In August of 2022 the Wink Wink Boutique, a self proclaimed Woman-Owned, Inclusive, Not Creepy, sex shop made national headlines. Why? Because this store goes out of its way to advertise to children. Yes, they proudly advertise as “age-inclusive." To add to the controversy, Jenn Mason, one of the owners is the School Board President for Bellingham School District. Not only that, but she and other sex “educators” teach sex ed classes IN their sex shop to children as young as nine years old.
In an interview with King 5 News, Jenn Mason was asked about the classes for nine-year-olds and had this to say: "Children have questions at that age. Some have even started going through puberty," said Mason. "I think we should be teaching sex education the way we teach anything else. We don't wait for kids to learn math the wrong way and then correct what they've learned wrong. We help them get it right from the start."
It is worth noting, as Jenn Mason would be aware, that the Bellingham School District, as well as nearly every other school district in the state of Washington, already provides sex education to nine-year-olds. So, why is she teaching at her sex store that she will not openly call to be taught in her schools? The answer to that question can be hinted at on the very first page of their website.
“WinkWink is sex-positive, body-positive, and gender-affirming. We welcome all people–including those of all genders, expressions, and sexual orientations–to our shop. We aim to help make sexual pleasure, wellness, and health available and accessible to everyone.
We believe that normalizing, accepting, and affirming all bodies, identities, and gender experiences is an inherently political act. Pleasure is our revolution.”
They make no attempt to hide their intentions. Their motivations are overtly political. The people who run this store believe that children should be taught about sex and pleasure the “right way," which is clearly based on their own values and beliefs around sex. So how does this affect children who might not be in the store with their parents' consent and approval?
To begin, it cannot be overstated that Jenn Mason sits in a position of profound power. She has the power to influence the school curriculum, guidelines, policies, and has direct access to teachers. It would be entirely possible, if not outright likely that Jenn Mason would instruct teachers and school administrators to direct students who wish to purchase sex toys, kink gear, books about sex and gender that they cannot get at school. Most egregiously, products like chest binders and various packers directly encourages “Trans-identifying” youth to pay the shop a visit. Of course, this would be done explicitly against parents' wishes, and would be hidden from parents without question. Without question, such behaviour would be an appalling abuse of power.
Now, in 2023 another WA sex shop has decided to advertise themselves as explicitly “All-Ages." Aphrodisia Boutique in Port Orchard is owned by a husband and wife, who identify as “queer, polyamorous, neurodivergent sex nerds." And that should tell you everything you need to know about their intentions.
The FAQ section of their website gives some insight into the types of discussions they may seek to have with children. They proudly describe their store as "shame-free." That sounds great on the surface. However they also claim “At Aphrodisia, we believe that for most people, sex is an intrinsic and vital part of the human experience. We also know that everyone will learn about sex eventually, so we’d rather they learned correct, useful, non-stigmatizing information that empowers them to take control of their sexual health and wellness. Since we don’t believe that sex is any more shameful than eating or breathing, we talk about sex frankly, directly, and without euphemisms. Whatever questions our customers ask, we don’t shame them for their curiosity or desires.”
They will be hearing from us very soon. We are holding a protest against this evil on September 30th.
So just what constitutes “correct and useful” sex information for children? Who, if in your store, can see gender deceptive products and kink gear? Are there any questions from children they wouldn’t eagerly answer? I have serious doubts about their sense of boundaries and respect for parents and children. The fact that they have these products on display while enthusiastically welcoming customers of “all-ages” is deeply concerning. Progressives frequently say, "It takes a village to raise a child." It is a phrase that has been increasingly used by extremist progressives to justify exposing children who are not their own to their own “unique” worldview. The problem is that this phrase was used at a time when societal cohesion and common values were the standard. The “village” could help raise a child because it was already understood that the values of the village matched the values of the parent.
In 2023, that is no longer the case.
Today, nothing could be more harmful than the notion that strangers in your community have some inherent “right” to force their values on your children. We must firmly stand up and raise our voices together. Parents are the ones who should be teaching children of these values. Any attempt to usurp that authority should be dealt with harshly.
How do we, as parents, community members, and citizens take corrective action? There are a couple of very impactful ways to do this. The first thing to understand is that local ordinances are incredibly powerful. The Aphrodisia Boutique originally wished to open in Bremerton but local ordinances prevented them from doing so. City Councils represent a powerful way to make change in your community where it matters most. We recommend that you pay attention to local elections for city council, mayor, and school board, in particular. These often go overlooked, but they are far more important than you know. As tax-paying citizens, we can propose city ordinances to better protect children and require sex stores to be 18+. Beyond the local level, you can contact your local state representative or senator to propose state legislation that would regulate such things into law. There are also ways to propose initiatives that would allow citizens to sign for it to become law directly. Another way to affect change is to really get to know your community and put your values forward to make our communities safer for children. Put partisanship aside, hold everyone equally accountable, protest, get out there and show that you are in the majority. A very small, radical, and LOUD cult is trying to speak on your behalf. Do not let them.
And most importantly, always make sure to stay positive. This is a fight that will be won. The Silenced Majority WILL be heard. Gays Against Groomers is in this with you and millions of people agree with us.
This is the actual right way to go about doing activism. We will build city councils that represent our values, school boards who prioritize safety and education, elect mayors who listen to our concerns and pass them on to other local governmental agencies. Together, we will reach across party lines, and unite with one another to end the war on children.