’re having a down day, may we suggest checking out [Dipsea's Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dipseastories/)? It’s been amazing watching the sense of curiousity, support, and love that's fostered there. In 2020 our community grew from __40K__ to __60K__ to __80K__. We're so grateful for each and every one of you! Our [most-liked post](https://www.instagram.com/p/CF5AIg5H6Fj/?igshid=1no7vog2mkyhm) was about masturbating in front of a mirror, which just felt right. In our most-watched story, our followers shared their [top tips for more satisfying hookups](https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17847102890411173/), and in our most-commented post people shared their [strange turn-ons](https://www.instagram.com/p/CC_jcmxH49K/). You got weird, and we love you for it. Thank you for being vulnerable, and for continuing to help us break down the barriers around pleasure—it’s so beautiful to see.

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It wasn’t a surprise that in a year where people spent so much time apart, that __Friends Become More__, __Coworker__, and __Threesome__ were the most searched terms in the app. Everyone was missing those little moments of connection: stolen glances, slipping past someone in a tight hallway, eye contact across the bar. The moments that spark a little something in you and make you feel. Just feel! And while nothing may ever compare to IRL butterflies, we’re so happy we could be a little rush of joy for you this year. 

So cheers to you—you made it through 2020! Here’s to more pleasure, more rest, more joy, more time to connect with our bodies, and continuing to explore all the ways to make ourselves feel good. We’re only just getting started.

Xoxo, 
<br>The Dipsea Team

2020

Dipsea 2020 year in review

Happy endings are kind of our thing, which is why we want to help you have the happiest ending of all: a good night’s sleep at the end of a long day. 

Today we’re launching [Sleep by Dipsea](https://app.dipseastories.com/sleep). The same app, the same sexy stories and wellness sessions, now with a new world of relaxing stories, sounds, and scenes designed to lull you into dreamland. 

![Listen Screen Bedtime Story](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/50Yw90elRAdHcl0dvvU5NP/6e258e8a9a378a8330491a82b295e188/Listen_Screen_Bedtime_Story.png)

Just like sexuality, sleep is precious and powerful. From the beginning, we’ve created safe, immersive stories that break down the walls to accessing your sexuality. Now we also offer immersive content designed to wind you down rather than turn you on. So after you listen to a sexy story, you can put on a sleep scene, suspend your state of pleasure, and find restful sleep more easily.

The development of Sleep by Dipsea has been a long time coming. We began including more aftercare into our stories after hearing that you wanted more time to wind down at the end of an episode. Now after a sex scene ends, a character might make a cup of tea, or offer a back rub. Sleep by Dipsea is an even more intentional exhale. We’re closing the loop on your whole bedtime routine – maybe even helping you create a new one.

Over the last two years, we saw that most people were listening to Dipsea at bedtime, between 9pm and 1am. We also knew that 30% of our listeners were coming to us specifically when they couldn’t fall asleep. Every night we’re already invited under duvets, tucked under pillows, placed on nightstands. So we asked ourselves, why not stay with our listeners for longer?

We did our research, and were shocked by what we found. Did you know over half of adults struggle to fall asleep on a regular basis? And that women are almost twice as likely to experience this struggle than men?

When we asked our Instagram followers if they had trouble sleeping, those statistics really came to life. More than half of you said you have trouble falling and staying asleep, and 60% of you said that it often takes more than 15 minutes to doze off. All that means a whopping 76% of you feel tired throughout the day. And over half of you said the COVID-19 pandemic has made it even harder to get rest (yup, that checks out!). 

But you know what’s really interesting? Most people say they have better sleep after masturbating. And for good reason. When you have an orgasm, you release hormones like serotonin, vasopressin, endorphins, oxytocin, norepinephrine – all little signals from your brain that you’re allowed to chill. So what better way to end a ménage à moi than by seamlessly queuing sleep sounds right after, or by choosing an immersive bedtime story or scene designed by the talented Dipsea production team. 

You can find Sleep by Dipsea on all of our apps (iOS, Android, and Web) in the Sleep tab. We’re launching with three unique types of Sleep content, Sleep Overs, Bedtime Stories, and Soundscapes.

