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Good Things Come in Little Packages, Part 2

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Sexuality educator Marylou Naccarato waxes on the importance of sensuality to happiness and creative uses for low, Japanese tables that don’t involve sushi.

  Sex by Design

Naccarato contacted Tracy Steele, whose New York-based company, Little People, Big Designs, makes custom furniture for the LP community. “She was delighted to collaborate on the project that became the Personal Activity Lounge (or PA Lounge, for short).” Based on Marylou’s measurements (“I’m pretty much your average LP,” she says), the piece — which has multiple uses despite its erotic inception — is padded and raised at one end. Its measurements also take into account the fact that some little people have partners of average height. Its legs are removable — and its fabric is washable.

“Yeah, we thought that would probably be important,” she chuckles.


The PA Lounger is designed to make many activities easier.

It’s also customizable. Steele can make each piece (which retails for $325) to the height and width specifications of the customer.

At the 2011 LPA convention, Naccarato had enthusiastic test subjects climbing all over it. “Couples were lying on it, trying it out, and getting into different positions. It was really well received and exciting to see people’s faces lighting up with possibility.”

  Leaving Normal

The PA Lounge may permit couples to experience intercourse on a level previously unparalleled, but Naccarato still stresses that sex shouldn’t be viewed as something that’s penetration-mandatory. “There’s so much performance anxiety around the function of sex and having an orgasm,” she says. “There are people who can’t achieve orgasm in what most people would call a ‘normal,’ way.”

“Normal” is another word she prefers not to use.

“The focus shouldn’t be the climax,” she says. “Many people with lower spinal problems or other physical disabilities may not be able to feel as much sensation as they would like. Through erotic massage, touching other erogenous zones, developing Tantric skills – you can achieve an incredible mental and physical high and ecstatic sexual pleasure. But you have to be open to it.”


The PA Lounger can be used for many activities, not just the erotic.

Anyone who doubts that openness to new things counts should note that in her previous career — before she was conducting explicit and entertaining sex/relationship workshops, or educating teens and adults in private and group sessions, or researching vibrators, or building sex furniture — Naccarato spent 23 years as an auditor for the IRS.

These days, she’s within striking distance of her Doctorate in human sexuality and looks forward to researching, at least at first, issues of sexuality in people of short stature, whose medical challenges range from mild to severe.

Longtime fan, not to mention renown sex educator, artist and author of the groundbreaking Sex for One, among other titles, Betty Dodson doesn’t doubt she’ll do that and more, remembering fondly how Naccarato – with beau, Michael, in tow on the back of her scooter – showed up at a party. “I marveled at their obvious enjoyment of life,” she says. “Maybe when I’m in my 90s, I’ll get a purple one and Marylou and I can have a race through at least one airport.”

As Naccarato’s self-professed Zen quote — “Life is short and so am I” — would indicate, she’ll probably give Dodson a run for her money when race day comes.

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Contributor: fredacarl

nice review

03/11/2012
Contributor: amenti
amenti  

Your article Good Things Come in Little Packages is amazing! It's so inspiring to me. I'm also differently applied though not in the same way. Marylou Naccrato is an inspiration to us all!

12/28/2012