Testing Out Sportsheets’ New Pivot Line As a Severely Disabled Person

I love being able to review sex toys as a severely disabled person so that I can offer a real-world look into how these products would work for folks who need an extra hand (or two) in the bedroom. So, I was really excited when Sportsheets, in partnership with Kinkly, reached out to me, and asked me to look at a few of their products to understand how a user such as myself would do with them. So, let's crack into it.

Read: Top 5 Ways to Make Sex With Your Disabled Lover More Accessible

The Products

Sportsheets sent a sampling of products to try from their new Pivot line. These products are designed to make sex - and various positions - easier and more comfortable to achieve. They were especially interested in having someone with a disability test these products, as this is a group of people who may, by necessity, require more physical support. Here’s what I received:

Sportsheets Pivot 3-in-1 Play Pad

This flat, padded “play pad” is designed to hold sex toys so that you don’t have to. It’s compatible with flared-base dildos, and bullet and wand vibrators. It allows a number of compatible Pivot products hold your sex toys for you, include the Pivot Positioner sex wedge, and the Pivot Positioning Bar, a soft, padded spreader bar.

Sportsheets Pivot Protector

The Pivot Protector is what you might call a “sex blanket.” It’s a soft, fuzzy blanket with a plastic, waterproof lining to protect your sheets and bedding. Because it’s designed to get dirty, it’s machine washable. It's also a good size - 50" by 60".

The Sportsheets Pivot Positioning Partner

This sex sling includes adjustable leg loops and ankle lops that can be secured to a large, flat pillow designed to cradle the head. It is designed to support the legs in positions where a person may typically have to hold them up.

About Me and My Level of Disability

Because of the severity level of my disability (I live with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy), I am a full time wheelchair user and will never walk. So, I need help with pretty much everything that I do in a day; dressing, eating, using the bathroom, showering and even testing pleasure products!

Because I need so much help with things that many non-disabled folks take for granted, it took me a long while to find an attendant care worker who would help me with the set-up and testing of these products. Once I got into it, I found there was lots to like, and a few things I didn't.

I need help with pretty much everything that I do in a day; dressing, eating, using the bathroom, showering, and even testing pleasure products!

Read: A Sex Educator Tells Us About Sex Ed for People With Disabilities (and Why We Need It)

What I Thought of Sportsheets’ Pivot Line

Sportsheets Pivot Protector

I’ll start with this one first, as it’s my favorite of the three. As a severely disabled person, I use my bed for everything: dressing, changing should an accident happen and, of course, sex. When I have sex on my bed, I usually put a medical pad down - like what you might expect to see in a hospital setting - so that my bed doesn’t get soiled from lube or other bodily fluids during sex. Every time I put one of those sterile, medical pads down it takes me out of the moment of pleasure and makes me feel entirely unsexy.

When I put the Pivot Protector down on my queen-sized bed, it immediately transformed the space. Right away, I liked how my bed went from this practical place where care happens, to this beautiful, dark place of debauchery and pleasure.

One of the other things that I really liked about the Pivot Protector was how soft and gentle it felt on my skin. My skin is hypersensitive and prone to breakdown because I am constantly in a sitting or lying position, so it was really nice to be able to lay on something that was so soft. I think that any folks with chronic pain or skin sensitivities will have no issue with this product.

Finally, because I have attendant care teams to change my bedding, I don’t want to always explain why fluids ended up where. The Sportsheets Pivot Protector is great because it’s a designated product just for sex. So, it's like a signal to my attendant care team; if they see the Pivot Protector on my bed, I may have had sex, and they should wash it accordingly.

Right away, I liked how my bed went from this practical place where care happens, to this beautiful, dark place of debauchery and pleasure.

Sportsheets Pivot 3-in-1 Play Pad

As a sexually active person with a disability who has found the idea of toys rather inaccessible to me, my second favorite product that I received from Sportsheets was the 3-in-1 Play Pad. It was easy to hold in my hand, and had a hole that would make using a dildo or wand that much more accessible, because I could stabilize it.

My biggest issue with toys is my lack of grip and dexterity, and while I have been unable to test the product using a dildo so far, I can see that the Play Pad will be the perfect way to secure a dildo or wand for personal pleasure.

The 3-in-1 Play Pad has Velcro attachment to make it compatible to other Sportsheets products in the line, so I had my attendant also connect it to the Pivot Protector blanket. I see this combo as a win for accessibility that we very rarely see in the sex toy space.

What really won me over with this toy, though, is its simplicity. There aren’t multiple parts to be concerned about, or tiny buttons to contend with. It's just really simple. Disabled folks like me need ease and convenience in their products, especially sex toys, and I found the 3-in-1 Play Pad to provide just that.

Disabled folks like me need ease and convenience in their products, especially sex toys, and I found the 3-in-1 Play Pad to provide just that.

The Sportsheets Pivot Positioning Partner

The Positioning Partner was the most elaborate pleasure product that Sportsheets sent me. It is meant to be a variation on the traditional sling, and is designed have a receptive partner have their legs secured in an open position while resting their head on a soft pillow.

I have to say that this one wasn't for me. I attempted to get into this device with my attendant care worker. Given my level of spasticity and how hard it is for me to open my legs as a result of my cerebral palsy, I found it quite difficult to use. Once in the desired position (as best I could), I found it quite uncomfortable and had to stop. It was hard to stay in the position for a long period of time. If you live with chronic pain, tight muscles, etc., this product may not work for you. That said, not every product is for every person, and people with different bodies may find this product useful. If you live with complex disabilities like me, I would pivot on to another product from Sportsheets that might provide the comfort and pleasure you’re seeking.

Read: Tips for Having Hot Sex in a Wheelchair

A Note on Sex Toy Packaging and People With Disabilities

I have one other big issue I have to be honest about when it comes to testing these toys: as someone with limited dexterity, the packaging of each product would have been impossible for me to open on my own.

In fact, one of the most common concerns that I have when it comes to sex toy packaging (or any cumbersome packaging if I am honest) is simply how inaccessible it is to someone like me. As someone with no dexterity and issues with grip, squeeze and prolonged pain from holding something, the idea of opening up a number of boxes to access sex toys is just not fun. This isn't just a sex toy industry problem, but it's a significant one, especially in products that aim to be accessible.

One of the most common concerns that I have when it comes to sex toy packaging (or any cumbersome packaging if I am honest) is simply how inaccessible it is to someone like me.

What would help? Putting products in bags that can be easily opened, or putting tabs on boxes to make them easier to open would be good. The packaging for Sportsheets' products also included a lot of half-naked people; since I had to have my attendant care person open these boxes, more accessible packaging might also be more discreet to help the end-user maintain some privacy. It's something many people don't think about - and something many companies need to work on!Final Thoughts

There was a lot about these Pivot Products that I liked, but the Pivot Protector was the stand-out for me. And, while I appreciate that Sportsheets is making an effort to include disabled people, I think they could do better in terms of overall accessibility, especially when it comes to packaging. I also recommend that any company looking to make products for people with disabilities consult with people in those communities to better understand and design products that meet their needs. Ultimately, though, I think there is a lot of potential here, and hope to see Sportsheets and other manufacturers continue to pivot toward greater accessibility.