Is it disrespectful/problematic to take a sex toy in hand luggage to Marrakech?

I work as developer, and our company makes security equipment (hardware and software) that is used in airports. I've never been to Morocco, and am not familiar with the airport processes there, so I can't comment on that specifically.

Working in this industry, on a personal level I'm super cautious about any checked in luggage, and avoid it whenever possible. For hand luggage, most of the scanning and check is prior to departure, and you are leaving from the UK where we have (mostly) very competent and responsible staff, good equipment and are OK-ish on data privacy. Same for the EU in general. The body scanner images are masked and show general highlight areas for staff (it's scary what you see otherwise!), the bag check checks are operator visual (mostly not AI flagged/tagged) and not related to your specific identify. So anything that you are comfortable with others seeing is OK, once it is legal.

I'd have much more concerns about checked baggage. In theory those could go through any level of scanning and it is personally identifiable. All is good in the UK and EU, but I'd be paranoid about countries that invest in scanning tech but have demonstrably poor records on privacy/civil/human rights, e.g., Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, Israel, Saudi, etc.

Advice: Be very very cautious outside EU and North America.

How is the comment about using your hand judgemental about using a vibrator!?? Confusing lol

@StrikeForever 😊

I agree, the possibility of being chosen for a search because of judgemental security staff would be my biggest concern. It's not like Morocco has a great reputation for female tourists being treated with respect as it is. Add a bored, judgemental and misogynist security man on a power kick...

No worries - was on a very poor internet connection so hopping back and forth between two devices (in the hope that one would work better than the other!) and cocked up the interpretation. Happy to correct my error!

Thank you 😊

Can you get any more condescending and belittling? And no it was 1 word, the rest of the post was explaining far more deeply about work I've done to help women in Morocco but you carry on with your incorrect assumptions eh. I have the measure of you and it's not pleasant tbh.

@WorriedMumofTeen16

Sadly I missed your post before it was deleted, but I think I can probably guess the contents. So please feel free to feel like you’ve thoroughly put me in my place and we’ll leave it there, shall we?

No, it’s their laws too. Or, more specifically, it’s the lack of accountability for any official who decides not to abide by them. Obviously I appreciate that if you’re going to start boycotting countries based on their patriarchal attitudes and human rights violations, it’s going to shut off most of the world to you, while achieving nothing; it’s not going to change them. But I don’t think it’s a safe country to travel to if you’re going to take any aspect of life in the west with you, be it an attitude or a sex toy.

It strikes me as quite fun to buy one when you're there! That way you're also not at risk of harm or loss happening to Old Faithful.

This is a hard one to answer 😂

It's a start isn't it. Obviously, they should enforce the law better.
I thought you were objecting to Morocco because of their laws, but I see now that it is because of their folk culture. Unfortunately, much of the world is patriarchal and avoiding travelling to any of those countries probably won't do much to help.

@LocutisOfBorg Why on earth can't she DIY it

What does that even mean? In English? And why is your daughter acting so sexually repressed that taking a vibrator, which should be a pretty mundane and routine thing to take, one would think - causes her to have such a forceful outburst and reaction?

I personally wouldn’t take it.

You’re quite right, you didn’t specifically single me out to call a racist. You just threw out an unfair and unwarranted accusation of being an awful person and let posters wonder who you were aiming at. If you’re going to accuse people of abhorrent behaviour then at least have the courage of your convictions and point out exactly where you see racism. Grow up indeed.

And you can keep your courtesy thanks. I’m not talking about you, or your wonderful and memorable experiences with the many lovely people you’ve met there. Why would I reference them? It’s completely irrelevant to the point I was making, which is that there are levels of official corruption, religious extremism and Human Rights violations that go far above and beyond any problems we have in the UK, that some Moroccan women and children have it really rough there and that it is not a country where you can rely on officials to have the same attitudes towards women’s sexuality as you would find in the UK. You were the one who responded to something I’d written about it being ok to ignore all of that, just so long as tourists were having a nice time in the market.

Although thanks for the chuckle about you being ‘not just a tourist’. You’ve got tickets on yourself, haven’t you? A few holidays there and you think you’re a local. Yeah, I’m quite sure they all see you as far more special than ‘just’ a tourist. And I’m sure your friends think you’re really adventurous for going off the beaten track rather than a nice villa in Tuscany. So impressive.

Yep I corrected, was reading on two devices so it was a bit disjointed.

that's worse! poor cleaning staff!

I wonder how many shocked women on here own vibrators themselves?

Some of us want a daily orgasm and vibrators are quick and convenient.

Also, do people think Muslims don't use sex toys?

They aren't prohibited.

FCO travel guidance on Morocco says this:

Laws and cultural differences
Morocco’s laws and customs are very different to those in the UK and reflect the fact that Morocco is an Islamic country. Always respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions. Make sure your actions do not offend, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you plan to visit religious areas.

And this:

Pornography
It is illegal to possess pornographic material. This includes printed material, cassettes and videocassettes and any type of material contrary to morality and public order.

Obviously a sex toy isn't porn, but I think I would err on the side of caution going into Morocco. It's not like you have to take to, so why risk anything? I am a cautious traveller, though.

good for her!

Exactly. It's all quite tedious. She could easily ask Google but there's no thrill in that.

Sorry, there are so many stupidly arsey comments on this thread, that I momentarily lost my sarcasm radar!

they're gooooood.
AND you might get away with saying it's a blackhead remover 😉

I have a little purple bullet too, that I keep in my bag that has things like painkillers, allergy meds, nail clippers and so on in it. I jokily call it my portable pharmacy. and that's exactly why the bullet is there. it's GREAT for if my back, neck or shoulders seize up. it's far too strong even on the lower settings to put anywhere near downstairs! but it's amazing on aches and pains.