Sex club
Encyclopedia
Sex clubs are either groups that organize sex related activities or an establishment where patrons can engage in sex acts with other patrons. A sex club differs from a brothel
in that, while sex club patrons typically pay a fee to enter the club, they have sex with other patrons rather than with sex workers employed by the establishment.
Sexual activities which a sex club organises can take place on-premises or off-premises, at a nearby location. Larger establishments may also include the facilities of an ordinary nightclub
such as a bar and a dance floor. Each sex club sets the rules for activities which take place at club organised events. Some sex clubs organise events which cater to heterosexual couples or individuals, others to gay men or (rarely) lesbian
s, and others have no orientation policy. Some permit non-conventional activities, such as gang bang
s, BDSM
or fetish
.
Typical sex clubs also differ from gay bathhouse
s in that they have few to no private rooms, encouraging sexual activity to take place in the open. In an effort to curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections, some jurisdictions have banned bathhouses, with their private rooms, while allowing sex clubs, where sexual activity can be monitored to ensure that safe sex
guidelines are being followed.
Most sex clubs in the U.S.
and Canada
do not serve alcohol, but some allow customers to bring their own. Some sex clubs have formal membership and requirements that can include membership fees, showing proof of identity, attending a formal orientation, providing STD
test results or showing that one is part of a stable, long-term relationship and is attending with that partner. Clubs with such requirements tend to cater to the swinging
subculture. Other clubs are open to any person willing to pay an admission fee.
club in which members, either single-gender or mixed, masturbate together in public or private rooms. Sexual intercourse is generally prohibited in such clubs.
There is also a very large and growing group of private sex clubs across the U.S. and around the world that do not operate in a specified location. These organizations focus on private parties in homes or rented facilities and make use of the Internet to build their membership. There is usually a small door fee and most are invitation-only. In addition to sexual orientation, these smaller groups often stratify on specific criteria, e.g., heavy men with beards or those who are HIV-positive. The first sex club of this type exclusively for African American gay men was Black Jack, started in 1986 by Alan Bell.
One organization of such clubs is NASCA International, which lists affiliated and independent sex clubs, swing dances and events in the District of Columbia and 43 states, plus 38 clubs in Canada
, and in 25 other nations.
couples engage in sexual activities at sex clubs, some of which cater for the swinging lifestyle. Most major cities in North America and western Europe have sex clubs, many in a permanent location, but they often keep a low profile. Over 3,000 swinging clubs are believed to exist worldwide, with slightly over 1,000 having an online presence, but there are believed to be many other small neighborhood clubs, which are known among members of the lifestyle community, without a website. The rules of these clubs vary considerably, and admissions are not necessarily limited to married couples.
In the US, many off-premises swinging clubs follow a bar
or nightclub
format, sometimes renting an entire existing bar for scheduled swinging events. Consequently, on weekends in suburbia
, bars in large industrial park
s that attract a mainstream clientele during weekdays and would otherwise sit empty or closed on weekends (when business offices are closed) are likely locations for a takeover. Memberships must be obtained and rules followed at these off-premise locations.
On-premises clubs usually have a similar format to off-premises clubs. Most on-premises clubs do not serve alcohol because of legal prohibitions on the sale of alcohol where sexual activity takes place. However, some permit guests to bring their own alcohol. Also, the vast majority of swinging clubs in the US do not advertise as such. The largest swinger society in North America is NASCA International. NASCA is an association of clubs, websites, publications, travel agencies, and events catering to the swinging lifestyle community. NASCA was established as an umbrella organization with the intent of encouraging the dissemination of accurate information about swinging lifestyles across North America. It publishes a guide listing clubs and events in 43 of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, Canada, as well as 25 other nations.
As a rule, female bisexuality
and bicuriosity are common in both the "selective" (see below) and traditional swinging scenes and tend to be the norm amongst participants; by contrast, male same-sex activity has a wider variation in its handling, and may be welcomed, accepted, frowned upon, or forbidden. One source, covering "Chicago's first and only all bisexual [club]" stated that in the founders' view "The lifestyle is pretty homophobic" and "male bisexuality was erased", although an "underground market" existed. Swing clubs and other facilities exist for gay and bisexual interests for both genders, but differ – for example bathhouses
and the like for gay males, sometimes described as being "controversial" even in the gay community due to safer sex concerns, whereas women's clubs are "comparatively rare" and tend to be organized as private events, or niche clubs with high popularity for their events.
Younger swingers seeking peer group options find this is not always possible at conventional swingers' clubs. Similarly, those seeking to exclude the physically unappealing from their sexual ambit are often frustrated at conventional swingers' clubs because guests are not screened. Beginning in 1998 with Fever Parties http://www.feverparties.com in London, this gave rise to exclusive parties and clubs that selected by looks and/or imposed an upper age limit. Within the USA the phenomenon translated first to Los Angeles, then Miami and eventually to New York City.