![Sleep Page](//images.ctfassets.net/03of3q5qzesq/6rHL32YwXRwbVsYviphR9A/166324d1700b25a8920375c08643dcf5/Sleep_Page.png)

Sleep Overs let you fall asleep in the presence of characters you know and love. You can get tucked in by Mark, the yoga instructor, James the professor, or Emmy the masseuse, and then drift off while they stay near. Sleep Overs are all about comfort and closeness. Think back to when you were younger when you might have felt comforted by the sound of family in the next room while you drifted off, or the times you’ve napped while a partner or friend was working in the next room. Sleep Overs offer that same sense of cozy with some of your favorite Dipsea characters. 

Bedtime Stories are sensual, mellow, narrative stories designed to relax you instead of turn you on. They’re the closest to what people have come to expect from Dipsea, but rather than being hot and heavy, these are sleepy stories with just enough plot to let your mind meander. 

Soundscapes are soothing and familiar sounds designed to help you drift into sleep. Imagine a cabin fireplace or a cozy rainstorm. In the app, you can even queue these Soundscapes after a story, in intervals of 30, 45, or 60 minutes. Or, if you prefer, you can access them via the Sleep tab and play them on their own. 

After a long day, it’s far too easy to let our most personal and intimate time be invaded by the world at large – especially now, when our homes have become our offices, our restaurants, our meeting spaces, and our vacation spots. It can be difficult to pull ourselves away. 

We encourage you to make time for yourself, for pleasure, and for rest. [Sleep by Dipsea](https://app.dipseastories.com/sleep) in an invitation to stop scrolling, and to start listening. To build, or rebuild, a better bedtime habit. 

Sweet dreams!

The Dipsea Team

Sleep-Launch

Sleep has arrived at Dipsea

To celebrate the upcoming release of “Last Call,” a story about an actress who has a steamy threesome with her friend and a cute bartender, we interviewed our muse for the story—sex icon, Erin Clark. Listen to the story this Sunday, 3/29, on the [Dipsea app](https://app.dipseastories.com/)!

## So, Erin, tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from? Where do you live currently?

I am from Canada and I am currently in Canada. It’s the first time in almost a decade I am living where I started. I tend to put my whole life into what I want to explore or create, which has found me living on an island in British Columbia, in New York City and a small Catalan town in Spain. I have been back in Canada for less than a year, and I am ready to discover something new. I’m not sure where or what that will be yet, so for now I am enjoying having all my books in one place and close by. And by close by, I mean next to me in bed. I curl up like a cat and wake up half reading. It’s been a gentle, restoring interlude between adventures. 

## What do you do for work? How do you spend your free time?

I am a writer and an aerialist and pole dancer. I write, train, make short films and take photos. I don’t have a traditional separation between work and not work. Performing, creating and adventuring blend together in a way that I find very pleasant and productive. I have to be conscious of my physical limits all the time, in every moment. A planned separation of resting time and working time will fall apart very quickly so I don’t organize them in different categories.  

## Based on your Instagram posts, it seems like you love to travel. Where is the most romantic place you’ve ever been?

It depends on the kind of romance we’re talking about. Of course, Paris. I love to shop for lingerie and eat french pastries and take selfies with parisian monuments and flirt. When I’m in Paris, Paris is my lover. It’s a glamorous, yet impersonal love. Paris is everyone’s lover.  

The most personally romantic place I’ve been was Oranjemund, Namibia. I spent two months in the middle of the desert where I didn’t know anyone, in a very small mining town. I met my generous and entertaining neighbours, I made great friends, the balance between being left alone and being in company was perfect. I got to spend a night camping under the full moon, scrambling and swimming and driving and exploring one of the most compelling environments I’d ever known, four-wheeling up and down massive sand dunes, having barbeque and learning the styles of weather that happen in a desert that I have never felt before. And while all the adventure and connection was happening, I wrote the first draft of my memoir from beginning to end. A place that satisfies my adventure lust, fuels my creative energy so I can complete a massive project and then cradles me in a supportive balance between social and solitude is the height of romance for me. 

