To think 'sexy' is not an appropriate adjective to describe a baby/toddler?

[IcouldstillbeJoseph]

By coincidence two (female) members of my family have said this within a week of each other.
One about a photo I sent of my 2.4 DS in some sunglasses - she replied with a text saying "looking sexy!" and then I sent a photo of my 4mo old DD in an outfit that an Aunt had bought her, saying thank you for the outfit and the Auntie in question replied "wow, sexy even at 4 months"
It makes me uncomfortable...

The thing is - I think the word sexy is not really used for the same meaning anymore. Even my infant school age DS called his granddad 'sexy granddad' today, it was like a term of endearment, DS2 says it to me. I presume they have heard it at school for just looking nice and it is in almost every pop song aimed at kids these days too.

I really don't think it is particularly harmful in that context, I can't stand hearing kids talking about 'being' sexy though, that just seems wrong.

It's completely beyond me how the word 'sexy' even enters anyone's mind in regard to babies or children. Absolutely vile.

I saw a woman with her toddler daughter in the swimming pool changing rooms- when toddler had her swimsuit on, mum said, "ooh don't you look sexy?" no. No she doesn't look sexy. She's 2 ffs.

I do think that sounds weird blackholes (fab name BTW) adults referring to children in swimwear like that!

Actually reading these quotes its actually sounds really wrong. I think I have only really heard children say it to grown ups and not the other way round, they have no idea what it means but for a mum to say that to a toddler is odd!

Urg no YADNBU! I hate it, it's awful on babies, toddlers, children. Just hideous. Surely, surely to god the people using it must know exactly what it means? It has the word 'sex' in it, does that not imply something?!

(can you tell it's one of my rage points? )

This makes my skin crawl! It is the last word i would use to describe a child.

DSil used to say this about her new dd and my new ds a few years ago and dp just couldn't understand why it got me ragey as she obviously doesn't mean sexy...but then why not use a more appropriate word???!!

I think the word has been used so much and so generally it's deviated from its original meaning.

It's still creepy and disturbing in this context.

YANBU! my DC aunt (not my family) always calls my DC sexy bum it really really really (did I mention really) irritates me!!

I think they must be buffoons who should be made to swallow a dictionary before they are allowed to open their mouths again. Absolute paucity of language by unthinking half wits.

Or children either for that matter.

YANBU.

Why can't people use one of the other many adjectives in the English language?

Sexy is one of those words that will undergo semantic shift... like when gay stopped meaning happy for the most part.

Problem is it has not yet gone through the transition. It still means sexually attractive and not cute/pretty/good.

So yanbu OP. It does make my skin crawl.
Ask mums in 100 years and the answer may be different.

I don't like it applied to children BUT here in China it means "pretty or cute" so not unusual for someone to say "you are looking so sexy" to a baby - however, that's from people who's first language isn't English so they don't get the origins of the word- Taglish, basically.

And it's not as though the associations aren't pretty obvious. You wouldnt say "Looking shaggable" to a toddler, would you?

language has changed, and "sexy" really does not mean the same thing anymore..

"I bought a really sexy handbag"

"wow, isnt my phone so sexy"

"look at that car, how sexy is that"

I doubt anyone uttering those phrases is getting a sexual thrill out of seeing a handbag, a phone or a car...

A few decades ago, if you had described something as cool, it would mean it was almost cold. If you had said the word sexy, nobody would have known what you meant.

Describing a child as sexy does not mean they look sexually attractive.

Yanbu I don't like it either.

Someone upthread mentioned gangnam style, my 3 year old sings "heyyy said the lady" lmao. I havnt corrected her!

*squeakytoy" but not everybody uses "sexy" to describe inanimate objects either.

The meaning of sexy hasn't changed. Sexy car = buy this car and men/women will think you are sexy by default.

Sexy car = buy this car and men/women will think you are sexy by default.

Exactly- the type of items described as "sexy" tend to be status symbol/ clothes/ accessories, so the connotation is that the item makes the owner more sexually desirable by affecting their appearance. You wouldnt describe (eg) a fridge as sexy, however great it was. To be fair, I have never heard anyone describe their phone as sexy either.

Maybe these freaky people think their baby (or dog) makes THEM look irresistible. Like the car and handbag-

I hate this too. My ex sil called her newborn son sexy and I found it pretty horrible. She also referred to my male dog as sexy but not the female one

Maybe the word is evolving, but until it loses connotations of wanting to have sex, it will still be inappropriate to use in reference to children.

Vomit. 'Sexy little man' has to be the worst. I hate just 'little man', but add sexy to it and just yuck.