'Selective swinging' events include mostly childless, unmarried young graduates whose average ages are as low as the late 20s, whereas traditional swingers events have average ages in the 40s. Selective parties are sometimes referred to as "exclusive" or "elitist" amongst older swingers.
The acceptance of singles varies by area and event. Some clubs, parties, and private events allow only couples and single females, but some allow single
men on selected nights. Single females are often admitted at reduced price. Because of the high proportion of female same sex activity (and interest), interested single females are called "unicorns" in the context of their existence being a fantasy, rather than a reality.
Reasons against single males vary. Most but not all of the people in swinger events are male-female couples more interested in couples or single women than single men. Thus, swinger events strive to achieve a balance between male and female participants or have a slightly larger number of females.
A complaint is that single men change the tone of an event. While hostility towards single men is rare, an abundance of single males is not often looked upon favorably. When single males are permitted, their numbers are usually limited by higher fees or strict requirements.
in Chicago
is the longest running homosexual adult theater and sex club in the United States.
Thad's in San Diego is a sex club that requires male patrons to be nude while female patrons are permitted to wear clothing
.
The Red Rooster
in Las Vegas
is a popular swingers club that was established in 1982.
PartyPerks847 is a swingers club in suburban Chicago
and is one of the largest such clubs in the Midwestern US.
has allowed many to open.
Club Eros opened in the 1970s in Ontario
and still is active.
Wicked Club opened in the Queen Street West
area of Toronto in 2006. It is a swingers club that has a prominent store front and is located in a rapidly changing area at the western edge of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
.
GoodHandys opened in 2005 in downtown Toronto catering to alternative lifestyles.
Happy Hedonist opened in 1994 as Club Privé and historically is the most popular swingers club in Toronto
.
Menage a Quatre opened in South Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto
, in 2008. It is a swingers club.
OZone opened in central Etobicoke near Toronto Airport in 2009. It is a danceclub with a swingers club in the back.
Oasis Aqualounge opened in downtown Toronto
in 2010. It is located in an old mansion in downtown Toronto
with an outdoor pool on the roof. Prior to 2010, it catered to gays and lesbians.
The X Club opened in Mississauga in 2006. It is a large dance club for swingers.
London Bi-swingers is an on-premise club started in 1997 and encourages single males. Limit of 40 couples and single bi-males. All clothes left at the door. Caters to both the straight and bi crowd.
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in that, while sex club patrons typically pay a fee to enter the club, they have sex with other patrons rather than with sex workers employed by the establishment.
Sexual activities which a sex club organises can take place on-premises or off-premises, at a nearby location. Larger establishments may also include the facilities of an ordinary nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
such as a bar and a dance floor. Each sex club sets the rules for activities which take place at club organised events. Some sex clubs organise events which cater to heterosexual couples or individuals, others to gay men or (rarely) lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
s, and others have no orientation policy. Some permit non-conventional activities, such as gang bang
Gang bang
A gang bang is a situation in which one person has sexual intercourse and performs other sex acts with a number of people, either in turn or at the same time. When the person has not consented to such activity, it is called gang rape or pack rape.A limited study by Joan and Dwight Dixon indicate...
s, BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
or fetish
Fetish
Fetish may refer to:* Fetishism, the attribution of religious or mystical qualities to inanimate objects* Sexual fetishism, sexual attraction to objects, body parts, or situations not conventionally viewed as being sexual in nature....
.
Typical sex clubs also differ from gay bathhouse
Gay bathhouse
Gay bathhouses, also known as gay saunas or steam baths, are commercial bathhouses for men to have sex with other men. In gay slang in some regions these venues are also known colloquially as "the baths" or "the tubs," and should not be confused with public bathing.Not all men who visit gay...
s in that they have few to no private rooms, encouraging sexual activity to take place in the open. In an effort to curb the spread of sexually transmitted infections, some jurisdictions have banned bathhouses, with their private rooms, while allowing sex clubs, where sexual activity can be monitored to ensure that safe sex
Safe sex
Safe sex is sexual activity engaged in by people who have taken precautions to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS. It is also referred to as safer sex or protected sex, while unsafe or unprotected sex is sexual activity engaged in without precautions...
guidelines are being followed.
Most sex clubs in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
do not serve alcohol, but some allow customers to bring their own. Some sex clubs have formal membership and requirements that can include membership fees, showing proof of identity, attending a formal orientation, providing STD
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
test results or showing that one is part of a stable, long-term relationship and is attending with that partner. Clubs with such requirements tend to cater to the swinging
Swinging
Swinging or partner swapping is a non-monogamous behavior, in which both partners in a committed relationship agree, as a couple, for both partners to engage in sexual activities with other couples as a recreational or social activity...
subculture. Other clubs are open to any person willing to pay an admission fee.
