Houston City Council members voted unanimously on Wednesday to block a business from opening a brothel that uses robots to perform sex acts on customers.
The ordinance passed on Wednesday bans the use of "anthropomorphic devices" that are "intended to provide sexual stimulation or sexual gratification" at a business.
The business, KinkySdollS, will reportedly be allowed to sell the promiscuous robots for customers' home use, but customers will not be allowed to use the robots inside the business, according to the law.
Citizens presented city council with a petition signed by 13,000 Houston residents requesting council members to vote against the business. Opponents of the business expressed concern that the company would cause an increase in human trafficking.
“As a woman, I am concerned and horrified to see where our society is taking us,” Virginia Mireles said.
Councilmember Greg Travis said that had the proposal been accepted, he would have used cameras to film customers entering the brothel. He then claimed he would have posted the images on social media.
"I know there's some people that will sit there and say, 'What does the City of Houston have to do with any of this?'" Travis said. "And the answer is 'We're not getting into your bedroom, but don't bring it into our district. Don't bring it into our city. This is not a good business for our city. We are not Sin City.'"
Lawyers on behalf of KinkySdollS said that it is reviewing the city's decision.
