My Inner Baby is still closed😞(rant)

[vulpix97]

It sucks that people who don't understand abdls have a say in whether or not we can have a store. If they'd just do even an iota of research and find that abdls are completely harmless, I along with many other Indianans could still be able to enjoy the experience and freedom of browsing a brick and mortar diapy shop.

It didn't bother them for like a year of it being open, so why now? Why strip the owners of achieving the American dream? Why not have a store that caters to adult babies and diaper lovers such as myself? As soon as outsiders find out there's a fetish aspect THEN it's a problem. Such is the folly of ignorance and unfounded fear.

Someone's gotta tell those responsible for the closure that it's very much not what they assume. Unfortunately they don't care so they'd probably never find that out themselves. It's the undeniable comfort and stress relief that diapers and adult baby clothing provide. It's the lifetime of having a natural attraction to wearing diapers and eventually coming to find that you weren't alone that entire time. It's a part of our life that's been a thing for decades but just outside of many others radars. They make me happy. They make you reading this happy. So again, what's the problem? Who's hurting who? It's been researched several times and the understanding only slides more and more in our favor. My happiness does not end where your unfounded discomfort begins.

With all that said, I hope they're allowed to reopen someday. The day that happens is when the divide between us and outsiders is closer to diminished. It'd truly help us to not have to live in a world where seemingly everyone around us thinks we're freaks and nothing more. Again, look into it. Please find that you've been judging a book by its cover this whole time. God help the owners and God bless us all in our pursuits of feeling normal, happy, and belonging.✌️&❤️

 

[Cottontail]

I hope they just work with the city to find a new location. In the meantime, definitely support them by ordering from them online. (I’ve bought a few things from them on eBay.)

I’m sympathetic, but I think they’re fighting a losing battle. It’s a simple fact that a big chunk of their income is fetish-based. The City’s case here seems pretty cut and dried. Better to roll with the punches than stand there and get beaten to death.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

I have a pet name for the city they're in...the city earned it.

 

[NivekDLF]

I really hope they get to open back up! It was not a far drive for me. I really enjoyed every trip to MIB! They are great people!

 

[katierichards7777]

I hope they just work with the city to find a new location. In the meantime, definitely support them by ordering from them online. (I’ve bought a few things from them on eBay.)

I’m sympathetic, but I think they’re fighting a losing battle. It’s a simple fact that a big chunk of their income is fetish-based. The City’s case here seems pretty cut and dried. Better to roll with the punches than stand there and get beaten to death.

Fetishes are not illegal, thats what is frustrating. But besides that point, consenting adults should be able to buy diapers and other clothing for themselves, no matter what the clothing looks like. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I'm sure a lot of folks just share in the frustration of this situation :-(

 

[Chimera]

I hope they just work with the city to find a new location. In the meantime, definitely support them by ordering from them online. (I’ve bought a few things from them on eBay.)

I’m sympathetic, but I think they’re fighting a losing battle. It’s a simple fact that a big chunk of their income is fetish-based. The City’s case here seems pretty cut and dried. Better to roll with the punches than stand there and get beaten to death.

I agree, fighting against this decision is just going to be a lost cause... Unless there are a big number of incontinent customers who get on the soap boxes and express their appreciation for the atmosphere MIB was providing for the local community...which I doubt, due to the nature of incontinence...It's not something most people are public about.
It's definitely not fair, but life is rarely fair unfortunately. I wish them the best, hopefully they are able to bring the store to a city that is more welcoming...

It feels like the city is all like "thank you for all of your tax money over the years, now gtfo. We don't take kindly to your type here."

 

[messydiaper]

I've been on this site long enough to truly believe others when I hear the claim that AB/age regression is stress relief and therapeutic, and not sexual for them. And along this line I think MIB should be able to operate in its current location without regard to zoning because a lot of the customers had no interest in the store as a sex shop.

But I'm the problem. I'm hard-wired so that sex and diapers are a thing, and I won't even pretend that shopping there wasn't a major thrill for me. I am not opposed to visiting a sex toy shop, and given the choice between a sex toy shop and a diaper store, I'll go to the diaper store every time.

Of course I didn't do anything sexual on my visits there, I'm just saying that the store was catering to people like me with the same sexual interest in buying diapers. And that was enough for the city to get picky on the zoning laws and enforce them to the letter of the law.