## You’re often referred to, by yourself and others, as a sex icon. How did you come to coin this term and what does it mean to you?

Sex Icon was born on a stage in New York City. My friend Laura von Holt and I started an aerial comedy duo called Flaming Mermaid Broken Star. 

The hot issue of being a disabled aerialist is how to control the narrative of the spectacle. If you have a wheelchair on stage, the audience has a tendency to automatically experience whatever you do as ‘inspiring’. Partly, that’s the social script. Disabled people doing things is ‘inspiring’ and that’s…. it.  I believe it’s also a defense against the taboo of judging disabled people. If I do a bad job on stage, the audience feels bad for noticing, not bad for being put through that experience. So, I sometimes get the impression that, when it comes to performance, ‘inspiring’ is used in place of ‘uncomfortable’ and a lot of potentially important dialogue is lost. I could go on for ages about standards and who sets them and how ableism ruins it for everyone, but that’s not what you asked. 

Laura and I had to figure out how to let the audience feel whatever they were going to feel but also give us room to suggest that they feel what we, as the performers, intended them to feel as well. Somehow, we needed to acknowledge that we understood the interaction came with a prescription of inspiration and then suggest we ignore it and do our own thing together. 

Thus, I became a sex icon. In the timing of the performance, there were moments we knew the audience would expect to be given an explanation of my chair - a curiosity I trusted they had the maturity to endure. The chair was not relevant to the skits we were performing and it wasn’t among the information they needed to trust me to tell those stories. We weren’t there for a symposium on disability. Our show was absurd and comedic. But if there’s a gun on stage… So instead, we’d lead them up to the edge of disclosure, a kind of seduction they knew we knew they wanted. Would we give it to them? 

“Everyone can tell there is something different about me.” I say during our introduction. “And I don’t feel right going on with the show until I address it."

*Laura turns to look at me. It’s like I’m the only person in the room.* 

*“As you can see, I am using….”*

*Laura sucks in her breath. She is about to hear something she’s been dying to know.  Something possibly wondrous. Maybe something disastrous.* 

*“...a microphone.”* 

*I point to a completely invisible LAV mic. The audience laughs. Laura holds her astonishment.* 

*“Go on.” Laura says.* 

*“It’s because I’m a Sex Icon. And I have to do a lot of kegel exercises and smoldering.” I smolder at the audience, pant slightly so they can hear the effort of a kegel. “Which makes it hard to project my voice, so I require audio augmentation.”* 

*“Wow, Thank you for sharing that with us.” Laura says with utter sincerity.*  

*We don't give them what they thought they wanted. We give them what they don't know they can ask for. They trust us. Now we can tell more interesting stories than the dusty, medical-file version of my presence.* 

A wheelchair is as superficial as sex appeal. They carry the same amount of innate meaning. What you know about me through my wheelchair is the same amount of information you would know about someone you think of as sexy just by being attracted to them. Which is, nothing. They are both literally meaningless. 

What I personally loved about superimposing the symbolism of sexiness with the wheelchair is how sex is considered a form of power and a wheelchair is considered a symbol of ultimate disempowerment. Overlapping them let us explore a lot of nuanced and interconnected elements of power and who has it and what is it for just by having my character on stage. 

After I left New York, I started to post on Instagram as the character. I would take dramatic, high-contrast selfies all over the world and write vignettes in second person as a way of playing with the projections of what a disabled person’s life means. I wrote as if the things that were happening to me, that were entirely outside of typical disability narratives, were happening to the reader. But I got to define the meaning instead of disability-through-the-lens-of-society that was usually projected onto me. 

Over time, that took on it’s own life. People started to refer to #sexicon moments when they felt a striking sense of self love or had a moment of particular intimacy they hadn’t noticed in that way before. When they were making choices to empower themselves or chose their own narrative. It was no longer just about sex or disability, it was about being. And how to nurture it. The audience created that as much as I did.

