A sexuality expert has sparked fierce debate after suggesting parents should ask babies for permission before changing their nappies.
Deanne Carson made the controversial claim on ABC News during a segment about teaching consent to children from birth.
Carson, who calls herself a “sexuality educator, speaker, and author” on Twitter, said consent should begin at infancy.
She told the program that parents could ask questions like: “I’m going to change your nappy now, is that okay?”
“Culture Of Consent” From Birth
Carson admitted that babies cannot give a clear verbal response to such a question.
She explained: “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.”
Carson stressed that her work with children from the age of three supports introducing consent principles as early as possible.
Her comments immediately caused confusion online, with thousands questioning how realistic or necessary the idea actually is.
Social Media Reaction
Since the clip aired, many users on Twitter slammed Carson’s suggestion.
One wrote: “Sorry but if a child has a dirty nappy then their parents should change it because that’s part of caring for your child properly – not because their child granted them permission.”
Another added: “Can you imagine showing up at the doctors with your baby because due to a lack of permission you couldn’t change its nappy for days and now your baby has a skin condition?”
Sky News Australia commentator Rowan Dean also weighed in, calling the idea “lefty lunacy.”
The clip quickly spread across platforms, with people sharing memes and sarcastic responses to the suggestion.
Carson Responds To Backlash
After days of criticism, Carson defended herself in a lengthy Facebook post.
She wrote: “Sadly, some people have chosen to ridicule me (oh no! Pink hair! Must be a lesbian!) and the notion of giving infants bodily autonomy (poo in nappies har har am I right?).”
Carson then cited statistics on child sexual assault to highlight the importance of teaching consent.
She continued: “The work we do with children, teachers and parents is the international best practice in abuse prevention.”
Carson also warned critics that their comments risk harming survivors.
She concluded: “The voices of these brave survivors of sexual abuse” should not be dismissed by mockery of preventative measures.
Ongoing Debate
Despite her clarification, many still mocked the proposal.
One user joked: “Good news! My three-month-old baby has never given me permission to change his nappy, so I haven’t! Much less work this way!”
Others argued that while consent education is valuable, applying it to babies is impractical and distracts from genuine abuse prevention.
The debate remains polarizing, with critics branding it extreme, while supporters believe it sparks necessary conversations about boundaries.
Carson continues to stand by her message: building a culture of respect and consent starts earlier than most people think.
Featured image credit: ABC & Pexels
