Sex toys in Alabama

In Alabama the sale of sex toys is actually unlawful unless for medical/educational/scientific purposes. But so lengthy because Huntsville residents fill out the right documents, these people'll soon become able to choose upward their dildos by way of the drive-thru window at Pleasures.

Some states in the US do love to keep some of those completely outdated, repressive (and often quite silly) laws on the books ... and if they have anything to do with sex they seem to posses eternal life ... no politician wants to be associated with repealing them.

So I guess that stores in New Orleans do a good business selling this kind of stuff to Alabama residents ... maybe they even have their own set of lobbyists keeping the Alabama law in effect ... ha ha.

In earlier years, when the State of Pennsylvania once banned the sale and possession of firecrackers, that merely helped drive up sales of such items in neighboring states. Families with school-aged boys returned from summer weekend trips to beaches in Maryland and New Jersey with more than just tans.

I'm certain that even Alabamians now have the Internet and access to online sales of whatever catches their fancy.

Alabama isn't the only state with restrictions on sex toys. Several states, especially ones in the "Bible Belt", have similar bans. Many - fortunately not all - internet retailers will not ship banned items to these states.

Such laws and the ideas behind them are shared by Islamic countries. Maybe they're not so different from us after all.

Unfortunately, Alabama is just about the last hold out on the sex toy ban. The other states previously banning them lost state battle to ban sex toys because the were basically told that the state has no say between consenting adults in the bedroom. Makes sense to me. I do know the woman that owns Pleasures has been to court multiple times ever her business, but always manages to come out ahead. Why give the tax revenue from toy sales to the surrounding states? Alabama is hurting themself with this ban because they can not collect sales taxes on products not sold in the state. Maybe they will finally figure it out. Good luck to you guys there.

Alabama is hurting themself with this ban because they can not collect sales taxes on products not sold in the state. Maybe they will finally figure it out. .

Moral righteousness is its own reward.

Somehow I don´t think this will get figured out soon, certainly not with some looney candidates in other states actually proposing a ban on all sorts of sex except heterosexual vaginal sex ... like banning oral sex between married couples ... how more looney can one get? Not to mention unenforceable ... so of course proposals like that are just shameless pandering to whacky voters. But still, just the idea alone makes one wonder at the sanity of some candidate lawmakers ...

Such laws and the ideas behind them are shared by Islamic countries. Maybe they're not so different from us after all.

Isn´t there a Native American saying of some kind that says - the more and longer you fight an enemy, the more you assume their traits, the more you become like them?

On June 26,2003, the US Supreme Court ruled that it was illegal for any state to dictate the intimate actions of consenting adults within their domacile. The ruling upheld the 14th Ammendment of the US Constitution. The ruling killed the antisodomy rulings in 13 states that still had active sodomy laws in effect. The ruling was in support of the 2 male plaintiffs in the case Lawrence versus Texas. This became a landmark case because of the supreme court ruling stating that no state has the right to interfere in the intimate relations between consenting adults while in their home.. This ruling also stated that minors were exempt of this ruling to prevent minors from sexual abuse by a parent in the home. It was also used by Texas and other states to overrule the ban on sex toys in those states. However, Alabama has continued to somehow ignore this ruling and worked some of their older laws around to protect the ban. I agree, that the law is archaic and I don't agree with the law. Eventually it will be defeated, and the owner of Pleasures in Huntsville, Al., in one of the first steps in making that happen.

Surely if its just the case that to sell sex toys is illegal then mail-order is the solution , i say to f*ck with the lot of them ! We all know that most of the dickheads that enact and withhold these laws are usually the first in line for a damn good butt-f*ucking down at Madam Sin's ! If it is illegal to possess such items then , i personally , would move .

@roblob

Yes, I have to say I agree with you wholeheartedly. Why should playing with sex toys with consenting partners be the concern or business of the politicians. They are so busy jerking each other off and creating their own scandals most of the time, that it shouldn't' t matter what the basic citizen is doing. They need to be spending more time dealing with serious matters and less time trying to control our sexual activity as long as nothing we are doing is truly illegal. I don't think any of us want those things.

Ha, can you imagine being busted for violation of interstate commerce laws, whatever, for having a trunk load of dildos and a CNN news report on it!

Well, this report makes me glad I moved away from Alabama in 1977! Huntsville at least was somewhat progressive compared to the rest of the state. I don't think I could have survived the mental abuse if I had lived in a different town. At least it was only 4 years...

We had two "shops" in town for toys and other sundry other items. One had been there for years, but when the other one moved in, the village administration drove them out by new imposing new restrictions and general harassment. Isn't it great when government tries to legislate morality!

Isn't it great when government tries to legislate morality!

In most Western countries, constitutions are written so that governments are meant to be secular institutions, so that they are (ideally) totally independent of any religious leanings. But, this is the kind of thing to expect when religious groups get control of government institutions ... then they're the ones who get to call the shots. And whatcha gonna do about it then?

The Supreme Court ruling on the sodomy laws doesn't necessarily fit the sex toy business. Most toys are designed to be and in fact are used by one person. Therefore their use isn't "between consenting adults".

Though I lived in Alabama for a while, I'm not familiar with the sales ban on sex toys. However, a ban on the sale of an item is not the same as a ban on it's use. Liquor in Alabama is controlled and sold by the state, but the consumption by adults is legal. Alabama ranks near the bottom of many categories in the US, but they are rarely last. This gives rise to the unofficial state motto "Thank God for Mississippi."