I don't know what the outcome will be, but I appreciate those of you who are still shopping online with MIB. I will continue to shop there too.

 

[Nowididit]

Looks to me like it's all tied up in legalities. The city is claiming that MIB is operating a sex shop that sells adult toys and other paraphernalia. I saw nothing on their website that offers anything sexually oriented. A semi skilled lawyer could easily quash this.

Now it depends on how MIB has their permit or license filed under city zoning and ordinances.
If they filed under "Adult Sex" business then it seems they don't have enough floor space dedicated to the Adult sex toys or the sales to support it.
Or
MIB is operating a perceived Adult sex shop in an area where ordinances don't allow it. Examples could be within a certain range of public schools or daycare services.
Now if MIB filed for permits to operate under a medical supplier then again the city will look at the floor space dedicated to equipment and the sales to support it.

Seriously all of this really could have been avoided had MIB done their homework and researching before filing permits and licensing.

Could ordinances changed since they opened? Sure but MIB should have set it up to be grandfathered claused and they wouldn't have been affected by the change in the ordinances.

Or

MIB is sitting on prime real-estate that some greedy bastard wants and is pressuring his cronies on the city council to evacuate so they can suck it up with payouts to those who made it happen.

Either way MIB isn't getting all that much support from the ABDL community. Their gofundme has only raised over 5k. This site alone has what, maybe 20k members? So basically $1 from every member would easily put that fund to 20k.
So if anyone wants to fight the good fight they should contribute or sit down and be quiet. If your not contributing then you really don't have a dog in this fight. Words mean nothing. Actions say it all.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

The city is smug enough to project an attitude of "We're the law, that's all that matters; any law we make is good enough for us". They're also smug enough to believe and rest upon the notion that they will have no opposition to what they did...who's gonna oppose them over adult diapers & adult baby things? Media exposure, y'know...and the media won't take our side, for sure.

Plus a quick investigation of those on the council shows they're a far-right majority. Saving the masses from our sinful wretchedness, setting an example.

Isn't it sad how those who claim to represent us ask no questions at all? It's all declarations. Homosexuality had the same social struggle prior to Rock Hudson's death. I remember that time. After that...the change began.

 

[vulpix97]

I've been on this site long enough to truly believe others when I hear the claim that AB/age regression is stress relief and therapeutic, and not sexual for them. And along this line I think MIB should be able to operate in its current location without regard to zoning because a lot of the customers had no interest in the store as a sex shop.

But I'm the problem. I'm hard-wired so that sex and diapers are a thing, and I won't even pretend that shopping there wasn't a major thrill for me. I am not opposed to visiting a sex toy shop, and given the choice between a sex toy shop and a diaper store, I'll go to the diaper store every time.

Of course I didn't do anything sexual on my visits there, I'm just saying that the store was catering to people like me with the same sexual interest in buying diapers. And that was enough for the city to get picky on the zoning laws and enforce them to the letter of the law.

I don't know what the outcome will be, but I appreciate those of you who are still shopping online with MIB. I will continue to shop there too.

I'll continue to shop as well. At least they still operate as a shipping business so pamps, onesies, etc deliver the next day.

 

[Subtlerustle]

Ironically a ruler or a rope to some people are sex toys but you don’t see Staples and Home Depot getting shut down. I wish them all the best but I think these clowns are fighting with tax dollars they know they can tap into while the poor owners are bled dry. Brutal.

 

[BobbiSueEllen]

I'll continue to shop as well. At least they still operate as a shipping business so pamps, onesies, etc deliver the next day.

They're still operating? Just on a remote inventory, right? That's how it came across to me.

Ever hear Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves"? Give it a try someday. You can bet there's a few on the council with jealously-guarded lifestyles of their own. One doesn't have to lead with virtue...just hypocrisy.

 

[Cottontail]

Ironically a ruler or a rope to some people are sex toys but you don’t see Staples and Home Depot getting shut down. I wish them all the best but I think these clowns are fighting with tax dollars they know they can tap into while the poor owners are bled dry. Brutal.

The difference here is that an ABDL store by definition caters to a fetish. It's not just an ageplay thing that a handful of people happen to find sexy. The "sexy" angle is a big and fundamental piece of the business. Put another way: Nobody opens an ABDL store without knowing they're going to have a bunch of diaper fetishists showing up, and the business wants those people to show up.

