'Feminists have better sex': Swedish party

Sweden's feminist political party is hoping logo items featuring a bold claim about their supporters’ supposed prowess in the bedroom will raise awareness about the party during the holiday shopping season.

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“Feminists have better sex,” the Feminist Initiative (FI) political party claims in its recently launched line of logo items.

Among the available items featuring the provocative claim are dish towels to help ‘”wipe away those dusty old norms” and buttons that will help FI supporters boost their chances of “snagging someone like-minded to spend the night with”.

Tote bags and t-shirts bearing the feminists’ declaration of superior sex are also for sale.

According to party spokesperson Veronica Svärd, FI is counting on the gear to raise awareness and money for the party ahead of Sweden’s 2010 parliamentary elections by tempting Swedish shoppers in need of last minute holiday gifts.

“They make great gifts that can help generate a discussion about gender roles and the connection between equality and better sex,” she told The Local.

Svärd explained that the claim is based on the results of an American research project which concluded that couples that divide responsibilities more equally are more satisfied with their sex lives.

“We want to let people know that gender equality and a better sex life are connected,” she said.

The party has also launched an accompanying Facebook group that has already attracted over 1,000 members and provides an explanation of the party’s definition of “feminist”.

“Feminists, both guys and girls, are all of us who see that there are injustices between the sexes in our society,” FI writes on its Facebook page.

“It’s something we believe should be changed. It’s not any more complicated than that.”

The party goes on to argue that people unwittingly take preconceived notions about gender roles with them into the bedroom, which can affect the quality of a couple’s sex.

“A relationship which is equal and critical of the reigning order becomes a more open and pleasant relationship. Such relationships produce more and better sex!” the party writes.

Svärd emphasized that the campaign, which was spearheaded by the party’s Stockholm chapter, was also undertaken with “a great deal of humour”.

“It’s supposed to be something fun,” she said, adding, however, that the Feminist Initiative believes the somewhat tongue-in-cheek message will benefit the party in several ways.

“It allows people who are maybe less inclined to talk about politics to start thinking about gender equity,” she said.

Svärd also hopes the sexually suggestive slogan will help counter what she claims is a persistent misconception that feminists don’t like sex.

“That’s a myth that won’t go away even though there’s nothing to back it up,” she said.

Not all feminists have been enamoured with the campaign however. Writing in tabloid Expressen, commentator Elin Grelsson said the party risked burdening women with feelings of guilt.

"In Feminist Initiative's world, sex seems so be synonymous with equitable, heterosexual couples who have fair, non-domineering sex with each other. As an ideal, it excludes a lot of people and is just as bad for the cause of sexual liberation as gender roles.

"Where are the faked orgasms of lesbian sex in the Feminist Initiative analysis? Or domineering all-male sex? If feels tiresome to have a campaign that creates new ideals rather than tearing down the old ones," she wrote.


Video: "Feminists do it better"