Joani Blank

Who is Joani Blank?

Joani Blank is an entrepreneur, editor, writer, videographer, educator, cohousing enthusiast and adviser, philanthropist and inventor in the field of sexuality.

She founded Down There Press, a publisher of sex-related books, in 1975. In 1977, she opened Good Vibrations, the second feminist sex toy business in the United States. She was one of the first volunteers at San Francisco Sex Information and has served on the Board of Directors of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. Blank is also known for her inventions of the Butterfly vibrator and Titattoos.

She has lived in cohousing since 1992 and served for eight years on the board of the Cohousing Association of America.

Blank has one daughter, Amika, and three grandchildren. She lives in Swan's Market Cohousing in Oakland, California, where she volunteers her time to social justice issues such as prison reform and economic equality, the Cohousing Association of the United States. She remains active in the field of sexuality, and many of her old books and videos are available through her Web site.