how to shop for your first sex toy

+ my picks for Black Friday

I bought my first sex toy in a flashy shop in New York City’s West Village. From the outside, it was discreet, with shrouded glass obscuring the view. Inside, however, bright fluorescent lights illuminated the space, and various sex toys hung casually on the walls, like candy bars or potato chips in a bodega.

I was in my early 20s, eager to experiment. I…