Be it condoms, lubricant, Plan B, or any other form of sexual paraphernalia, having these items in your basket can make the trip to checkout an awkward one. You might bury them amid other purchases, hoping that they’ll be less noticeable when they’re sandwiched between bags of Doritos and Takis, and when they’re being rung up, you might stare up at the ceiling as if it were as interesting and impressive as the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
But… why?
Is there a reason to be embarrassed? Initially, my thoughts were, yes. After all, my uses for contraceptives are very private. I figured that the only people who needed to know about these purchases were myself and my partner. The cashier was an unnecessary third party who certainly didn’t need to know what my plans were for that evening. I was so adamant about defending my privacy that if self checkout wasn’t an option, then I would wait until I was at another store to make the purchase. I went out of my way to avoid letting the world know how I was choosing to use my body.
What I realized is that it wasn’t just embarrassment I was feeling. It was shame. I wasn’t protecting my privacy; I was protecting my reputation. Whenever someone saw what I was buying, I felt like I was being caught doing something I wasn’t supposed to be doing. There was a feeling at the back of my head that society would descend upon me like a flock of crows and condemn my debauchery, which of course is ridiculous, but that’s the way I felt nonetheless. So I gave it some thought and these are the conclusions I came up with.
This is why no one should have to feel ashamed or embarrassed for buying anything that has to do with sex, be it condoms, toys, or birth control, or whatever else they choose to buy.
It’s natural
At the end of the day, we’re all human. It’s exactly like your teacher told you in sixth grade health class: it’s perfectly normal. Sex is a part of life, otherwise there wouldn’t be any life. Heck, sex can even be healthy for you: it may help to lower stress, improve sleep, and make your skin glow extra bright. There’s no more reason to be ashamed about sex than there is to be ashamed about eating or breathing. It’s normal, it’s natural, it’s good for you.
No one cares
The cashier does not get paid enough to care about what you take out of your cart and stick on the conveyor belt. Besides, they works in retail. They’ve probably seen stranger customers than you. As long as you’re not making their job any harder, they aren’t sparing a second thought for you or the items in your cart. They’re Just thinking about how it’s thirty minutes until their lunch break, and man, does a turkey sandwich sound good right about now.
It’s Your Choice
You are the captain of your ship. It’s no one else’s business what you choose to do with your own body. Don’t let yourself feel embarrassed about the way you’re living your life. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. As long as you’re using your body in a way that makes you happy, then you’re golden.
So next time you’re feeling a little nervous at checkout, just smile and strike up small talk like you usually would. There’s no reason to be embarrassed, no reason to feel ashamed, and no reason to slip any of your more risque items back on the shelf. No matter what’s in your cart, It’s your body and It’s your choice. Everyone else can deal with it.