If you were on a news blackout this week, you might not know that a woman opened her suitcase after a flight to find a note from the airport security agent who searched her checked bag with this message, “Get your freak on, girl”. She was traveling with a Babeland Silver Bullet vibrator and was so creeped out knowing that someone had handled it, she threw it away. We took notice and sent her a new one (having to replace your sex toy after inappropriate conduct from a government employee is just adding insult to injury) and we included a nice gift, too.

The woman, Jill Filipovic, blogs at a site we love, Feministe, and posted an articulate and insightful follow-up to the incident today when news hit that the Transportation Security Administration had disciplined the note-writing employee. She was frustrated that the issues about privacy and the government’s invasive security measures post-9/11 weren’t dissected in the media coverage. We agree, but also have to point out the positive side here, that a woman traveling with a sex toy didn’t become the issue. In the dozens of articles and posts we read, the vibrator was a non-issue, and that’s progress.

Culturally and socially, a woman’s right to sexual pleasure is gaining mainstream acceptance. Many people could relate to this story and wonder about the many times their personal items have been reviewed by security agents. We always worry about what someone else is thinking about our personal choices, it’s a good thing that we tend to worry less about our sex toys. If you want tips about traveling with sex toys, you can view our tips here.

Do you have a story about traveling with a sex toy? Share it in the comments. We’ll choose a random winner and send you the infamous Babeland Silver Bullet! A winner will be chosen at noon on Monday, October 31st and notified.

Have you seen the October Staff Picks yet? We’ve got a bunch of great toys featured this month, including the innovative Tiani and the classic Mystic Wand + G-Spot Combo.  Or the fun new Kiki, recommended by this month’s interview subject, Jennyrose! Jennyrose has been with Babeland since 2003, so she really knows her way around this place.  She makes sure all our locations have the products they need so that you, our beloved customers, can get what you need!  Aside from that, she’s whip-smart, generous, hilarious, and an all-around joy to work with.  And she’s got a special place in my Babeland heart, as we’ve worked together since her first day here.  Read on to learn much more about how she got here and what she’s learned.

Abby:  What first brought you to Babeland?  Tell us the story of how you started working here.

Jennyrose:  Well, I had always been interested in sex, sexuality, and gender.  I was unschooled and was really encouraged to pursue my interests, which led to a lot of reading youth-oriented sexuality websites and forums like Scarleteen.  Before I knew it, I discovered the Babeland website.  When I was 19, I moved to Brooklyn and immediately sought out Babeland on the Lower East Side.  I was surprised by the coziness of the store, because I had built it up in my mind to be larger than life.  A couple of weeks later, I met someone who was leaving New York and their Sex Educator/Sales Associate position at Babeland, and told me I should apply.  So I did, and after an interview with Jen May (now C.O.O.) and Claire (co-founder/owner) in the Rivington Street store basement, I was hired!

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Lelo is the reason why I applied to work at Babeland. Before I was a sex educator here, I was a customer, and on my first trip to the store I bought the Gigi. Dear readers, I fell in love. The size was perfect, the shape was elegant, it was quiet, it was rechargeable, it was a revelation. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard that Lelo was coming out with a new line of luxury vibrators.

The first shipment arrived at the store and it felt like Chanukah morning. Lyla, Oden, and Tiani: welcome to Babeland.

What makes these toys so special is that they combine the top-quality materials that Lelo is known for with the remote control technology that gets our customers all in a tizzy. The latest in interactive couples’ toys, these three members of Lelo’s Insignia line set themselves apart with their stylish design and total customizability. And in a stroke of brilliance (also known as SenseMotion), the remotes themselves vibrate, so you can feel what’s happening on the other end of things. This is a benefit whether you are merely empathetic or you want to get in on the action too. And if it’s the latter, SenseMotion helps you do just that: a mere twist or shake of the remote corresponds to exciting buzzes and pulsations from the toy itself.

I love toys that do more than one thing, and the different speeds and patterns of these toys guarantee something for everyone. Lyla is an update on the classic egg-shaped vibe. Tiani is a wearable, U-shaped couples’ toy designed with the clit and G-spot in mind. Oden is an elegant vibrating cockring. All three toys can be worn hands-free – what a gift for us multitaskers! And of course, they have the two qualities that attracted me to Lelo from the get-go: they are truly beautiful and easy to use.