Sorry To Hear About Your Dildo

Nice to see the South is still living up to our stereotypical expectations...

This week the Supreme Court voted to uphold Alabama's ban on the sale of sex toys to it's citizens. One woman - outraged by the decision - responded,

"They are going to have to pry this vibrator from my cold, dead hand!"

Like "medicinal marijuana," there are certain medical conditions which require the use of devices such as a self-lubricating double-headed vibrating dildo or a tiny semi-translucent french maid outfit. Sex shop patrons presenting with one of the worthy conditions may still purchase items by entering their names and medical conditions on a list at the register - you know the kind of database we use to keep track of controlled substances that could be used to brew meth...



And that's not the worst of it! (Ok, for the lonely postmenopausal widow, that's the worst of it.) Shop owners who push limits of medical necessity - like selling edible underwear along with the prescribed vibrator - can receive a $10,000 fine and up to a year in jail for a first offense!

Other than reaffirming my belief that the Religious Right cares more about their own twisted, repressive social views than the personal freedom they claim to value above all else, what does it all mean? Call me crazy, but men the whole world over fear and systematically repress female sexuality*. This can be through the genital mutilation termed "female circumcision" or by preventing women from purchasing sexually stimulating devices. If anyone thinks I'm over reacting - thinks this legal ruling affects both males and females equally - do a quick Google search with me.

1. Open Google and type in: Alabama Strip Clubs
2. Click on ANY LINK YOU SEE

Or, try buying pornography in Alabama. That is A-OK as well. It seems the only sexual merchandise sold exclusively in the "Sex Shop" are vibrators and dildos - devices used almost exclusively for female and homosexual male stimulation. And I know, I know, there are the inflatable girlfriends and the prosthetic asses that we all can enjoy, but do you see my point?

I think that for the most part the discrimination against women is unconscious (the discrimination against people who like sex is obviously very conscious), but that doesn't get us off the path of systematically and progressively legislating ourselves into a conservative theocracy. We don't protest little violations of our personal freedom because, let's face it, they're little. We've got better things to do with our time than fighting a war over dildos. I mean if someone was fighting a war with dildos we might join in - hell, I'd definitely take a few pictures - but these little slights? Not a chance.

I wonder what Doctor Ruth thinks...





*By female sexuality, I mean a female sexuality. You know, where the female is the subject of the sexual experience. A woman shaking her ass in music video would not qualify as female sexuality in the definition I'm using. I'm not saying that isn't sexual - it's just not how I'm using the term.


References:
Seattle Times
Blog AL.com
Dildo Fight