Grooming/Groomers
Grooming refers to behaviors used by abusers to build relationships and trust with children or young people to aid in manipulating, exploiting and abusing them. The term has been appropriated and weaponized by anti-LGBTQ+ bigots who falsely imply or claim that members of the LGBTQ+ community are pedophiles and are “grooming” children by discussing issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.