The first-edition ofĀ The Joy of Gay Sex, published in 1977, declared, āVegetable shortening may be the best lubricant, since it is not only greasy but also digestibleā[4]Ā Such a statement perhaps gives new meaning to the companies boastful declarations that āIts digestibleā and āCrisco has been making life in the kitchen more delicious for years.āĀ Similarly, in the 1978 sex manualĀ The Advocate Guide to Gay Health, Crisco even earned an entry in the bookās index.Ā Discussions of the shorteningās use as an anal lubricant indicate its popularity, with statements such as: āThe lubricant, typically the cultic Crisco, must be copious.ā[5]Ā In fact, Crisco was so synonomus with gay sex that discos and bars around the world took on the name, such as Crisco Disco in New York City, which was one of the premiere clubs during the 1970s and early 1980s.Ā Other clubs or bathhouses, such as Club Z in Seattle, even featured murals with Crisco.Ā Thus, Crisco was conversely also one of many things that led to the formation of gay identities during the 20thĀ century.