Shopping Advice 
Yes, A TSA Agent Might See Your Vibrator and No, You Don’t Have to Be Ashamed
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.
October 27th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Not a typical sex toy, but I once flew with a couple floggers in my carry-on, got pulled off to the side to have my bag inspected, and the agent who pulled them out just looked at me funny.
October 28th, 2011 at 8:01 am
I was coming back for a trip visiting my girlfriend who was studying abroad in Japan. On the ramp to board the airplane, I was pulled aside by two small Japanese ladies who wanted to go through my bag as a random screening. I had won a rather large plush from a claw game and was bringing it back, and the two of them squealed like schoolgirls when they found it. They continued to be fascinated when they found my portable chopsticks and appeared to be digging through my bag just to find cool things at this point. Then, they opened a zippered compartment where I had a vibrator, condoms, and lube. The two of them started blushing and started stammering that I was ok to go. It was pretty amusing to see their sudden change.
October 30th, 2011 at 11:15 am
Hey, thanks for the kind words. It’s nice that the mainstream media didn’t make a big deal out of the vibrator issue. Unfortunately, if the comments I’ve deleted from my blog and the deluge of emails and twitter replies I’ve received are any indication, we haven’t come all that far — a lot of people still think it’s disgusting for a woman to own a vibrator, and certainly uncouth to ever admit it. “Get a man” has been a pretty common response, along with all kinds of lechery and lecturing.
It is great that things are shifting, but unfortunately they aren’t moving fast enough. Keep up the good work, though, and thank you again!
November 2nd, 2011 at 11:30 am
Thanks for all the comments. Yams is the winner of the Babeland Silver Bullet!
Jill- really sorry to hear that people sent all those negative comments to you. we’ll all keep on fighting the good fight.
November 6th, 2011 at 5:23 pm
I have some of the more, for me anyway, pricer toys from Babeland (G-Ki I love you) and I travel to Muslim countries every year. I take mine as carry on just in case anybody ever decides they want to take it away. I want to have the chance to fight it out!
November 6th, 2011 at 6:55 pm
I am disgusted that anyone would send negative comments to you, Jill. I am so sorry.
I was traveling with the Share one year in my carry-on and it got searched. The guy was not disrespectful, but incredibly shocked and started stuffing my clothes promptly back into my bag as I smiled kindly. Great moment.