"What's Wrong with How I Dress?"

[acroyear]

Women once complained about being reduced to sex objects. Now, their daughters are volunteering to be sex objects. And while parents register disapproval, they often fail to take action. In that failure, they unwittingly place their daughters at risk by allowing them to bypass girlhood. When a daughter moves straight from little girl to woman, she's playing a role rather than gradually learning to live her own life. These girls may seem whole, but they aren't. There is often a lost girl inside.

[...]

I will be the first to admit that mental health experts have contributed to the problem. [...] my personal favorite is the zany idea that parents should never say "No," because it would be too negative! It isn't surprising that they also have a tough time telling their daughters, "You're not going out of this house in that outfit. End of subject."

-- Editorial in the Post's Sunday Outlook...

Comments

[cozit.livejournal.com]

Then there's the one mother last year who claimed that she was unable to find anything that fit the dress code for her daughter to wear, so she'd *had* to wear the too short shirts with the too low pants, and the way too short skirts.

Yeah, I've been in the stores. It really actually *can* be tough because the idiots who buy for so many of the chains think that current fashion, whatever it is, is the only thing they should stock... so as shirts, pants and skirts on the runways got smaller, they haven't the nerve to search out something different and respectable for school at the least.

It's simple... no skin between shirt and pants, no tank-tops (must have some sleeves... guy or gal), shorts and skirts must be long enough to reach below fingers when hands are at sides (yes, that's still above mid-thigh). And there are girls who still routinely get told to put a gym t-shirt on, or to borrow a sweatshirt from the office... and a few others who seem to be overlooked *way* too often.

Thankfully (so far) E. agrees with me that bellies aren't for showing, unless it's summer and it's a bikini... but even then not too much (though I think the tickle-effect still has something to do with that :-)

[rantipole6.livejournal.com]

I had a student in a class I teach wrote a letter to the editor (as part of a class project on the first ammendment) who spoke out against the school's "no Halloween costumes in school" policy who wrote, "The school's rationale for not allowing costumes is that it will 'encourage girls to dress unladylike'. I'm sorry, but half the girls at this school dress like hoes anyway." I thought that was cute.

Nonetheless, I sometimes wonder if the media makes a bigger deal of the subject of promiscuous teen fashion than necessary. Sure it's tacky, but are the consequences on society really that dire if girls dress like that?

Btw, I added you to my friend's list. I'd be honored if you'd return the favor.