## What are your thoughts on the representation of disability in the media?

It’s coming. I see disabled characters in television series that make me feel so excited to be a creator and writer and performer in this time. There are still pervasive stereotypes that limit what stories ‘the media’ will let disabled people tell.  And I am passionate about telling the kind of stories in which we are not being observed like animals in a zoo, but we are the guides and ushers into experiences that allow the audience to see something new in themselves. Like all great storytelling, it’s not just that you see a character, it’s the potential that character holds, the world they inhabit and their ability to draw you into it for yourself. People with disabilities are also carriers of potential, of realms and wonderings and knowings. I’d like to see those stories honoured with the same sprawl as the non-disabled.

## You recently collaborated with our staff writer, Emily, on the story, “Last Call.” What was that experience like? How did you approach fictionalizing your own experience for the story?

I loved working with Emily. When she first reached out to me, I confessed to her that I could come up with scenarios and character development all day, but when it came to the sex act... it wasn’t the part that excited me. 

Seeing as how it’s kind of the key element for Dipsea, I expected that to be the end of it. But Emily suggested a collaboration that really worked to maximize my strengths and make the story the best it could be.  Which, in a way, is what good sex does. It’s not focused on the payoff in the most mechanical terms, it’s focused on the process and drawing out the depth of pleasure for the parties involved, each one supporting the other to create something together each of them couldn’t create on their own. 

It was one of the most sexually explicit conversations of my life, entirely without embarrasment, which is a gift I wish we gave to each other more often: talking about sex without shame. We’d go from where the head of one guy’s penis would be when the other guy was holding her up from behind and then dovetail into these philosophical and political tangents along the way. It was exhilarating on it’s own terms, and then I got paid. For my expertise, essentially, in pleasure. That’s pretty life affirming. 

The other thing I loved was that Emily wrote the script. I was the source material. This was special to me because I don’t think representation of disabled people is bad because abled bodied people do it. I think it’s bad because they don’t listen. Emily listened. I sent her links to videos of me on a photo shoot where my lover (at the time) is stroking my wheelchair rims and lifting me out of my chair so she could see the choreography of romance with a wheelchair for herself. I sent her links to pieces I had written with elements of erotica in them. I answered questions she came up with as she worked on the script and together we brainstormed a sex act and then I described the mechanics and logistics that would get my body into those positions and what I might be feeling while it happened.

It was satisfying to me to provide the material in a way that is different than being the author directly. I have poured so much of myself into the things I have created. For the very conscious and deliberate purpose of expanding the imaginations of non-disabled people as well as feeding the souls of disabled people. The fact that Emily could take so much from them and render a story in which I could see myself reflected was very confirming. 

In order for representation of disability to improve, we have to create — we have to generate material from inside our experiences — and we have to collaborate. Knowing my work had enough stability and substance to contribute to an able bodied writer rendering a sexual encounter that includes a disabled character vividly and erotically is profoundly rewarding. 

## What is your favorite part of the story and why?

My favourite part is when Liv goes “I want you to get each other warmed up. And then… make it all about me.”  I laughed out loud at that part - that’s the most sex icon thing she could say. I could go on and on about what exactly I appreciate about the way Liv’s disability is woven into the scene, but what I truly love is that it doesn’t matter. It’s not instructional, it’s not a statement, the characters are hot for each other, so they fuck. It’s meant to be experienced. It’s meant to be hot. It’s meant to bring arousal to any kind of body that finds arousal in it. Including a body like mine. 

Find Erin on Instagram at [@erinunleashes](https://www.instagram.com/erinunleashes/ "@erinunleashes") <3

Dipsea-Muse

Meet Dipsea muse, Erin Clark

When we first launched Dipsea in December 2018, it was with a mobile app. Starting out that way made a lot of sense. We loved the idea of a curated place in your pocket, a sea of stories you could dip into whenever and wherever you wanted. 

In the beginning, Dipsea stories were more flirtatiously sexy than explicit. We imagined people listening on the bus ride home as easily as they might before a date, or at bedtime. We thought of listening more like a way to enter a sensual state of mind – like foreplay for your brain. But more and more users started telling us that they loved the sensual scenes as much as they loved the story build up. Dipsea stories started to evolve. The sex scenes became longer. Partners having sex in our stories were communicative, their pleasure sounded un-performative, and their interactions felt real. Because no one else was portraying sex quite like that, listeners were really excited by it. As a content studio, we began to really hit our stride. 

