From the AP:
The Supreme Court declined Tuesday to review the constitutionality of a state law banning the sale of sex toys, rejecting an appeal that said consumers have a right to sexual privacy.
Without comment, justices let stand a lower court ruling that said Alabama had a right to police the sale of devices that can be sexually stimulating.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the challenge on behalf of merchants and users seeking to overturn the 1998 state law. They say the Supreme Court’s 2003 ruling in Lawrence v. Texas, which decriminalized gay sex on privacy grounds, protects sex toy users from unwarranted state intrusion in their homes.
“The sexual devices covered by the statute have many recognized beneficial uses and are used by consenting adults in deeply private acts that are beyond the reach of government regulation,” argues the filing on behalf of Sherri Williams, an adult novelty retailer, and seven other women and two men.
A divided three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed. It said in a ruling last July that siding with the sex toy merchants could open the door to the legalization of undesirable sexual behavior such as prostitution.
“If the people of Alabama in time decide that prohibition on sex toys is misguided, or ineffective, or just plain silly, they can repeal the law and be finished with the matter,” the court said.
First, let me state unequivocally that I disagree with the law, and that—save a surprise ordinance passed by the Bama legislature that makes it legal to track down and beat Al Gore with braunschweiger should he show his rouged and puttied face in the Yellowhammer state— the chances of Alabama getting any of my vacation money are nil.
Still, I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Alabama to make and enforce its own silly sex laws—and to make it clear to those who enjoy the occasional adventure with a string of anal beads that, should they be heading to town with designs on pleasuring an Alabama anus, they’re just going to have to pack their own paraphernalia.
Figuratively speaking, of course.
I agree with you 100%, Jeff.
But what about the children? I don’t want my little girl mistaking my anal beads for a necklace. Or using my inflatable love doll as a pool toy. That could lead to a pretty uncomfortable conversation. The kind the would appear in a Lilecks column from bizarro world.
Spam word = building, as towards climax
I think those backwards rednecks should be forced to hand out sex toys in kindergarten, man. Get them over that whole prude thing, and ready to use those condoms we make them give out in grade school.
What about the dual-use conundrum? Beach balls, balloons, toothbrushes, baggies with lube, portable mixers with whisk attachments, etc?
Really, what happens in Alabama is between two consenting adults. And their farm animals.
I’ve always wanted a dual-use conundrum, but you have to go all the say to the big city to buy one.
WAY
You know, “many recognized beneficial uses” is a ridiculous statement unless we’re talking about multiple orgasms, but “deeply private acts”? What the hell does this mean? Pull the curtains, turn out the lights *and* close your eyes?
I think that phrase itself was all it took for the SC to decline to review.
Some people want to fill the world with silly sex laws. And what’s wrong with that, I’d like to know.
Still, I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to allow Alabama to make and enforce its own silly sex laws
You mean Alabama just passed a law against silly sex? Dang. Now I’ll have to get rid of the clown mask with orange tufts of hair and the 3-feet-long shoes…
Still and all, it will be interesting to see if any adult erotica shops pop up along I-10 or US-90 in Pensacola, FL or Bay St. Louis, MS.
BTW – with this banning of the sale of sex toys in Alabama, does that mean I have to go to Arkansas to get my cletus teeth?
– Now what the hell are the Alabama merchants going to do with all those gerbils….
Damn, I knew I’d regret going through this thread…
Silly laws notwithstanding, after living all over the country and the world, Mobile, Alabama is unquestionably and by far the best place I’ve ever lived. Just sayin’ is all.
Amen Sister!
And not just because it’s nestled conveniently between the sex toy megastores in Pensacola and Biloxi.
L
This whole issue is off the wall. I live in Alabama. There are sex toy shops here. Just down the street from where I work is a video rental place that rents and sells porn as well a whole inventory of toys. There is another one in town as well called Fantasyland, which does not even have a “Regular” video rental side, it is all adult novelties. They advertise on local radio stations etc…
It is a 1998 law that is not enforced, except in specific situations, probably where the bribe money was not paid on schedule. I would not come to Alabama either, if you can avoid it, but if you do, you can go buy everything from anal beads to fucking machines. The law is a joke.
Avoiding Alabama is a serious mistake. Gulf Shores is one of the best beaches on earth. And not expensive to even rent a beach house with LOTS of beach in front.
Btw, sex toys are stupid, if you can’t have enough fun with just each other, then you got the wrong person imo.
RWS:
SHHHH! Gulf Shores is supposed to be a secret! We don’t want it to turn into some kind of Floridian-style tourist trap!
JD: Not gonna happen in Bay St. Louis (or even Moss Point, which would be closer).
Yep, one of the two other states that bans the sale of sex toys is Mississippi.
ChrisinAlabama knows a hell of a lot about sex shops and where to get that porn. Are you a White House Reporter with a HARD PASS?
You got it Ana. Simply being down the street from one and hearing the radio ads makes me a freaking expert! I must also know a hell of a lot about tire stores, because I know where one of those is and what they sell as well!
I also used to live in Mississippi and can tell you that they sell sex toys in Mississippi too. From stores and through all girl, tupperware style dildo parties.
I don’t know what these bans are all about, because businesses are operating freely in the adult novelty game in both Mississippi and Alabama.