I interacted with countless customers, most of whom were women, and were completely offended that I suggested lube to them. Sometimes, older women would complain that they couldn't have sex anymore because of dryness. I would try to reassure them that using lube was a great way to conquer the issue, but they would still act defeated and reluctant. I always tried my best to not take it personally, but it made me sad every time someone took a jab at lube-users. I knew there wasn’t anything wrong with using it — after all, it completely revolutionized the way I have sex.It became clear to me that there were other factors at play. It was as though needing lube made women feel as if they were lacking something — wetness, libido, femininity, fertility. I get it; no one wants to think that they must rely on something like lube in order to go about their business. But what if lacking one or all of those things wasn’t seen by society as a problem? How would women's sex lives be different if lube wasn't such a stigmatized item?Although the negative reactions never ceased, I became more adept at confidently explaining the beauty of lube to people who weren't into it. There was even a girl who came back into the shop to thank me for encouraging her to try it out. Much like myself, she also had issues with too much friction during sex, and I felt comfortable enough to tell her that I'd had a similar experience. It was oddly emotional for me to realize that I wasn't alone. Maybe my drier-than-average vagina wasn't actually all that unusual or uncommon.Since then, I've only learned to love lube more. I go through a giant bottle every month or so, and each empty container is like a trophy of self-love and lubrication. Even if your vagina gets super wet on its own, we all have our less hydrated days, and using lube is nothing to be ashamed of. Not all lubes were created equal, though, and if you've had a bad experience with lube (like I did initially), you might just need to try different formulas until you find one that works for you. (Pro tip: You can't use the vast majority of lubes when you're trying to conceive .) Finding a lube with sleek packaging that's also body-safe was a total game-changer for me, and also made me feel a lot more comfortable leaving it on my bedstand where I could access it, instead of stashing it away in a drawer.Ultimately, we are responsible for our own orgasms and pleasure, but it can definitely be stressful to introduce a new element, like lube, into our sex lives. Just remember that you don't have a "problem" if you use boatloads of lube — people who make snarky remarks about using lube are simply echoing society's uninformed and sex-negative bias against giving your body the love and pleasure it deserves.