TikTok is home to so many things. The rantings of conspiracy theorists, folks who will stop at nothing for a laugh and people that simply love to dance or sing for a virtual audience, just to name a few.
But apparently the platform can also be a place to share seriously thoughtful parenting advice. In at least one corner of the internet, we're a far cry from the 15-second, no eye contact sex talk that happens in the car one day without warning.
The advice came from TikTok user @book_mama, who responded to a post from Nevada Shareef. Shareef asked users to explain "something about the way you raised your kids that people think is weird but you think is healthy."
Cayce LaCorte, @book_mama's real name according to BuzzFeed News, offered up her response which centered around her intentional handling of the "sex talk"—and all the surrounding dynamics—with her daughters.
"I'm raising my five daughters to believe that there is no such thing as virginity. It is a patriarchal concept used to control women and serves no purpose--other than making women feel bad about ourselves."
"Just because some guy randomly sticks his penis in you at some point in your life, it does not change your worth, it does not change who you are, it doesn't do anything other than it happened."
"Sex is important, it's a big deal, it should always be a big deal. It has nothing to do with your 'first time.' It's just ridiculous, the whole concept is just ridiculous."
LaCorte then shared other parents often give her "so much crap" claiming her advice will make her daughters more promiscuous.
For LaCorte, that's a hard no.
"No, I'm raising them to be good people and have solid foundations and make their own choices, and make smart, intelligent choices--not because some book says not to."
TikTok users who saw LaCorte's video were thrilled.
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Some people learned quite a lot from the brief clip.
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BuzzFeed News spoke with LaCorte directly following the explosive popularity of the video, which ultimately garnered over 2 million views.
LaCorte elaborated more on her viewpoint.
"It's about the way we force arbitrary rules on ourselves and our kids and miss the big picture. Instead, we could focus on education about pregnancy, STDs, self-worth."
"How about, instead of making the first time special, make sure it's always special because that's the bare minimum you deserve."
"Purity culture is toxic at its core. Women are treated vastly different than men because its roots are steeped in a history of women being property."
"Can you imagine what the world would look like if society put half as much effort into making the world a safer place for women, instead of worrying that she's not a virgin for her husband?"
And if you want to hear more of LaCorte's parenting outlook and advice, you're in luck.
BuzzFeed News went on to share LaCorte has authored a book, has a Youtube channel in the works and is set to begin work on a newsletter all centered around "consent and the power of choice," according to LaCorte's website.
@LauraLoomer/X
