Your field guide to gay men's health. The blog is no longer active, but is still available to use as an information resource.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
If you pack a vibrator, don't get shaken by TSA
via The San Francisco Chronicles
This article is for all people planning to travel for the Pride celebrations this weekend.
Even in these jittery times, can any air traveler be expected to part willingly with his precious electronic devices?
And not just devices that play music or games. But devices that play. Or, to put it another way, devices that jitter.
Those devices.
The Transportation Safety Administration, whose job it is to consider fully such matters, has decreed that vibrators are OK. The TSA says whips, chains, leashes, restraints and manacles are OK, too. Any law-abiding citizen has the right to carry any such device onto an airplane.
So why are so many otherwise sensible travelers reluctant to do so? Why is there embarrassment and shame, hemming and hawing? It's all so unnecessary, say experts, because traveling with an electric vibrator need be no more difficult than traveling with other problematic items, such as aerosols or toddlers.
Being nervous is counterproductive. Inspectors are trained to spot nervous passengers, resulting in extra scrutiny and more nervousness.
TSA spokesman Nico Melendez said passengers could save time with a little common sense. Inspectors are doing their job. They are trained professionals and they know a vibrator when they see one. They will not confiscate a vibrator. But they are trained to pay attention to electronic devices.
"Inspectors inspect," he said. "If you don't want us to see it, don't bring it."
Carol Queen, the celebrated San Francisco sex expert, lecturer and proprietor of the Good Vibrations chain of sex stores, has traveled the world with her carry-on bags full of vibrators and other paraphernalia. Vibrators, she says, are not the problem. Shame about vibrators is the problem.
"There's no reason to be embarrassed," said Queen. "If an inspector asks you about it, look him in the eye and tell him it's your vibrator."
Read more.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
select key words
2007 National HIV Prevention Conference
2009 National LGBTI Health Summit
2011 LGBTI Health Summit
2012 Gay Men's Health Summit
2012 International AIDS Conference
abstinence only
ACT Up
activism
advocacy
Africa
african-american
aging issues
AIDS
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
anal cancer
anal carcinoma
anal health
anal sex
andrew's anus
athlete
ball scene
bareback porn
barebacking
bathhouses
bears
big bold and beautiful
Bisexual
Bisexual Health Summit
bisexuality
black gay men
black msm
blood ban
blood donor
body image
bottom
Brian Mustanski
BUTT
Center on Halsted
Charles Stephens
Chicago
Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus
Chicago Task Force on LGBT Substance Use and Abuse
Chris Bartlett
chubby chaser
circumcision
civil rights
civil union
Coaching with Jake
communication
community organizing
condoms
Congress
crystal meth
dating
dating and mating with alan irgang
David Halperin
David Munar
depression
disclosure
discrimination
domestic violence
don't ask don't tell
douche
downlow
Dr. James Holsinger
Dr. Jesus Ramirez-Valles
Dr. Rafael Diaz
Dr. Ron Stall
drag queen
Ed Negron
emotional health
ENDA
Eric Rofes
exercise
Feast of Fun
Feel the love...
female condom
fitness
Friday is for Faeries
FTM
gay culture
gay identity
gay latino
gay male sex
gay marriage
gay men
gay men of color
gay men's health
Gay Men's Health Summit 2010
gay pride
gay rights
gay rugby
gay sex
gay youth
gender
harm reduction
hate crime
HCV
health care
health care reform
health insurance
hepatitis C
HIV
HIV care
HIV drugs
HIV negative
HIV positive
HIV prevention
HIV stigma
HIV strategic plan
HIV testing
hiv vaccine
HIV/AIDS
homophobia
homosexuality
hottie
hotties
how are you healthy?
Howard Brown Health Center
HPV
human rights
humor
hunk
Illinois
IML
immigration
International AIDS Conference
international mr. leather
internet
intimacy
IRMA
Jim Pickett
leather community
leathersex
Leon Liberman
LGBT
LGBT adoption
LGBT culture
LGBT health
LGBT rights
LGBT seniors
LGBT youth
LGBTI community
LGBTI culture
LGBTI health
LGBTI rights
LGBTI spirituality
LGV
LifeLube
LifeLube forum
LifeLube poll
LifeLube subscription
lifelube survey
Lorenzo Herrera y Lozano
love
lube
lubricant
Lymphogranuloma Venereum
masturbation
mental health
microbicides
middle
Monday Morning Perk-Up
MRSA
MSM
music
National AIDS Strategy
National Gay Men's Health Summit
negotiated safety
nutrition
One Fey's Tale
oral sex
Peter Pointers
physical health
Pistol Pete
pleasure
PnP
podcast
policy
politics
poppers
porn
post-exposure prophylaxis
PrEP
President Barack Obama
Presidential Campaign
prevention
Project CRYSP
prostate
prostate cancer
public health
public sex venues
queer identity
racism
Radical Faerie
recovery
rectal microbicides
relationships
religion
research
safe sex
semen
Senator Barack Obama
sero-adaptation
sero-sorting
seroguessing
sex
sexual abuse
sexual addiction
sexual health
sexual orientation
Sister Glo
Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
smoking
social marketing
spirituality
STD
stigma
stonewall riots
substance abuse treatment
substance use
suicide
super-bug
superinfection
Susan Kingston
Swiss declaration
syphilis
Ted Kerr
Test Positive Aware Network
testicle self-examination
testicular cancer
testing
The "Work-In"
The 2009 Gay Men's Health Agenda
Tony Valenzuela
top
Trans and Intersex Association
trans group blog
Trans Gynecology Access Program
transgender
transgender day of remembrance
transgendered
transmen
transphobia
transsexual
Trevor Hoppe
universal health care
unsafe sex
vaccines
video
violence
viral load
Who's That Queer
Woof Wednesday
writers
yoga
You Tube
youtube
I had my bag inspected when I packed my dildo too close to my digital camera. The agent was respectful, a little embarassed himself, I think, but handled the transaction professionally.
ReplyDelete