A woman who sleeps in a dog crate has slammed those who "fetishize" what she does, as she claims that it is "therapy" for her.
Lia Parker, 21, curls up in a dog kennel each night as she views it as a safe space, but her actions have caused something of a divide online.
The 21-year-old uploads footage of her day-to-day life onto TikTok under the name Angel Fairer, and there is usually a debate raging in the comments.
In one video, Parker takes the viewers on a tour of her room which features many teddy bears, as well as a dog crate on the floor full of blankets and cuddly toys.
In the text over the top of the video, the 21-year-old wrote: "You have every right to give yourself the childhood that was stolen," while adding at the bottom: "Do not sexualize this video."
During an interview with NeedToKnow.co.uk, Parker gave an insight into why she sleeps in a crate and the reasons seem completely understandable.
"It helps me regulate emotionally and symptomatically," the US-based woman said. "For me, it feels like a hug and like a hideaway, somewhere separate from whatever is triggering me or making me upset."
Parker understood that she would receive backlash. "I knew most people wouldn’t understand or think it was weird," she said.
"While it’s sometimes frustrating, it doesn’t really matter if it can help people struggling. I’m sure if it was a cardboard box or blanket fort, then no one would care."
Expressing her distaste at the sexual comments she gets on her videos, the 21-year-old went on: "When people say the cage must be sexual it makes me uncomfortable.
"This is not because I can’t understand why they think that or why someone else would want that, but because I go so out of my way to put disclaimers and reference my trauma."
"It feels like they’re intentionally fetishizing something that I’ve made clear is tied to trauma," Parker said.
Though it should be said that not everybody who views Parker's videos posts hateful comments, as a large amount are supportive of her.
"I want a cage so bad. I feel like people misconstrue it. I want to feel small and safe and protected from outside," one person commented.
A second added: "When I was little getting sensory overload, I would go in the dark, quiet, cramped space under my bed. [Your] cage looks lovely and safe."
It seems that Parker has legitimate reasons for sleeping in a crate and as they say, live and let live!
