It's not a girl thing!!!!!!!!

Ok, I seriously need to blow off some steam.

I am so seriously frustrated listening to folks 'around our area' talk about how 'girls should dress' and how 'girls should behave' so as not to attract unwanted attention from boys. Really? Seriously? Ok, let me elaborate.  I'm going to list out the comments I have heard that really make me squirm then give you my response.  These 'responses' from me I sometimes blurt out to people's faces, other times I have really held my tongue. I always try to be respectful of others opinions, culture and feelings.  I do, however, get seriously hot under the collar when others feel the need to foist their bits on me and my kids. With that said, read on but you've been warned.

#1 Girls shouldn't wear things with words or bling bling on their backsides. It's going to make the boys stare at their backsides.

I find this really something especially since I see so many moms wearing Miss Me brand jeans around here (ie bling all over the booty). I would ask, "Well, what does the word read? Do those athletic shorts read 'Hot' or 'Bootyliscious' or whatever, or do they read 'Florida' or 'New York' or something random and innocuous?"  And.....have you taught your son that he should never objectify girls?

#2 Those shorts that girl is wearing are too short. Those are going to make boys want to do bad things to her.

I ask, "Are her butt cheeks hanging out? Or are those shorts just really short?" There is a huge difference in my mind. Is she at the beach or walking to the pool or is she going to the shopping mall with a group of friends dressed like that? There is a time and a place for most clothing. And......have you taught your son that he should never objectify girls?

#3  Those high school girl cheerleader/girl drill team/band flag corps girls' uniforms are too sexy.

I seriously think that this is the most offensive to me. I pretty much NEVER hear anything about how tight football pants are. I NEVER hear anything about how football boys (well, male jocks in general) are always shifting around their 'private parts protection' in public. I've never heard comments like the above about female or males ballet dancers. And....have you taught your son that he should never objectify girls? And.....come to think of it.....what would make a mom say the above comment about high school girls? Are their husbands' eyes wandering? If that's the case....gross....wrong.  Were those men ever taught not to objectify girls?


People are 'cultured' to think some things are acceptable and some things are not. In Ethiopia, it was totally normal when I was there years ago to see two grown men who were close friends (not lovers) walking hand in hand.  But here in the States, folks would assume they were a couple. There are places where women go topless on the beaches - no big deal. If any woman went topless on a beach here, she's likely be arrested, or spoken badly about by other women at the very least. The beaches were I grew up in the States would arrest girls for wearing thong bikinis (ie shows a few more inches of butt cheek then a regular bikini or shows all the butt cheeks).  Other places, thong bikinis are no big deal. 

Having lived in Dubai, I've seen women fully covered in black stared at just as much as women who were in short skirts and high heels. It is all about what you are 'cultured' with growing up.

So how about this....can we just all please to teach our sons and our daughters not to objectify the opposite sex? Can we please teach our children to respect each other?

Thanks for the vent.

Peace.

And, please pardon my typos. I'm tired.