Genres
A similar type of club is a masturbationMasturbation
Masturbation refers to sexual stimulation of a person's own genitals, usually to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods. Masturbation is a common form of autoeroticism...
club in which members, either single-gender or mixed, masturbate together in public or private rooms. Sexual intercourse is generally prohibited in such clubs.
There is also a very large and growing group of private sex clubs across the U.S. and around the world that do not operate in a specified location. These organizations focus on private parties in homes or rented facilities and make use of the Internet to build their membership. There is usually a small door fee and most are invitation-only. In addition to sexual orientation, these smaller groups often stratify on specific criteria, e.g., heavy men with beards or those who are HIV-positive. The first sex club of this type exclusively for African American gay men was Black Jack, started in 1986 by Alan Bell.
One organization of such clubs is NASCA International, which lists affiliated and independent sex clubs, swing dances and events in the District of Columbia and 43 states, plus 38 clubs in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and in 25 other nations.
Organizations
Some swingingSwinging
Swinging or partner swapping is a non-monogamous behavior, in which both partners in a committed relationship agree, as a couple, for both partners to engage in sexual activities with other couples as a recreational or social activity...
couples engage in sexual activities at sex clubs, some of which cater for the swinging lifestyle. Most major cities in North America and western Europe have sex clubs, many in a permanent location, but they often keep a low profile. Over 3,000 swinging clubs are believed to exist worldwide, with slightly over 1,000 having an online presence, but there are believed to be many other small neighborhood clubs, which are known among members of the lifestyle community, without a website. The rules of these clubs vary considerably, and admissions are not necessarily limited to married couples.
In the US, many off-premises swinging clubs follow a bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
or nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
format, sometimes renting an entire existing bar for scheduled swinging events. Consequently, on weekends in suburbia
SubUrbia
subUrbia is a play by Eric Bogosian chronicling the nighttime activities of a group of aimless 20-somethings still living in their suburban Boston hometown and their reunion with a former high school classmate who has become a successful musician...
, bars in large industrial park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
s that attract a mainstream clientele during weekdays and would otherwise sit empty or closed on weekends (when business offices are closed) are likely locations for a takeover. Memberships must be obtained and rules followed at these off-premise locations.
On-premises clubs usually have a similar format to off-premises clubs. Most on-premises clubs do not serve alcohol because of legal prohibitions on the sale of alcohol where sexual activity takes place. However, some permit guests to bring their own alcohol. Also, the vast majority of swinging clubs in the US do not advertise as such. The largest swinger society in North America is NASCA International. NASCA is an association of clubs, websites, publications, travel agencies, and events catering to the swinging lifestyle community. NASCA was established as an umbrella organization with the intent of encouraging the dissemination of accurate information about swinging lifestyles across North America. It publishes a guide listing clubs and events in 43 of the 50 US states and the District of Columbia, Canada, as well as 25 other nations.
Bisexuality and same-sex activity
Attitudes to same-sex activity and bisexuality vary by culture and locale, and by gender.As a rule, female bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
and bicuriosity are common in both the "selective" (see below) and traditional swinging scenes and tend to be the norm amongst participants; by contrast, male same-sex activity has a wider variation in its handling, and may be welcomed, accepted, frowned upon, or forbidden. One source, covering "Chicago's first and only all bisexual [club]" stated that in the founders' view "The lifestyle is pretty homophobic" and "male bisexuality was erased", although an "underground market" existed. Swing clubs and other facilities exist for gay and bisexual interests for both genders, but differ – for example bathhouses
Gay bathhouse
Gay bathhouses, also known as gay saunas or steam baths, are commercial bathhouses for men to have sex with other men. In gay slang in some regions these venues are also known colloquially as "the baths" or "the tubs," and should not be confused with public bathing.Not all men who visit gay...
and the like for gay males, sometimes described as being "controversial" even in the gay community due to safer sex concerns, whereas women's clubs are "comparatively rare" and tend to be organized as private events, or niche clubs with high popularity for their events.
Selective swinging
Traditionally swingers' clubs do not discriminate in regards to physical appearance or age, the average age of a swinger is 39, while the ages when people first enter the swinging lifestyle average 31 for women and 34 for men.Younger swingers seeking peer group options find this is not always possible at conventional swingers' clubs. Similarly, those seeking to exclude the physically unappealing from their sexual ambit are often frustrated at conventional swingers' clubs because guests are not screened. Beginning in 1998 with Fever Parties http://www.feverparties.com in London, this gave rise to exclusive parties and clubs that selected by looks and/or imposed an upper age limit. Within the USA the phenomenon translated first to Los Angeles, then Miami and eventually to New York City.
