About "adult babies" and "littles"

[HappyAsAGrownup]

I've recently found out someone I know well has been attending events for people who identify as "littles" - ie adults who roleplay being babies, toddlers, or children up to and including teenagers. Apparently activities include crafts and colouring, being read popular children's books at 'story time' amongst others.

This is not something I know much about although I'm familiar with adult kinks and fetishes, and while most of that stuff is just not for me, I tend to think that what people do in private is their business as long as it's consensual and doesn't hurt anyone.

But this adult baby and "littles" stuff is giving me the ick, especially as some of these events are part of much bigger bdsm/ fetish party events where the wider focus is on sexual and erotic themes. I'm thinking even if the 'regular' participants aren't actually having sex, their activities are somewhat sex-adjacent, and I'm really confused about people roleplaying as children being in this environment.

I thought I'd try and educate myself a bit (in case I'd got it horribly wrong, and so I could form a more informed opinion) but the blogs and websites i found (a lot of the resources appeared to be on closed forums which I didn't wish to join) have continued to make me feel uneasy about people roleplaying as children doing so in a sexually focussed environment.

YABU - stop clutching your pearls, adults in giant onesies and custom giant reusable nappies are fine in a bdsm/ fetish club

YANBU - this is weird AF

NB this person does not have any contact with any actual children in my life ever, nor indeed any children at all on a day-to-day basis AFAIK

It's disgusting. Obviously.

Fetishes should be kept firmly in the bedroom. We will not achieve anything positive by normalising them. Shame has an important role in society.

it starts with pretending... then it becomes reality. if anyone fantasises about something long enough, they will want it in real life. that's why porn culture has affected our society so much.

and we have to draw a distinction between kinky and Pervy/criminal/diabolical.

Yeah I see this as a completely different thing.

Eg I've been to Go Ape before, that climbing thing, and it reminded me of the thrill of playground climbing frames. It's wholesome fun. At no point was I sexually aroused whatsoever.

No reason for things like crafts and games to be for children only.

Nappies and dummies? Children only, and young ones at that. (Barring disability etc which are obviously not relevant here). Making nappies and dummies sexual?! All kinds of wrong

@InefficientProcess Thank you. I did worry that perhaps I was being naive or too 'square' (I am neither of these things in general) and that I should be more accepting of people's likes and dislikes. But I find myself asking where the normalisation stops?

If being suspicious of this stuff makes me square, I am completely and utterly happy to be square.

Seriously depraved

They're consenting adults and keeping it to the bedroom / dedicated events.

Not for me at all, but I can't see that they're harming anyone.

@Mummymummy89 Yes. On reflection I am very comfortable being square on this issue. Happy to go with my gut feeling here.

OMG, so what?

People are free to judge grim things. People are free to say it’s not right.

There’s nothing you can do about other people’s thoughts, and some things absolutely deserve to be condemned.

It's weird but no more weird than pretending to be a nurse or whatever other costumes people go for... not my bag any of it but as long as no real children are involved I can't get too het up. Adult colouring, crafts and story time is something that many adults enjoy btw, doesn't have to be linked to kink.

Donald Trump wears a nappy? What?

YANBU OP. Anyone who is into this should be viewed with suspicion, IMO. I don’t care about being seen as prudish or uptight on this one.

@Flickersy This was my initial thought. Bit really, we have no idea if anybody only indulges their interests at regulated events. Way back in the day I used to go to large organised licensed raves, but I also used to go to very dodgy parties in abandoned quarries and warehouses and squats

not my bag any of it but as long as no real children are involved I can't get too het up

If there is any kind of sexual element, I definitely can.

And what other reason would someone want to wear a nappy for? I can't fathom that.

Of course it’s more weird than dressing up as a nurse…..?

God it's sexualising children, even if there are no actual children involved. How can people compare this to dressing up as an adult while role playing? What has happened to boundaries in this society?

@GodDammitCecil
But nurses are adults! And if course crafts and colouring can be enjoyed by all ages, it's the idea of people doing them in the context of a kink club, while pretending to be children that alarms me

Getting turned on by nappies and having sex with someone as they pretend to be a baby?

Exactly. A maid outfit is an outfit. She’s still a sexy grown woman.

It’s completely different and scares me that people aren’t concerned.

But you could apply that to anything.

If someone smokes or drinks alcohol, does it follow that they also do weed or other illegal drugs?

If someone drives a car, must I view them with suspicion in case they're going to hijack my car and run down a granny at a zebra crossing?

As long as we live in a society where we have the freedom to do or say whatever we want in private with other consenting individuals within the law, we have to accept that people will, well, do whatever they want in private with consenting individuals.

I'm not saying it's not bloody weird, because it is. But it's not illegal and no-one's being hurt, so I can't get upset about it.

What has happened to boundaries in this society?

They have been groomed away with 'tolerant, be kind, be accepting, if you don't you're a bigot.' And many have parked their brains and mindlessly gone along with that.

But they're still not harming anyone as long as everyone involved is adult and consenting.

The fucking state of this comment! It's fine to judge perverts.

It's bullshit and you could argue that it is harming someone because what's next for the person who is having sex with someone pretending to be a baby?

What's next for the person who's smoking a cigarette? Heroin?