The Right to Toys

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Zimbabwean women are challenging a law that bans sex toys in the southern African country, a legal dispute that underscores the issue of women’s rights and the nation’s patriarchal outlook regarding female sexuality, the Associated Press reported.

In March, women’s rights advocate Sitabile Dewa sued the government in court and demanded the repealing of some parts of Zimbabwe’s “censorship and entertainments control” law.

Under the legislation, sex toys are deemed “obscene” and harmful to public morals. Importing or possessing them is illegal and punishable by prison time.

Last year, authorities arrested two women under the law. One of them was running an online business selling sex toys to women. She was sentenced to six years in jail.

While the court is still considering Dewa’s case, she told the news agency the law is “archaic” and infringes on her freedom.

Other activists commended Dewa’s advocacy, adding that her campaign sheds light on the broader challenges women face in the country.

Zimbabwean women face scrutiny and limited options on issues related to them and their bodies, including contraception, marriage and their choice of attire, the AP wrote.