'Selective swinging' events include mostly childless, unmarried young graduates whose average ages are as low as the late 20s, whereas traditional swingers events have average ages in the 40s. Selective parties are sometimes referred to as "exclusive" or "elitist" amongst older swingers.
The acceptance of singles varies by area and event. Some clubs, parties, and private events allow only couples and single females, but some allow single
Single (relationship)
In legal definitions for interpersonal status, a single person is someone who is not in a relationship or is "unmarried". If a marriage is annulled, however, or it is found to have been void ab initio , and assuming the person was not married previously, that individual is single, rather than...
men on selected nights. Single females are often admitted at reduced price. Because of the high proportion of female same sex activity (and interest), interested single females are called "unicorns" in the context of their existence being a fantasy, rather than a reality.
Reasons against single males vary. Most but not all of the people in swinger events are male-female couples more interested in couples or single women than single men. Thus, swinger events strive to achieve a balance between male and female participants or have a slightly larger number of females.
A complaint is that single men change the tone of an event. While hostility towards single men is rare, an abundance of single males is not often looked upon favorably. When single males are permitted, their numbers are usually limited by higher fees or strict requirements.
United States
The Bijou TheaterBijou Theater (Chicago)
The Bijou Theater is a gay adult theater and sex club located at 1349 N. Wells in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. The Bijou Theater opened in 1970 and it is the longest-running gay adult theater and sex club in the United States.-Operation:...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
is the longest running homosexual adult theater and sex club in the United States.
Thad's in San Diego is a sex club that requires male patrons to be nude while female patrons are permitted to wear clothing
Clothed female, naked male
Clothed female, naked male is a genre of erotica featuring one or more nude men and one or more clothed women. It is sometimes described as a sexual fantasy, by women or men, depicting such a exhibitionist or physique worship scenario...
.
The Red Rooster
Vegas Red Rooster
Vegas Red Rooster is a swingers club located in Whitney, Nevada in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Rooster typically hosts the after party for the annual Lifestyles Convention in Las Vegas. The Red Rooster is a member of NASCA International.- History :...
in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
is a popular swingers club that was established in 1982.
PartyPerks847 is a swingers club in suburban Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and is one of the largest such clubs in the Midwestern US.
Canada
A court ruling in 2005 decriminalizing private sex clubs in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
has allowed many to open.
Club Eros opened in the 1970s in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and still is active.
Wicked Club opened in the Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
area of Toronto in 2006. It is a swingers club that has a prominent store front and is located in a rapidly changing area at the western edge of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is a consortium of mental health clinics at several sites in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its name in French is Centre de toxicomanie et de santé mentale...
.
GoodHandys opened in 2005 in downtown Toronto catering to alternative lifestyles.
Happy Hedonist opened in 1994 as Club Privé and historically is the most popular swingers club in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
Menage a Quatre opened in South Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, in 2008. It is a swingers club.
OZone opened in central Etobicoke near Toronto Airport in 2009. It is a danceclub with a swingers club in the back.
Oasis Aqualounge opened in downtown Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 2010. It is located in an old mansion in downtown Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
with an outdoor pool on the roof. Prior to 2010, it catered to gays and lesbians.
The X Club opened in Mississauga in 2006. It is a large dance club for swingers.
London Bi-swingers is an on-premise club started in 1997 and encourages single males. Limit of 40 couples and single bi-males. All clothes left at the door. Caters to both the straight and bi crowd.
See also
- ExhibitionismExhibitionismExhibitionism refers to a desire or compulsion to expose parts of one's body – specifically the genitals or buttocks of a man or woman, or the breasts of a woman – in a public or semi-public circumstance, in crowds or groups of friends or acquaintances, or to strangers...
- Fetish clubFetish clubA fetish club is a nightclub, bar or other entertainment hub which caters to clientele interested in some of fetish fashion, bondage, dominance/submission, and/or sadism and masochism...
- Gay bathhouseGay bathhouseGay bathhouses, also known as gay saunas or steam baths, are commercial bathhouses for men to have sex with other men. In gay slang in some regions these venues are also known colloquially as "the baths" or "the tubs," and should not be confused with public bathing.Not all men who visit gay...
- Happening barHappening barA or is a Japanese sex club. In both, prospective customers pass an initial vetting to become members, then pay an entrance fee to enter the club. The club will provide drinks at a bar , rooms for sex and typically shower facilities...
- SwingingSwingingSwinging or partner swapping is a non-monogamous behavior, in which both partners in a committed relationship agree, as a couple, for both partners to engage in sexual activities with other couples as a recreational or social activity...