Trendy Moms Are Asking Their Babies Permission to Pick Them Up (So They Don’t Turn Into Rapists)
They claim that picking up babies without checking in with them first is an aspect of “rape culture” – and that raising them without involuntary lifting will make sure their sons don’t become rapists in later life.
The trend broke out of social media last week, when parent Nisha Moodley posted a selfie with her six-month-old son, Raven, describing her approach:
Since the moment he was born, we've always asked before we pick him up. I always feel for his "yes". Why? Because we want him to know that his body is his, and that others' bodies are theirs, and no one gets to make choices about someone else's body. . #lessonsinsovereignty #bornfree #endrapeculture . Sidenote: If you ever want to hold someone else's baby, my suggestion is to ask the parent, then ask the kid. It always touches my heart when someone takes a moment to connect with him and says "Can I hold you, dude?"
She claims she can “feel for his ‘yes'”, and that her parenting strategy will help #endrapeculture.
One commenter described the approach as “liberal horse-####ttttt”.
Others were more supportive, and said they do the same thing. Robin Weir, mother to a seven-month-old boy, wrote “We do this too… makes it feel more like we’re doing things ‘with’ him rather than ‘to’ him.”