Wicked Wanda's is modeled after the feminist sex shop movement that emerged in the 1970s as a direct response to stores that ignored women and queer people. The difference is structural: trained staff, curated quality products, and a space built around inclusion — not titillation. It's a pleasure shop designed to make every customer feel welcome, not judged.
Most adult stores were built for a narrow audience. The feminist sex shop movement emerged in the 1970s to fill a gap that mainstream retail had no interest in closing: stores where women and queer people could shop without discomfort, access real information, and be treated with respect.
Wicked Wanda's follows that lineage deliberately. The model isn't just about what's on the shelves — it's about how staff are trained, how customers are received, and what kind of space the store chooses to be. Staff who have been there for years and who are genuinely passionate about helping customers aren't a coincidence. They're the product of a specific philosophy.
That philosophy includes education as a core service. Wicked Wanda's runs workshops ranging from $15 to $100 and hosts a monthly support group for dominants and submissives — offerings that go far beyond what a typical retail environment would consider its role. You can explore this episode further on Listenly's Cliterally Obsessed page.
Madeline Dorian didn't arrive at Wicked Wanda's as an outsider. Her mother opened the store when Dorian was around 13, and she began working there officially at 19. Over 13 years in the industry — spanning retail, product development, manufacturing, wholesale, education, and event creation — she has built an understanding of intimate wellness that is both academic and deeply practical.
Her background in sexuality studies from Concordia University, combined with hands-on training from leading brands and years of consulting with healthcare professionals, shapes how Wicked Wanda's operates. The store isn't just a shop. It's an educational space and a community platform — which is exactly what the feminist sex shop model was always intended to be.
"I started working in the store in an official capacity and I just fell in love. I fell in love with the customers, the conversations, and then the whole entrepreneurship side as well."
Madeline Dorian — Sex educator and entrepreneur, co-owner of Wicked Wanda's.
Dorian has over 13 years of experience in the intimate wellness industry, with academic roots in sexuality studies from Concordia University and hands-on training from leading brands. She consults with both individuals and healthcare professionals, and co-runs Wicked Wanda's alongside her mother, who originally founded the store. Dorian began working there at age 19 and has since expanded its role as an educational space and community platform.
Madeline's mother was originally a residential realtor who transitioned to commercial real estate before becoming fed up with the hustle culture of that world — and eventually opened Wicked Wanda's. The store went on to become a community-focused space for pleasure and education.
Madeline grew up around the adult toy industry because her mother opened a store when Madeline was about 13. At age 19, she began working in the store in an official capacity — and quickly fell in love with the customers, the conversations, and the entrepreneurship side of the business.
Hear the full conversation with Madeline Dorian
This episode covers sex toy education, lubricant choices, and the philosophy behind a truly inclusive pleasure shop.