A sexuality expert says parents should ask their child’s permission before changing their nappies – so they can set up a “culture of consent.”
Deanne Carson made the suggestion on ABC News during a segment about teaching consent to young children, and many viewers have since expressed their confusion over the idea.
According to Carson, who describes herself as a “sexuality educator, speaker, and author” on Twitter, a culture of consent needs to start at birth.
To do so, she suggested parents ask their infants questions such as: ‘I’m going to change your nappy now, is that okay?”
Because she is referring to babies, Carson admitted that they will not verbally respond.
She said: “Of course a baby is not going to respond ‘yes mum, that is awesome, I’d love to have my nappy changed.’
“But if you leave a space and wait for body language and wait to make eye contact then you are letting that child know that their response matters,” she continued.
I thought this had to be a headline from ‘The Onion.’ This is way too ridiculous to be a legitimate suggestion.
What happens if the child starts crying? DON’T change their diaper and just leave them to wallow in their filth and contract a rash and infection?
This isn’t even based on the fear of victimizing a child, it’s based on the fear of being PERCEIVED as victimizing a child and – thus – being labeled a sex offender.
If anything, this suggestion would seem to ENCOURAGE a crime, if an adult is supposed to ASSUME non-verbal consent.
If you’re so scared to be perceived as a sexual predator that you’re asking a baby for consent to change their diaper, perhaps you should start to re-evaluate how sex offenders are perceived and – more importantly – treated.
Oh, by all means, and be certain to get the child’s consent before subjecting their “body integrity” to the assault of disease-preventing vaccines and life-saving medical treatments!! “Ribbish!”, as the Brits would say!!
As an infant, I was not asked nor did I consent to having my diaper changed. That is why I got so effed up and at age 56, viewed cp.
Here, here! Not only was I not consulted to provide consent prior to diaper changes, I was not asked before a doctor slid a scissor blade up my urethra to enlarge it at age 3, or prior to my privates being liberated from my zipper at about age 5 (thanks, Dad). I wasn’t asked before getting spanked and whipped with a belt, either. Perhaps this is what led to my criminalistic sexual behavior later in life? More importantly, who do I sue?