__More at-home, in-bed listening__

Naturally as Dipsea stories became more explicit, bus ride listening started to decline (although some of you are still out there and that rules. Power to you!). And bedtime listening went up! 9PM-1AM is Dipsea primetime in any given timezone. This was our first hint that a web app could be a great new way for listeners to access Dipsea content. By being accessible on any browser, we could empower listeners to transition out of work brain by simply closing their email and switching over to Dipsea right from their laptops. Plenty of users told us they brought their computers or iPads to bed, so a web listening experience would make a lot of sense for them. We also heard something from listeners that really surprised us... 

__Headphone free listening__

Over the course of several subscriber surveys, more than 60% of you said that you listen to Dipsea out loud. We heard from people that, whether they were under their duvets alone or with their partners, many liked to listen to Dipsea without any headphones at all.  We thought that was pretty cool, and another strong indication that a web app would be a great new experience for our users. 

__Platform freedom__

Then in October of 2019, Dipsea was removed from the Google Play Store. It was an illuminating moment for us: even though society has made so much progress becoming more comfortable with the idea of healthy sexuality as an aspect of wellness, sexuality—particularly as it relates to women—is still deeply misunderstood. Dipsea has received an overwhelmingly positive response from our listeners and from the mainstream media, but the truth is that we were still beholden to a big platform to provide access to Android-using customers.

While we believe we’ll be able to cooperate with Google in the long term, we decided to take matters into our own hands and build our own platform. 

__The Dipsea Web App__ 

For the past three months, the Dipsea product team has worked tirelessly to translate our mobile app experience to your [browsers](https://app.dipseastories.com/). You’ll now be able to access stories and sessions from any mobile device, tablet, or desktop computer. It’s a whole new way to listen to Dipsea and a huge win in our quest to make our stories accessible to as many users as possible. It also means we can invite Android users back into the Dipseaverse. It’s an exciting day! 

To those of you who have been waiting to listen, we’re grateful for your patience. And to those of you who have followed along, sent your heartfelt testimonials (mystory@dipseastories.com), and believed in our mission to help people tap into their sexuality on their own terms and feel more empowered in their lives—THANK YOU! 

Check out our new web app [here](https://app.dipseastories.com/)!

Much love,
Team Dipsea

Web-App

Dipsea launches its web app

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Ready to try something new? Dipsea has you covered.</p>

<p style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;">Dipsea is an app for Sexy Stories, Sleep Scenes, and Wellness Sessions designed to turn you on and then tuck you in. You can download Dipsea from the App Store, Google Play Store, or online at app.dipseastories.com.</p>

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    Try Dipsea Free
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And that’s a wrap! To celebrate the past year, seven of our team members share their favorite stories from 2019. From sexual exploration to second chances with old flames, these stories are all unique in their own way. Some are sonically adventurous, relying on music and sensual sounds to support the narrative. Others are more character-driven, utilizing narration and dialogue to explore desire. Whatever you’re into, there’s something on this list for you! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

__F Train II__

Honestly every Dipsea story has a special place in my heart, but one of my favorites from 2019 is definitely "F Train II." It’s about Liza and Alex, exes who famously reconnect in "F Train I." This time around, they’re back together officially and ready to experiment, specifically with pegging. I love that this story goes to a place that some might consider taboo, but in a super casual, open, non-judgemental way. Also, any story where a woman is taking the lead as a dom-top is my kind of story!

— Garrett Schlichte, Operations Manager

__Virgo Season__

One of my favorites from 2019 is "Virgo Season." In the story, Allison is in charge of a big project and seeks out the advice of a creative director she used to work with named Louis. She meets him at his studio, and realizes the intimacy of getting a better sense of someone after seeing their space. The two are opposites, and they clash, but that only makes their attraction more intense. I love that Allison is such a boss babe. She knows what she wants, and how to make it a reality. But she also likes when someone pushes back a little, or disagrees with her in a way that actually changes her mind. Louis is kind of her perfect foil, but in her Virgo brain she never saw him that way. Their hookup is all business, a little rough, and I guarantee neither of them sent a "That was really fun!" text message the next morning. And you know what? Sometimes it's even hotter that way.