Texas is a different story. As I understand it, it is legal to own and use such items as vibrators and dildos. As long as you own no more than five. If you own six or more, you are presumed to possess them for sale, which is illegal.

The Supreme Court ruling on the sodomy laws doesn't necessarily fit the sex toy business. Most toys are designed to be and in fact are used by one person. Therefore their use isn't "between consenting adults".

However, a ban on the sale of an item is not the same as a ban on it's use. Liquor in Alabama is controlled and sold by the state, but the consumption by adults is legal. Alabama ranks near the bottom of many categories in the US, but they are rarely last.

Boy, they must have some pretty good lawyers to come with that argument ... and don't they know that sex toys are often used by me, myself and I? I call that a threesome of consenting adults ... ha ha.

The liquor thing I don't get. If the great state of Alabama controls and sells liquor for consumption, then it's not banned. If it were banned, then no one would be allowed to sell it, not state run stores nor anyone else.

I believe New Hampshire has state run liquor stores--not privately owned.

Sure it is nice to go to a sex shop and pick out something that will be fun to use- I have done it having lived in Florida and Georgia. But now there are so many options online and the selection is hard to beat. You can search an item and be given a huge list of sites that carry your item of interest or go directly to your favorite online store and browse the entire store. The huge variety of stuff online could never be matched by a regular brick and mortar store. I have long since given up the local sex shops and done my shopping online.

So yes having local laws that ban sex shops really sucks, but we have had for some time options that are far better than the local sex shop.

Sooner or later, the 1st and 14th Ammendment protections will be applied to the behavior of 'competent' adults in privacy. Not only with sex toys but others ridiculous prohibitions that don't serve We The People.

Pa. has state run liquor stores and beer by the case shops, sex stores are all private.

Just recently, a week or two ago, our city announced plans to place an extra tax on businesses that besmirch the good name and standing of the city - both a one time tax and a yearly surtax. Businesses targeted are night shops, internet cafés, falafel snack bars and sex shops (of which there is a grand total of 1 that I know of).

See, we're starting to catch up to some of the states too ... maybe even doing one better in some areas ...

We've got the previously secret Operation Choke Point. It's a government program to deny credit and credit card access to disreputable businesses. As with any such ill conceived plans, it's been abused. It's currently being employed to choke business sectors the current regime dislikes. Sex shops, porn vendors and firearms companies and dealers are among the current targets.

We've got the previously secret Operation Choke Point. It's a government program to deny credit and credit card access to disreputable businesses. As with any such ill conceived plans, it's been abused. It's currently being employed to choke business sectors the current regime dislikes. Sex shops, porn vendors and firearms companies and dealers are among the current targets.

And legal marihuana shops in Colorado as well if I'm not mistaken ... as well as denying use of normal banking facilities to said businesses forcing them to become a cash only operation. Which carries a large risk of theft and break-ins.

The paradox of marijuana is that, while some states are legalizing (medical or recreational) and others are decriminalizing, at the federal level, it's still a crime. Contrary to our Constitution, federal law trumps state law.

The paradox of marijuana is that, while some states are legalizing (medical or recreational) and others are decriminalizing, at the federal level, it's still a crime. Contrary to our Constitution, federal law trumps state law.

But you'd think that on a federal level they'd be seeing the handwriting on the wall. And moreover calculating possible tax revenue with legalization ...

I wouldn't expect things to get better in Alabama, it is certainly one of the most regressive Bible Belt states and the legislature will never do anything to aggravate the religious base. If anything, with the political situation in Washington things will only get worse.

I keep debating a move to Florida because Los Angeles/California is so absurdly expensive. I had understood that Miami was liberal bc of all the relocated Yankees and has a lot of sun without the expense. Not one of my friends thought it was a good idea since I'm politically progressive/liberal and a real lefty.

Still, it was tempting bc of the weather.

Until someone summed Florida up this way to me: Step outside Miami, and the whole state becomes *Alabama*.

So Wilmington and Myrtle Beach have each moved up a notch.

Anyone see Selma?

PS-I've never seen a "banned" member here, but this thread's OP was banned.

@Sunny76. You will find the East Coast from Miami to Palm Beach quite progressive because of the huge influx of northerners. It is necessary to spend time looking around and finding friends of similar outlook to get to know the progressive pockets surrounded by a sea of "old south" regressive people and institutions. Be careful of churchs; (I will not say more about this on the forum for fear of being banned, PM me if you want more info.)

As a Canadian, I just can't relate to this. I can go to Alabama and buy a hand gun, yet can't buy a vibrator.

Pleasures in Huntsville, AL on University Blvd does sell sex toys. I don't know where the misconception happened. They did have a fairly robust legal bout at the county level to get opened some time ago however. County government made all kinds of laws to try and prevent it--such as proximity to schools, bars, liquor stores, hours of operation, etc. It's political in a way. The story definitely sold newspapers so the local media loved it. Preachers felt like they had a new goal to conquer for their parishioners in trying to fight to close the place down (the city will be awash in perverts!), so it gave them something to do. Pleasures didn't even have to pay for advertising as a result as it was the talk of the town already. Much excitement in an otherwise pretty boring town what with the space program closed down.