The Indian Patent Office has reportedly turned down the patent for a brand of sex toys as the officials found the product 'a cause for obscenity and moral deprivation.'
According to an Asian Age report, Indian Patent Office refused the patent of the brand of sex toys called 'We Vibe' and justified the move by saying that these products are "not considered useful or productive".
"These are toys that are not considered useful or productive. Mostly these are considered to be morally degrading by the law. The law views sex toys negatively and has never engaged positively with the notion of sexual pleasure," the office said in a statement.
The patent office had reportedly claimed that the use of sex toys should be brought under the umbrella of unnatural sex (IPC 377). This decision taken by the governmental body has not gone down well with many experts.
"As a doctor, we have had women who are absolutely frightened with the concept of sex. Pain and taboo about sexual health leave them in an uncomfortable position. It is in these situations that we help patients out with sex toys to deal with the hesitation. Sexual pleasure is a very intimate and personal matter. It is not advisable for the government to intrude upon the private lives of their citizens," sexologist Rahul Reddy was quoted as saying by the publication.
"When you ask a society to specifically not indulge in a certain act, it further instigates people to get involved in it. It's the same thing here. You ban these sex toys now, they will find a different route to become a part of the market without regulation. To top it off, India is a country with minimal sex education, and to constantly suppress voices that want to destigmatise sexual health, pleasure and wellness is unacceptable," Shiv Visvanathan told The Asian Age.
The topic of sex toys became popular in India ever since films and web series like Veere Di Wedding and Lust Stories showed female characters using vibrators to pleasure themselves. It had also turned out that online sale of female sex toys in India had witnessed a sharp rise right after the release of these two films.
