Feisty Sharon Gordon was a human rights lawyer in the 80s. She’s now the inspiration behind naughty things for nice girls – Lola Montez.

Sharon Gordon

Sharon studied law at Rhodes University and became a human rights attorney in the 80s. It was a turbulent time and her principles led to her being harassed and arrested on a number of occasions.

When things settled down she entered the corporate world and got married. With the birth of her son she chose to stay at home and by her own admission became very dependent on her husband. But that ended in divorce and she found it necessary to go back to work.

‘I would rather have cleaned toilets than have gone back to law,’ she smiles.

Sexual Rediscovery

At the time of her divorce Sharon was torn between a sexual rediscovery of herself and negative feelings that no one would love her again as she was no longer attractive. The solution was to take herself off to a sex shop and buy a vibrator.

‘I’m very liberated about sex, but it was a terrible experience,’ she recalls. ‘I had to virtually disguise myself then go into one of these places and skulk round. It struck me then that no woman should ever have to go through this and the idea for Lola Montez was born. I’d been taught to screw people as an attorney so this was not much different.’

Lola Montez

Lola Montez, after the passionate, notorious adventurer of the 19^th century who caused the abdication of a king, was started from a pink suitcase selling adult toys, novelties and erotic apparel to women at private parties. It is now a chain of four stores with a head office in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

All are safe outlets for women, staffed by women. The idea is to give professional advice without clients feeling intimidated. And they offer loads of fun. Here you’ll find dildos, vibrating creations, fuzzy handcuffs and edible body paints; sex games like War in the Bedroom, Fooling Around and Sex Dominoes; and pubic hair dyes, sexy lingerie and fantasy clothing. A T-shirt proclaims: ‘My sexual preference is often.’

The Sex Business

‘We’re all on earth because someone decided to have sex with someone else,’ says Sharon. ‘If we’re beautiful then the sex act must be beautiful. And women are sensual beings who rely on their senses to be turned on. There’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of about sex or in providing for people to enjoy their sexuality to the fullest.’

Lola Montez is about educating and empowering women through sensuality. It is up to everyone to choose who they want to be irrespective of what others may think. And part of who we are includes sex and sensuality. So make the most of it and release your fantasies on an exhilarating, fun journey of self-discovery.