I have heard a lot of arguments for why women should dress more modestly.
Whatever the reason stated, the subtext is always about controlling bodies seen as sex objects first and people second, regardless of the rights of the person in question.
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Often, modesty is brought up for religious reasons or that short skirts will “distract” boys. And if said girl is a follower of said religion and chooses to dress modestly, then that’s her choice.
As for the “distraction” argument, the less said the better, save that it’s a pile of bull.
Each of us is in control of our own actions and if Jimmy can’t concentrate because Suzy’s bra strap is peaking out from her collar, that’s Jimmy’s problem.
Hell, if we blame the distractions, then it’s Twitter’s fault that this article took me longer to write than necessary…
But one mom’s letter to the editor of a student newspaper has brought a new twist to the debate.
In it, she says that she really hoped that fashions would change and the letter wouldn’t be necessary, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.
I’m not trying to insult anyone or infringe upon anyone’s rights. I’m just a Catholic mother of four sons with a problem that only girls can solve: leggings.
“I’m not trying to insult…” is not how you start any statement that isn’t insulting.
See also: “I’m not racist, but…” and the like.
Because insisting that women should stop wearing leggings because of how it affects you or your sons is infringing on their rights to wear what they damn well please.
Yet, the strangest part of the letter is that she admits the problem isn’t with her sons. It’s with her.
My sons know better than to ogle a woman’s body — certainly when I’m around (and hopefully, also when I’m not). They didn’t stare, and they didn’t comment afterwards.
Good job, Mom! You’ve raised them right!
But you couldn’t help but see those blackly naked rear ends. I didn’t want to see them — but they were unavoidable.
Wait…what?
She explains that she uses Slave Leia as an example of how not to consider women’s bodies.
Which is actually a great way to teach young boys about bodily autonomy, since Jabba forces her into the skimpy outfit.
But being forced into a metal bikini by a giant space slug and choosing to wear comfortable leggings are very different things.
Since her sons are clearly decent guys, she wants you to think of the Catholic mothers instead.
For the Catholic mothers who want to find a blanket to lovingly cover your nakedness and protect you — and to find scarves to tie over the eyes of their sons to protect them from you!
Yes, modesty is both for your own protection and the boys’, because your body is so sexual that they need to be protected from seeing it.
Unsurprisingly, people weren’t thrilled with her letter.
One male student submitted a great response :
The men here ought to know by now how to behave towards their female classmates. For the fleeting few that might not, the fault is entirely their own. No woman should be responsible to alter her dress so men might be aided in behaving appropriately.
The students decided to go for a more fun approach and declared a Leggings Day on campus.
“The Leggings Protest” and “Leggings Pride Day” are just two events created by Notre Dame students to encourage the wearing of leggings in response to the letter.
They’re meant to promote body positivity and an end to gendered dress code expectations.
