There is a stigma in society that oftentimes shuns girls for showing too much skin or wearing something too revealing. The age-old tale of “girls should cover-up,” rather than boys should respect women has been one that we have heard time and time again.
But, with numerous movements and social activism to fight for the freedom and respect of women and their bodies, people are now speaking out in support of a woman’s decision to choose whatever she’d like to wear.
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Recently, a youth pastor got involved in the conversation, apologizing for his past decisions.
Bryce Brewer was shopping in a local Target with his fiancé and her 10-year-old daughter when they were looking for “cute but appropriate” one-piece swimsuits for her.
To his surprise, most of the nice, fashionable swimsuits were indeed two-piece bathing suits. Brewer was confused.
For 20 years, Bryce Brewer has been a youth pastor and ran a summer camp program.
The youth pastor admitted that over the last 20 years, he has always required that the young women who attend his summer camp wear a one-piece bathing suit.
But, walking through Target, he realized how difficult it could be to find a one-piece bathing suit that is both age-appropriate and nice.
Now, Brewer is apologizing to young women everywhere.
In a lengthy Facebook post , Brewer writes:
“I am sorry that I didn’t teach boys to control themselves.
I am sorry I laid the weight of purity on a girl’s swimsuit while she was swimming, and not on the boy’s responsibility to not be gross.”
He also apologized for making the girls feel their bodies “needed to be covered.”
“I am sorry to all the girls that frantically searched for an appropriate one piece so that some male youth pastor could deem them appropriate.
I am sorry that we have deemed a young women’s body as something that ‘needs to be covered’ and let young men’s bodies be ok to be seen,” he continued.
Brewer also apologized to the women who were part of the meeting in which they discussed these rules.
“I am sorry I ever let this be an item of discussion, usually lead by men, at any youth leader meeting … this must have been awful for my female leaders and students to be part of,” he said, reflecting on when they developed the rule.
He said he is still “against some things being seen.”
“I am still a fan of the ‘No Produce Rule’ – No buns, bananas, or breasts need to be seen. But why are stomachs overtly sexual? Why is a little cleavage sinful? Why are women meant to feel they are responsible for men’s actual sin of lust,” he questioned.
Brewer ended his post with a call to action for all students and other youth pastors.
“Female students – Wear a swimsuit that lets you have fun.
Male students – stop being disgusting and control yourself.
Youth pastors (male especially) – stop being chauvinist and making female students feel bad for having breasts,” he concluded in his post.
People online were in support of this youth pastor and his commitment to righting his wrongs.
One woman said that at her daughter’s daycare, they made her swim with a t-shirt over her one-piece when she was just 4-years-old because her bathing suit “crept up at the bottom.”
The mom was angry and said something to the daycare, and they also reassessed their decision.
Others said they applaud the pastor for realizing the problem is not with women’s bodies.
Other commenters pointed out that it’s not a woman’s fault for having the body she has, and boys and men need to be taught that a girl’s body is not “shameful or disgusting.” In addition, it’s not there to “please” or “entertain.”
We applaud this pastor as well for his honesty!
