There's a weird dichotomy with sex toys in my experience. You find a girls dildo or vibrator, it's embarrassing but you move past it. But finding a fleshlight in a guy's room is, for some reason, seen as much weirder, and sometimes even a little pathetic. (At least in my neck of the woods). Wondering if it's like that in other places too?
It's the same here, except that it goes further.
France is a relatively open minded country. Early 90's, a french company selling sex toys and lingerie opened its first supermarket; and I really mean "supermarket", like any other one in the world, except that it's solely for sex toys and co, as well as sexy lingerie. Since them, dozen of stores like this have opened in the country, almost entirely killing the sex shop industry.
But while those stores are perfectly clean and respectable
(imagine a cosmetic store, but for sex related items), they are all fully dedicated to women. You'll find near to nothing for men there, men have to goes to the few sex shops that still exist or buy online. And even if there were items for men, entering one as a man would be the same than entering a lingerie store; you're expected to come here to buy something for your wife/girlfriend, and leave as soon as possible.
Women sexuality have opened, (globally) everyone now see being kinky, and/or wanting to pleasure yourself while being alone, as something totally normal and natural for them. If a woman would be seen entering one by a friend, she'll talk about it with you, but not to accuse you, it would be more to exchange advice, talk about what they bought, and all, like if it was any other kind of store.
But like for lingerie stores, you'll almost only see women here. A man entering such store alone is expected to be here to buy a gift for his wife/girlfriend. Said wife/girlfriend that would more surely goes their with a girl friend, than with her husband/boyfriend. More globally, men who would openly act with the same open mind regarding his own sexuality would still be seen as pure perverts.
I don't really know the reason(s) behind this. Perhaps just a question of revenge after centuries of patriarchy. Women are now free to have a sexuality on their own, and any man that would invade this world would be seen as trying again to impose his desire over them.
Edit: Seriously though, how many jokes are there in movies about women cutting holes in melons to get off? None I can think of. Tons for men. A few jokes about dudes fucking pies as well. It's simple for dudes to find ways to bust.
Well, once again I live in a country that is more open minded, so I've seen movies with innuendo, some even with jokes, about how unsafe it can be to eat some vegetable when you're in a house where an alone woman live.
But here again the difference pointed by
Insomnimaniac stay. It's virgin loser guys who cut holes in melons, while it's strong independent women who find other use for their cucumbers.