NOBLESVILLE — Is it a sex shop or not? A store in Noblesville is being pressured to shutter its doors because what it sells, may be contributing to a specific fetish.
My Inner Baby sells adult diapers as well as clothing for adults that mimics children’s clothing.
Recently, the city of Noblesville issued them a cease and desist claiming that they are violating their zoning ordinance. The city says this is a sex shop while My Inner Baby says they provide medical devices to people that need them.
"We do have many customers who use it for medical needs,” Ryan Polokoff the owner of My Inner Baby said. “We don't distinguish we don't ask our customers hey what are you coming in here for how we can help.”
The owners of My Inner Baby say they are an FDA-licensed medical facility, but the city of Noblesville doesn't see it that way. They sent a second cease and desist order after the board of zoning agreed with the store was violating their zoning district.
"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 this 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 a regular customer of My Inner Baby 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. "
We reached out to the city for comment. In response, they sent the following statement.
“The City is continuing to take appropriate action to enforce existing zoning ordinances for the benefit of the community. On August 1, 2022, the Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously affirmed the Noblesville Planning Director’s decision that the business My Inner Baby was operating is not a permitted use under Noblesville’s Ordinances. Despite the unanimous decision of the Board of Zoning Appeals, My Inner Baby continued operating, and therefore the City requested (and continues to request) that My Inner Baby voluntarily comply with the law and the Board’s decision.
The City will continue to monitor the situation and will take further legal or enforcement action as appropriate. As of this time, no petition for judicial review has been received by the city.
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