I'm supportive of My Inner Baby, but I'll admit to finding the statements they've made to the media rather disingenuous. They've gone out of their way to list every conceivable non-fetish customer group, as if to say, "What? Diaper fetishists? Whoa. We had no idea, we swear." As somebody who likes diapers both as an ageplay and a sexy thing, I find that slightly offensive. I'm going to give them some slack because they're clearly grasping at straws here, but I'd rather they argue in favor of sex shop ordinances that are less black-and-white rather than blatantly appealing to the naïveté of non-ABDLs. I don't think either of those approaches stands much of a chance, but if you're going to be a martyr, do it right.

 

[tenderbottoms47]

Looks to me like it's all tied up in legalities. The city is claiming that MIB is operating a sex shop that sells adult toys and other paraphernalia. I saw nothing on their website that offers anything sexually oriented. A semi skilled lawyer could easily quash this.

Now it depends on how MIB has their permit or license filed under city zoning and ordinances.
If they filed under "Adult Sex" business then it seems they don't have enough floor space dedicated to the Adult sex toys or the sales to support it.
Or
MIB is operating a perceived Adult sex shop in an area where ordinances don't allow it. Examples could be within a certain range of public schools or daycare services.
Now if MIB filed for permits to operate under a medical supplier then again the city will look at the floor space dedicated to equipment and the sales to support it.

Seriously all of this really could have been avoided had MIB done their homework and researching before filing permits and licensing.

Could ordinances changed since they opened? Sure but MIB should have set it up to be grandfathered claused and they wouldn't have been affected by the change in the ordinances.

Or

MIB is sitting on prime real-estate that some greedy bastard wants and is pressuring his cronies on the city council to evacuate so they can suck it up with payouts to those who made it happen.

Either way MIB isn't getting all that much support from the ABDL community. Their gofundme has only raised over 5k. This site alone has what, maybe 20k members? So basically $1 from every member would easily put that fund to 20k.
So if anyone wants to fight the good fight they should contribute or sit down and be quiet. If your not contributing then you really don't have a dog in this fight. Words mean nothing. Actions say it all.

Very well stated.👏👏👏 Show up or shut up!!

 

[PupSpaz]

The difference here is that an ABDL store by definition caters to a fetish. It's not just an ageplay thing that a handful of people happen to find sexy. The "sexy" angle is a big and fundamental piece of the business. Put another way: Nobody opens an ABDL store without knowing they're going to have a bunch of diaper fetishists showing up, and the business wants those people to show up.

I'm supportive of My Inner Baby, but I'll admit to finding the statements they've made to the media rather disingenuous. They've gone out of their way to list every conceivable non-fetish customer group, as if to say, "What? Diaper fetishists? Whoa. We had no idea, we swear." As somebody who likes diapers both as an ageplay and a sexy thing, I find that slightly offensive. I'm going to give them some slack because they're clearly grasping at straws here, but I'd rather they argue in favor of sex shop ordinances that are less black-and-white rather than blatantly appealing to the naïveté of non-ABDLs. I don't think either of those approaches stands much of a chance, but if you're going to be a martyr, do it right.

They also rightfully claim that sexy lingerie shops are not given the same treatment. Cvs and Walgreens sell products for sex but aren't given the same treatment. Halloween stores sell nearly everything seen in the shop too. Like many laws, it's up to the moral imperative of those enforcing it as to how it applies, and it can be extremely biased.

Regardless of the arguments, definitely a strong undercurrent of bigotry here. They're in my back yard, and other small businesses catering to the kink community are watching with a sense of foreboding.

 

[Cottontail]

Regardless of the arguments, definitely a strong undercurrent of bigotry here. They're in my back yard, and other small businesses catering to the kink community are watching with a sense of foreboding.

It makes one wonder: Why wasn't this considered when they opened, or was it a conscious decision to tempt fate? Over the years, I've many times role-played in my head, "What if I ran an ABDL store?" ...Which immediately leads to, "How would I avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention from outsiders? How would I ensure a peaceful operation?" It's such a huge and basic question for a business like this that I'm a little surprised anybody would go in seemingly without having considered that the location they selected might be problematic. The nice thing about running such a niche business is that location really doesn't matter. People who want what you're selling will go out of their way to find you. They'll come from other cities. I just feel like this whole thing was very avoidable. I'd love to know what I'm missing.

