'I got invited behind the scenes of a sex factory. You won't believe what I learnt.'

My mum is the "cool mum". She's the one all my friends talk to about their issues; the one I tell everything to and proudly call my best friend.

But there's one topic that always rocks the boat: sex.

So it was no surprise she and I had a fight the day our editor-in-chief rang to tell me I was flying to Berlin to visit the home of Lovehoney, a giant in the world of sexual pleasure.

I'm talking a proper, heated, back-and-forth, mother-daughter match, where neither of us was backing down. It felt like I was 16 again.

Watch: Behind the scenes at the Love Honey offices. Post continues below

My mum's generation tends to see sex as something private, sacred, and meant to be discussed behind closed doors.

But my generation? We're loud about it. We've normalised these conversations and made them accessible. Case in point: Sabrina Carpenter's viral "Have you ever tried this one?" moment.

(You already know what comes next.)

The idea of this trip and having her daughter publicly discuss and promote something tied to sex understandably rattled my mum.

But conversations about pleasure serve a purpose. They help challenge taboos, break stigmas, and help people better understand themselves and others.

With that explanation, Mum eventually saw the light — and as I convinced her this was definitely a good thing, I realised just how important this trip really was. Because here's the truth: pleasure isn't frivolous. It's fundamental. And talking about it? That's how we empower people to own it.

Dildos on office desks.

If there's a city that gets pleasure, it's Berlin.

Their attitude toward sexuality is simple: no shame here. We kicked off the trip with a walking tour through Berlin's history of sex. It covered everything from the Roaring Twenties to the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, all through the lens of Berlin's sexual evolution.

The journalist taking a mirror selfie, and bejewelled vibrators.

At the Lovehoney Berlin office, I was surrounded by researchers, designers, and sexologists all rethinking how we approach intimacy.

There were dildos on office desks, interpretive art representing the feeling of an orgasm, and my personal favourite: a podcast studio for the sex toys to make sure they're as quiet as possible.

👀

Engineers talked about the mechanics of creating their toys like it was just another day at the office because, well, it is. Pleasure is normal. Pleasure is human.

Oh and, yes, they even have a dedicated is a masturbation room at the office…

I'm not into bondage, but it taught me a lot.

Taking part in a Japanese rope bondage workshop wasn't something I'd naturally seek out — but it was on the itinerary when I visited Berlin, and after the session I have to admit: my preconceptions were way off.

Shibari, which means "to tie" in Japanese, is about reconnecting with your body through mindful bondage practices.

It's not just a sexual practice, but also a form of meditation. We were encouraged to sit still, focus on our bodies, and learn to "feel" without performance.

All tied up! Image: Supplied.

The latter, especially, was something I wasn't used to. And reflecting on it now, even though I thought I was nailing it, I wasn't.

Because what did I do during it? Half a world away, in what felt like a dream, I still took a picture and sent it to a man. I was still performing.

The lesson from this workshop didn't hit until later. Until right now actually. Looking back at the pictures, thinking about that moment and a guy I haven't spoken to in months, I realise that, even though I was encouraged to centre myself, I was still thinking about someone else. Classic.

But honestly, this reflection is has been one of my favourite parts of the trip. The takeaway? Slow down, protect your magic — and just because someone's around, doesn't mean they deserve a show.

The final lessons tbc.

I'm 24, single, and last year, I went on a date with a guy who asked where the bathroom was… and then never came back.

Another date I went on was going just fine until we somehow started talking about red hair.

He said, "My mum used to have red hair."

I said, "Used to? Did she get bored and dye it?"

He replied, "No, she died three weeks ago."

And then there was the guy who told me he wanted to marry me, but only when he's ready, which will be in about two years.

Liv, wearing a tiger face jacket and black skirt, in an elevator.

The funny thing is, those experiences, combined with my visit to Lovehoney's head office, really highlighted something we all know but often don't believe: pleasure doesn't come from others or external validation.

It's an internal practice, rooted in self-worth. And if I'm not centred in that, I'll keep attracting the wrong things.

The trip, the workshops, the experts, the bad dates, and even the fight with my mum all reminded me that my pleasure and fulfilment start with me. It's about learning to trust myself, to set boundaries without apology, and to embrace what I truly want rather than what I think I should want.

It's about empowerment. It's about cutting the bulls**t and putting yourself first.

And finding a good vibrator doesn't hurt, either.

Feature Image: Supplied.