The summer months are approaching which means one thing: beach time! Anyone who knows me knows that whatever free time I have during the Summer months is spent at the beach, lake, or pool. Recently, I came across an article entitled, “To Girls Wearing Cheeky Bikini Bottoms, Please Stop.” Usually, when I read something I disagree with, I keep scrolling. It’s not worth the time or energy to fight a losing battle with someone who is clearly stuck in their ways. This, however, is something I can’t remain quiet about.
“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.”
Really? Who wants to imply that a woman who wears a cheeky bikini bottom does not care about her body or self-image? This simply couldn’t be further from the truth. Women are constantly degraded for anything they wear. This point is made loud and clear from the fact that someone actually wrote an article asking women to stop wearing a certain style of bikini bottom. If a woman wears a crop top, she’s asking for it. If a woman wears a skirt to her knees, she’s a prude. A woman proudly sporting spandex while running errands is deemed an attention seeker or whore, while a woman wearing a pantsuit is deemed masculine. Women cannot win and to imply that a woman has a lack of value because she is wearing something she is comfortable in is absurd and downright insulting.
“It surely doesn't teach [children] about having self-respect or dignity in themselves.”
Quite the contrary. Self-respect and dignity are not correlated with the clothes you wear. Self-respect is all about having confidence and pride within yourself. If you feel comfortable and confident in a cheeky bikini bottom, you rock it. If you would rather stick with a one piece because it makes you feel beautiful, rock it.
“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.”
I took this line to heart. For years, I struggled with body image. I felt insecure, ugly, and unworthy to wear such articles of clothing. As I began to grow comfortable in my skin and as I began to truly love myself, I found that I felt confident in wearing articles of clothing that made me shy away in insecurities in previous years. And truth be told, it sucked. I can’t tell you how many times I fell in love with an article of clothing, but put it back because I didn’t feel beautiful in it. The girl who wrote this article is the kind of person who is wrong with this world.
I am not seeking validation from anyone else because I know that I am beautiful in no matter what I put on. Every single woman on this planet should feel that way. Every single woman should love her body. Women like the author of this article, women who are constantly seeking ways to put other women down, YOU are the problem in society. Not women who are proudly wearing an article of clothing they feel beautiful in.
“Our world needs more women like you (women who don’t wear cheeky bikini bottoms) to prove that we are characters of substance and value, not just itemized beauty to gawk at.”
When I wear my cheeky bikini bottom this Summer, it’s going to be for me. It’s not for other beachgoers, it’s for me. If someone wants to “gawk at me,” then so be it. I’m wearing my bikini because I feel beautiful and confident in it because I am a character of substance and value. To imply that any woman is worthless and that she is devalued because of her choice in clothing is ridiculous. So long as she knows her value, and she knows what she brings to the table, her clothing choices do not matter.
The final point I want to make, and something that is made evidently clear through this article and many others. No matter what you do, someone out there is always going to disagree. Someone will always try to bring you down. Someone will always be there to criticize you. The important thing to remember is to worry about you. Take care of you. Love you. At the end of the day, YOU need to be happy with yourself. Do not rely on others to help you feel good about yourself, and DO NOT allow anyone to dull your shine.