— Gina Gutierrez, CEO

__Encore__

"Encore" is one of my all-time favorite stories. It’s about a woman named Reese whose love of music has lead to a lot of different lovers, and the music sewn throughout the piece creates such a fun sonic texture. My favorite part is how the song at the end transitions from live at the concert to at home with Reese and her boyfriend. The song is “Good Luck” by local band Meernaa, and I love how perfectly timed the song is with the, uh, finale of the story!

— Selene Ross, Audio Producer

__Memory Lane__

In "Memory Lane," Zadie begrudgingly shows up at a holiday party when she’s back in her hometown. As she’s grabbing a drink, she spots June, her first queer crush from high school. Zadie works up the nerve to talk to her and realizes it’s easier than she thought to pick up where they left off. The premise is a holigay classic. It harnesses nostalgia and reconnection as a type of foreplay. It skips the awkwardness that can ensue (think that infamous bathroom scene in the movie "Booksmart") when you are a young queer teen going through every aspect of the coming out process. Instead, our leading ladies are older, wiser, and ready for a second chance. The other aspect that I absolutely love about this story is how the sound design tries to translate the feeling of being completely consumed by someone you have a long-standing crush on (“Drowning in June” as Zadie calls it). Zadie is put under June’s spell, and we wanted the listener to feel that sonically, as well. 

— Kristina Loring, Storytelling Lead

__Lights Out__

It’s hard to pick a fav, but "Lights Out" has a lot of elements I love! Post breakup, Jason needs a place to crash and decides to hit up his old college crush, Grace. After years of not-quite-the-right-timing, they're both finally single at the same time. A spontaneous black out amps up the evening’s sexiness even more. It’s the perfect adult bedtime story because there are lots of quiet sexy sounds: brushing teeth, shower splashing, and finally an intimate couch hookup. I love the combo of cozy nostalgia and sexy newness that makes hooking up with old friends so irresistible.

— Faye Keegan, CTO

__Les Rebound I__

My fav story is "Les Rebound I," but really the whole five-part series is amazing. It’s a retelling of Angela’s juicy rebound stories on her path to getting over her ex. I love this series because I think the writing is awesome. The characters are so real. And it’s truly laugh out loud funny. In my opinion, it’s the best mix of comedy and really hot sex on the whole app!

— Emily Acker, Staff Writer

__Did You?__

“Did You?” is about a couple, Sabrina and Paul, working through sexual blocks together. Specifically, Sabrina has never orgasmed with a partner before. This story is so simple, but the theme is universal. So many women I know have trouble orgasming with a partner and it always seems like the burden falls on them to fix it. In the story, Sabrina tells Paul she’s having trouble coming when they have sex and is trying to figure it out. Instead of taking it personally, Paul is totally down to figure it out together. They make an adventure out of a roadblock, and to me, that’s so sexy.  It doesn't feel clinical. Or like a downer. It just feels supportive, sexy, and real. Listening to this story for the first time moved me. I realized I’d never heard this kind of conversation in any kind of media I consumed. Being part of creating something new and something needed, is infinitely cool.

— Olivia Taylor, Content Editor

And that’s a wrap! To celebrate the past year, seven of our team members share their favorite stories from 2019. From sexual exploration to second chances with old flames, these stories are all unique in their own way. Some are sonically adventurous, relying on music and sensual sounds to support the narrative. Others are more character-driven, utilizing narration and dialogue to explore desire. Whatever you’re into, there’s something on this list for you! We hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

__F Train II__

Honestly every Dipsea story has a special place in my heart, but one of my favorites from 2019 is definitely "F Train II." It’s about Liza and Alex, exes who famously reconnect in "F Train I." This time around, they’re back together officially and ready to experiment, specifically with pegging. I love that this story goes to a place that some might consider taboo, but in a super casual, open, non-judgemental way. Also, any story where a woman is taking the lead as a dom-top is my kind of story!

