A new movie is inspiring an online trend that doctors say could send people to the emergency room.
Since the trailer for “Wicker” debuted in July, the film has sparked an unusual wave of online jokes and fantasies centered on wicker furniture. The movie, which opens October 23, follows a fisherwoman played by Olivia Colman who commissions a basketmaker to build her a husband out of wicker, played by Alexander Skarsgård. In the film, the wicker man satisfies her in every way.
The premise has led some viewers to look at wicker furniture differently, with social media posts showing people caressing wicker items or joking about the furniture’s appeal. Ikea even joined in, describing its wicker lamps, ottomans, cabinets and headboards as “husband material.” One online joke read, “Wicker doesn’t splint when it’s wet.”
But Dr. Amy Novatt, an OB-GYN with the sexual wellness brand Dame, says the trend should stay confined to jokes and daydreams.
“Wood can splinter, and plant material harbors bacteria and molds that can cause infection,” Novatt told The Post. “In my career, I have examined women with cuts, tears, infections and injuries from foreign objects, and I have taken some of them to the operating room. Many were simply seeking pleasure and never expected harm.”
Roughly 300,000 American adults end up in the emergency room each year because of a foreign object in the body, according to the article, and sex toys account for more than half of those cases.
Novatt explained that the vaginal lining is “tolerant, and quick to heal,” but that resilience isn’t a reason to take risks. The lining depends on a delicate balance of healthy bacteria, pH levels and mucus to protect against infection, and inserting foreign objects can disrupt that balance.
“What it was not designed for is receiving trees, shrubs or other plants,” Novatt said.
What experts recommend instead
Before inserting anything into the body, Novatt suggests asking whether the object is smooth, unbreakable, cleanable and retrievable. Most sex toys are built with those features in mind, reducing the risk of injury, infection or an object becoming lodged inside.
She also recommends washing toys with soap and water and only sharing them between partners who are both healthy. Novatt cautioned against harsher cleaners, such as those containing antibacterial triclosan, which can disturb the body’s natural microbiome.
Novatt said fantasy itself isn’t the problem.
“Fantasy is healthy and to be encouraged,” she said. “Women have always imagined an ideal partner, one who takes care of all our emotional and sexual needs. My concern begins where fantasy tempts us to act it out literally, at the expense of our health.”
Her message, in short: enjoying the movie is fine, but real wicker furniture should stay out of the bedroom.
