NOBLESVILLE, Ind. (WRTV)— Is it a sex shop or not? A store in Noblesville, Indiana, is being pressured to close because it may be contributing to a specific fetish.
My Inner Baby sells adult diapers as well as clothing for adults that mimics children’s clothing.
The City of Noblesville issued the owners a cease and desist order claiming the store is in violation of a zoning ordinance. The city says it's is a sex shop. However, the owners claim they provide medical devices to people that need them.
"We do have many customers who use it for medical needs,” Ryan Polokoff. “We don't distinguish, we don't ask our customers, 'Hey, what are you coming in here for, how we can help?'”
Polokoff said the store is an FDA-licensed medical facility.
"The city's attorney has argued since we are using the letters ABDL in our marketing that we are marketing everything as a sex shop,” Polokoff said.
The acronym ABDL stands for adult baby/diaper lovers. According to Urban Dictionary, ABDL is a fetish among some adults who role-play as a baby wearing diapers. The degree of the fetish may extend anywhere from wearing diapers to wetting and being seen/exposed in them.
The city used the definition in their arguments as to why the store was indeed a sex shop. However, one customer says the city has got it all wrong.
"It is a medical supply store — there are a lot of people like me that have bladder issues,” Emily Clanton said. “I do wear incontinence supplies due to my bladder being paralyzed. So, I come here because this is actually a really good place to go and it's better than what Walmart sells."
While Clanton uses the medical supplies sold at My Inner Baby, she also enjoys the clothes too. But she said she uses it as a way to cope with her mental health issues.
"I don't want to be an adult today, I'm going to put on a onesie, I'm just going to watch cartoons and I am going to take a break,” Clanton said. ”So, it is very therapeutic for me."
My Inner Baby may be out of the norm, but the owners maintain they aren't hurting anyone or breaking any rules, so they plan on fighting the city in court.
"This is not a sex shop and we are not going to be bullied,” Polokoff said. “You don't get to tell us that your morals don't fit what we are doing so we are going to stand, and we are going to fight back. "
In a statement, the city said it will "take further legal or enforcement action as appropriate."
This story was originally reported by Meredith Hackler on wrtv.com.
