The so-called Mommy Lobby is outraged at some Victoria Secret ad that uses young women selling underwear and swimwear, etc., and at how this objectifies women, contributing to the moral decrepitude of our society! I’ve heard this argument for decades now, holier-than-thou self-styled custodians of our moral standards inveighing against commercialization and sexual mores and social attitudes! So let’s consider this for a moment.
Listen, Mommy Dearest: I know you’re worried about your Daughters and you don’t want them exploited by “society.” But instead of spending all that energy attacking VS, you may want to address the people at the root of the problem—your Sons! If you taught them that women are not objects NO MATTER HOW THEY DRESS, if you taught them that when a GIRL SAYS NO IT MEANS JUST THAT; if you paid close attention to what they’re doing in school or at their friends’ houses; if you slapped them silly (figuratively, I mean, although the other kind might also work) for believing that every woman is their reward because they can throw a perfect spiral; if you taught them that every woman is an extension of you and you keep at them rigorously without EVER once winking at their Neanderthal ways because “boys will be boys;” if you discipline them severely EVERY SINGLE TIME they get out of line, then you would never have to worry about your daughters’ safety and they could express themselves without being made to feel guilty because their idiotic “brothers” grew up with a sense of entitlement that’s appalling!!
They don’t want young girls to dress in skimpy outfits. In fact, they don’t want any women wearing them. And I’m not talking about dressing in class or at the office or in church; although why that should make a difference I don’t know; but it does and I’m willing to concede the point—for the moment! Somewhere else we can talk about how religious leaders are morbidly afraid of women’s bodies! Why does the Mommy Lobby not want it? Oh, because they’re provocative! Inherent in this thought is the idea (and we seem to have accepted it almost without demur) that women who dress in skimpy outfits are responsible for the emotions they awaken. After all, how can men control their natural tendencies? How can they not be aroused? Of course men will be aroused. Yes, it may be natural. But that isn’t the point, is it? Walk around with a boner all day for all I care! The only thing that matters is that you keep it to yourself! If women dress “provocatively’ (and I’m not even sure what the hell that means, because a smile can be even more provocative than cleavage) it may be an invitation to look but you can be damn sure it’s not an offer of anything else, because if it were you can be damn sure they’d let you know! Oh, but how can I tell? I assumed she wanted it! If you took your attitude out of your ear you might actually hear them say NO!! Ay, there’s the rub!
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