— Garrett Schlichte, Operations Manager

__Virgo Season__

One of my favorites from 2019 is "Virgo Season." In the story, Allison is in charge of a big project and seeks out the advice of a creative director she used to work with named Louis. She meets him at his studio, and realizes the intimacy of getting a better sense of someone after seeing their space. The two are opposites, and they clash, but that only makes their attraction more intense. I love that Allison is such a boss babe. She knows what she wants, and how to make it a reality. But she also likes when someone pushes back a little, or disagrees with her in a way that actually changes her mind. Louis is kind of her perfect foil, but in her Virgo brain she never saw him that way. Their hookup is all business, a little rough, and I guarantee neither of them sent a "That was really fun!" text message the next morning. And you know what? Sometimes it's even hotter that way.

— Gina Gutierrez, CEO

__Encore__

"Encore" is one of my all-time favorite stories. It’s about a woman named Reese whose love of music has lead to a lot of different lovers, and the music sewn throughout the piece creates such a fun sonic texture. My favorite part is how the song at the end transitions from live at the concert to at home with Reese and her boyfriend. The song is “Good Luck” by local band Meernaa, and I love how perfectly timed the song is with the, uh, finale of the story!

— Selene Ross, Audio Producer

__Memory Lane__

In "Memory Lane," Zadie begrudgingly shows up at a holiday party when she’s back in her hometown. As she’s grabbing a drink, she spots June, her first queer crush from high school. Zadie works up the nerve to talk to her and realizes it’s easier than she thought to pick up where they left off. The premise is a holigay classic. It harnesses nostalgia and reconnection as a type of foreplay. It skips the awkwardness that can ensue (think that infamous bathroom scene in the movie "Booksmart") when you are a young queer teen going through every aspect of the coming out process. Instead, our leading ladies are older, wiser, and ready for a second chance. The other aspect that I absolutely love about this story is how the sound design tries to translate the feeling of being completely consumed by someone you have a long-standing crush on (“Drowning in June” as Zadie calls it). Zadie is put under June’s spell, and we wanted the listener to feel that sonically, as well. 

— Kristina Loring, Storytelling Lead

__Lights Out__

It’s hard to pick a fav, but "Lights Out" has a lot of elements I love! Post breakup, Jason needs a place to crash and decides to hit up his old college crush, Grace. After years of not-quite-the-right-timing, they're both finally single at the same time. A spontaneous black out amps up the evening’s sexiness even more. It’s the perfect adult bedtime story because there are lots of quiet sexy sounds: brushing teeth, shower splashing, and finally an intimate couch hookup. I love the combo of cozy nostalgia and sexy newness that makes hooking up with old friends so irresistible.

— Faye Keegan, CTO

__Les Rebound I__

My fav story is "Les Rebound I," but really the whole five-part series is amazing. It’s a retelling of Angela’s juicy rebound stories on her path to getting over her ex. I love this series because I think the writing is awesome. The characters are so real. And it’s truly laugh out loud funny. In my opinion, it’s the best mix of comedy and really hot sex on the whole app!

— Emily Acker, Staff Writer

__Did You?__

“Did You?” is about a couple, Sabrina and Paul, working through sexual blocks together. Specifically, Sabrina has never orgasmed with a partner before. This story is so simple, but the theme is universal. So many women I know have trouble orgasming with a partner and it always seems like the burden falls on them to fix it. In the story, Sabrina tells Paul she’s having trouble coming when they have sex and is trying to figure it out. Instead of taking it personally, Paul is totally down to figure it out together. They make an adventure out of a roadblock, and to me, that’s so sexy.  It doesn't feel clinical. Or like a downer. It just feels supportive, sexy, and real. Listening to this story for the first time moved me. I realized I’d never heard this kind of conversation in any kind of media I consumed. Being part of creating something new and something needed, is infinitely cool.

— Olivia Taylor, Content Editor