Usually I see a bunch of articles that I disagree with. Recently, a girl wrote an article asking other girls to stop wearing cheeky bikini bottoms. If you haven't seen this article, the link is below.
"To Girls Wearing Cheeky Bathing Suit Bottoms, Please Stop" https://www.theodysseyonline.com/cheeky-bathing-suit-bottoms-trend-that-must-stop
This article absolutely infuriated me, and I felt the need to stand up for myself and our entire gender. With that being said...
To The Girl Asking Other Girls To Stop Wearing Cheeky Bikini Bottoms,
Please stop.
Here is my response to your article, as well as every little thing that is wrong with your article.
1) You contribute to women being sexualized through everything you stated in your article.
My body is my body. Your body is your body. We have bodies. We are not sexual objects. The fact that you are stating that women showing skin is inappropriate contributes to women continuously being sexualized. It is not our choice if someone views us as anything other than a human being especially when it comes to what we are wearing. Women are already so highly sexualized in this society and seeing you, as a woman, contribute to it is disgusting.
2) My bathing suit has NO correlation to my self-respect or dignity.
Two quotes from this girl's article are stated below:
"Coming from a female who cares about her body and self-image, this not only makes me angry but disappointed in the lack of value that women still have today."
"More importantly, what does it teach the younger generation who see women wearing these types of bathing suits? It surely doesn't teach them about having self-respect or dignity in themselves."
What I wear has absolutely nothing to do with my self-respect or dignity. My morals and my actions are not defined by what clothing is on my body. Just because my booty is showing while I'm at the beach does not change my values. It does not make me any less of a person than you, who chooses not to show skin in public. I also care very much about my body and self-image, and dressing differently than you choose to has NO correlation to my morals or dignity. I am not ashamed to show my body and that has nothing to do with how much dignity I possess. All women should be respected as women. Dressing a certain way has nothing to do with how much respect people should have for you. Shame on you for that comment.
3) Why is it socially acceptable for you to tell other women what to wear?
"Why should it be socially acceptable to wear basically a thong around in public in the summer months?"
Why is it socially acceptable for you to tell other women what to wear? Why do you think you can tell women what is right and wrong? What is socially acceptable is encouraging other women to express themselves how they want to, and to encourage women to feel confident and beautiful in anything that they want to wear. It is not socially acceptable to slut-shame your own gender.
4) Women do not do things or wear things to "attract the attention of men".
"Do you often see men roaming around in a speedo to attract attention? The answer to that question is obviously no. Therefore, why do women feel the need to succumb to showing more and more skin each year to attract attention?"
This is 2017. If you are under the impression that everything a woman does is to attract a man's attention, then you need to climb out of the rock you're living under and realize what century we are living in. I do not choose clothing or the bikini bottoms I wear to attract the attention of men. That is the last thing that crosses my mind. I choose clothing based on how I feel in it. If I want to show my skin because I feel good in what I'm wearing, then I'm going to do that. If you feel good covering your entire body, then you do that. This has nothing to do with seeking the attention of men. I choose clothing for myself and no one else.
5) Your comment about being a parent.
"I mean think of yourself as a parent, would you want to see your daughter flaunting "her stuff" in a bathing suit that barely covers anything while boys flock to her every side?"
If I were a parent, I would not teach my daughter to dress a certain way to prevent the attention of men. It would not be my daughter's choice if a man sexualized her or judged her based on her clothing. I would not teach her to grow up feeling ashamed of showing her body. I would encourage her to wear whatever she felt the most confident and beautiful in. I would teach her to dress for herself, and I would teach her that her clothes do not define her as a human being. I would teach her that she is strong and she is empowering no matter how much or how little clothing she had on her body.
6) Is this what you call advice?
"Although I know many women this summer will not be listening to my advice, however, for those of you who do, thank you for showing respect to your bodies as well as yourselves."
This is your advice? Your advice to women is telling them to not show skin because people like you will judge them as a person for what they are wearing? How is showing your body disrespecting it? It's not. Your advice is telling women that their level of respect has to do with a bathing suit?
Well here's some advice for you. Educate yourself. Empower women instead of tearing them apart. Do not shame YOUR gender. You claim to have so much respect for yourself but your idea of respect has to do with what is on your body. Learn what self-respect actually means and what actually defines it.
To the girls still wearing cheeky bikini bottoms with me,
You're empowering.
You're respected.
You're beautiful.
This world needs more women like you.
