Some conservatives have begun using words like “grooming” often associated with child sex abuse. Such rhetoric hurts the LGBTQ people, particularly gay men who have long been accused of predatory behavior. Careless use of words connected to child sex abuse diminishes the experience of survivors, advocates say. Grooming, a term associated with adults who sexually abuse children, has become an attack word in today’s battle over anti-LGBTQ legislation and is spilling out into the broader culture wars. The term, coined in the 1980s, describes a process used to gain access to a potential victim, coerce them to agree to the abuse and reduce the risk of being caught, according to RAINN, a national anti-sexual violence organization.