Dr Raj happy with lifted ban on sex toys

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Sex therapist Giriraj “Dr Raj” Ramnanan says a High Court ruling that prevents Customs and Excise Division officers from banning the importation of sex toys has the ability to change the national conversation on sex.

In an interview with Guardian Media shortly after Justice Ricky Rahim ruled that Customs officers banning sex toys is unlawful, Ramnanan said he believes citizens will also be less prone to involving in criminal behaviour, once they are free to fulfil their personal fantasies using sex toys.

“I am hoping it changes in the positive because there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed if a person wants to buy a doll for instance and spend time with that doll at home, doing whatever he or she wants to do with the doll, don’t you think that takes away from the negativity in society where that person could go out, have an alcoholic beverage and look to do something that is a criminal act?” Ramnanan asked.

Ramnanan has long been a public advocate for sex education. He sells sex toys and has often had his imports seized by Customs officers. In 2019, he won a case against the Division and the officers were ordered to return a box of seized items to him.

Ramnanan said he hopes this judgement can be a catalyst for change in the national conversation.

“People will start thinking along different lines, they will understand it is a personal choice when you decide to buy an item and it is all up to the individual, it should be very open, where a person has the choice, they can go out and buy whatever they want for their satisfaction and this is not harming anyone, you are not forcing anyone to do anything illegal, you are not doing it to another person, you are doing it to yourself with something you are comfortable with.”

But while he is encouraging people to experiment with this newfound freedom, Ramnanan is also urging caution as he says consumers should be very particular about what type of sex toys they buy.

“Of the novelties that are on the market right now, you’ve got to buy the branded products, the ones that are really good because these are things are intimate items that go into your body or on top of your body or wherever you want it- you don’t want to buy something that is cheap or made cheaply,” he said.

He said those who are interested in purchasing sex toys for the first time should research their options before their buy.