Do Grandparents Need Consent to Hug Family?
They’ve long been coming for the nuclear family: husband, wife and their children. Now they are coming for the generational family.
In Ireland, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) created and ran a video advertisement advising everyone that grandparents should get consent before hugging their own grandchildren.
You heard that right.
The advertisement comes from We-Consent, a DRCC campaign funded by the Irish government. It informs us that getting consent before grandma and grandma ever hug their grans is “absolutely” essential.
You can see the advertisement here:
The piece starts with the ring of a doorbell. A tween boy opens the door and happily welcomes his “granny and grandad” with an excited hug. When the couple turns to hug their obviously reluctant teenage granddaughter, we hear a record scratch sound and receive a stern warning:“Not everyone wants a hug. Even from the people who love them.”
Viewers are warned that grandparents should always get consent when giving their sweet hugs.
This, from a rape crisis center.
Yes, positioning grandparents as a credible and physical threat to their grandkids is bonkers.
Thankfully, the backlash was universally fierce. Irish Parliament member Jim O’Callaghan announced that DRCC’s video “does not represent the views of the Government” — even thoughIrish taxpayers fund the We-Consent program.
O’Callaghan stated the ad “was both inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents and has been removed by DRCC.”
Seth Dillon of the Babylon Bee had the best take on this craziness, posting this on his X feed, “If you don’t want to hug your loved ones when they come visit — and you’re willing to hurt them and make them uncomfortable by telling them they don’t have your consent — then you’re the problem.” He rightly adds, “You’re a stunted, self-centered person who needs help.”
Grandparents are a blessing. They point us to our heritage and help us know who we are. Grandchildren receiving a loving hugged is one of the richest blessings of life. It is evil to imply something so naturally beautiful is dangerous.
Photo from Shutterstock.
