Thousands Flock To NYC’s Trojan Vibrator Giveaway, Despite City Officials’ Complaints

The friendly side of New Yorkers came out Thursday night in the Meatpacking District, where Trojan distributed approximately 4,000 free vibrators (batteries included) to people in the city.

The highly-publicized giveaway, which was initially met with controversy when police officials argued that the sex products company did not have a permit to host a public event, drew swarms of people and warranted security. Those who desired a no-cost vibrator were required to stand in a long line on 14th Street and 9th Avenue (and deal with some rain as well), but rewarded with a model of their choice: the Pulse and the Tri-Phoria. Everyone said the wait was worth what they’d receive in return, and one woman became hostile when her friend suggested the hot dog carts might empty out before they were to reach the front of the line.

“What if they run out before we get there?” a lady said.

“Don’t even say that, I don’t have time,” the second woman replied.

When asked why she’d showed up to the gathering, the second woman told The Jane Dough, “I want to do this because I don’t really have a big forum about vibrators or anything like that. I mean, it’s sexuality, everybody has it. We’re young kids, so we may as well come because it’s free.”

On Wednesday’s abrupt vibration hand-out cancellation? She said, “I don’t agree with it. It seems like New York used to be more liberal, and it still is pretty liberal, but we’re slowly but surely becoming more conservative. Just looking at all these people in line, it’s clear everyone wants to come today.” Clearly.

A couple of blocks away from the event, the streets were strewn with purple cardboard Trojan boxes, an inevitable and tragic aspect of a giveaway.

“People are already unwrapping theirs in the streets!” one man shouted at me. “No instructions necessary, eh?”

Though women outnumbered men at the event, there were definitely a fair amount of guys in attendance, some of which were holding hands with females and others who were alone. One man came to the giveaway solo to take one home.

“I’m married, so it’s for my wife. We’re going to have fun tonight,” he told TJD with a laugh.

While most of the people had known about the event prior to showing up, some were merely roaming the west side of New York and wanted to see what the large crowd was all about.

“We had dinner plans, and I’m walking by and I see a great big line and happy people, so I ask some girls and they say, ‘Vibrators!’ So I said, ‘Okay, let’s get in line,’” one woman said.

But not everyone found it to be a pleasant surprise. Two young girls approached me with confusion over the line, so I explained that it was for a vibrator giveaway. They didn’t look impressed or amused.

“This is stupid,” one of the females said to her friend. “Let’s go.”

Apparently 4,000 other people didn’t think so.

[NYDN]

TAGS: sex toys | vibrators

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