Back in April, a new bill proposal got a lot of people talking.
Backed by Trump’s administration and his Republican supporters, it has raised concerns about the government getting a little too involved in people’s private lives.
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For many, it felt like lawmakers were trying to control something as personal as how people spend their private time.
A Republican senator introduces a controversial bill
Angela Paxton, a Republican senator and wife of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, introduced the bill earlier this spring.
It would make it illegal for online stores to sell s*x toys unless the buyer proves their age first.
The law defines s*x toys as ‘obscene devices’
Under Texas law, these products are labeled as “obscene devices.”
That means “a device including a dildo or artificial vagina, designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.”
Retailers face harsh penalties for non-compliance
Stores that don’t follow the age check rule could face serious consequences.
We’re talking about up to a year in jail or a $4,000 fine.
Major retailers may be forced out of the market
Another proposed bill would take it even further.
It would stop big chains like Target, Walmart, and CVS from selling s*x toys at all, limiting sales to adult stores and strip clubs only.
Critics see this as a war on private lives
Plenty of media outlets called the bill an attack on personal freedom.
To them, it looked like Trump supporters were pushing to control what people do in their most private moments.
Experts warn of harmful societal messages
Some professionals in s*xual health were quick to speak out. One of them, Dr. Shamyra Howard, talked to the Dallas Observer about the harm this kind of bill could do.
She said, “Requiring ID to purchase a s*x toy sends the message that pleasure is something to be policed and surveilled.
It pathologizes something that is completely normal and turns a private, healthy act into something shameful.
This kind of legislation doesn’t protect people; it embarrasses them. It creates unnecessary barriers and reinforces harmful stigmas that many of us have spent years trying to dismantle.”
S*xual wellness and medical use are overlooked
Dr. Howard also pointed out that s*x toys aren’t just about pleasure.
“What’s often overlooked is that s*x toys are not just about pleasure. They’re also part of comprehensive s*xual wellness.
“Men use them too, both for pleasure and to manage erectile issues, neuropathy from diabetes and poor blood flow related to high blood pressure.
“There are devices designed to support pain management, pelvic floor health, s*x toys even help people manage mental health issues through stress relief and help to re-establish intimacy after medical procedures or trauma.”