 

[PupSpaz]

It makes one wonder: Why wasn't this considered when they opened, or was it a conscious decision to tempt fate? Over the years, I've many times role-played in my head, "What if I ran an ABDL store?" ...Which immediately leads to, "How would I avoid attracting the wrong kind of attention from outsiders? How would I ensure a peaceful operation?" It's such a huge and basic question for a business like this that I'm a little surprised anybody would go in seemingly without having considered that the location they selected might be problematic. The nice thing about running such a niche business is that location really doesn't matter. People who want what you're selling will go out of their way to find you. They'll come from other cities. As an admitted outsider, it just feels like this whole thing was very avoidable.

Some of us might consider this, but some might not of. No clue if they considered it or not, and yes every city, county, state and country seems to feel inclined to make their own special laws (often poorly written) making avoiding breaking them even more difficult. In this puppies head, ABDL stores are no more sexual than a custume store. You can sexualize any object - but it's still just an object and not genitals or nudity or encouraging and indoctrinating sexual play...

I happen to know the cucumber is often used as an easily accessible sex toy - should we therefore ban them from grocery stores or make all grocery stores have a 18+ section, or move to a part of town that's less frequented by the oh-so-easily-morally-damaged youth? Oh, and if you think it'd be silly banning cucumbers, tell that to the insecure closeted cucumber fetishist, lol. They might be extremely worried about others also developing an obsession with them or want to keep all the cucumbers to themselves!

Do kinda wonder if there isn't a closeted abdl on the council causing all this grief as they force their own insecurity on others...

 

[buridan]

I am sad that My Inner Baby was forced to shut down their physical store.

Maybe a clever lawyer could convince a court that the store wasn't a "sex shop" as defined by city statute. Trying to convince people that ABDL isn't sexual is a losing game. It's obviously a sexual interest for many of us, if not most. That's why our communities are (and should be) strictly 18+.

If we want to fight politically for stores like My Inner Baby to stay open, we have to fight against prudish zoning laws. We have to fight for adult bookstores to be legal wherever bookstores are legal. We have to fight for leather and kink shops to be legal wherever clothing shops are legal. We have to fight prudery in all of its forms.

 

[Nowididit]

They also rightfully claim that sexy lingerie shops are not given the same treatment. Cvs and Walgreens sell products for sex but aren't given the same treatment. Halloween stores sell nearly everything seen in the shop too. Like many laws, it's up to the moral imperative of those enforcing it as to how it applies, and it can be extremely biased.

Regardless of the arguments, definitely a strong undercurrent of bigotry here. They're in my back yard, and other small businesses catering to the kink community are watching with a sense of foreboding.

OK, what's the bigotry?
Have you read all the court documentation? Filings below.

From what it looks like it's all legality of how their licenses and permits are filed and it's contradictory of their inventory, displaying floor space and sales.
If they filed and applied as an Adult sex shop, their inventory/floor space and sales aren't supporting it. Therefore they filed under false pretenses and are in violation of city zoning and ordinances.
From what it looks like it's the way they filed for their permits and they are currently operating in a zone that doesn't permit a business as such. The city is not saying they are gonna shut MIB down. But MIB must cease and desist until all permits and documentation are properly filed.

Now I see nothing on the MIB website that even remotely looks like what the city is describing as adult sex toys but I haven't been in their showroom. Are there adult sex toys that mimic the genitals/genitalia? Are there leather straps and other devices that are associated with BDSM? Idk.

A lot of ppl getting up in arms over internet gossip instead of looking at any of the court filings. Reminds me of the Little For Big controversy that really turned out to be a big nothing burger.

Please read⬇️

 

[BunnyFofo]

I don't know what the laws in that city are like, but the impression I got from the story wasn't that they weren't really violating any law or ordinance, but instead one city council member got offended by what they were doing and decided to shut them down, using prudish zoning laws as an excuse.

They aren't selling pornography of any kind, selling explicit sex toys, or putting on adult shows, so I think it would take some real mental gymnastics to try and define them as an adults only business. I don't see how "catering to a fetish" is supposed to work, because anything can be a fetish.

There's a certain political affiliation that tends to get super offended by anything that challenges societal/gender norms, and I think that's ultimately the cause of this shop getting shut down. In that light I see the shutdown as a violation of free speech.