Up Front by Emma Hart

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Up Front: That's Inappropriate!

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  • Tess Rooney,

    Okay, do people here think that short skirts on teenage girls are NOT regarded by society as sexually attractive/suggestive? Or are we saying that yes, it is seen as sexually suggestive and it shouldn't be, or are we saying that short skirts on school girls and sexual signals are utterly unrelated?

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Tess Rooney,

    Ah, yes... right about now the North Shore is throbbing with hundreds - nay thousands! -- of slutty boys flashing their lovely legs, shorts straining to restrain their taut beefy thighs, as they flaunt their tanned arms for all to see. If you'll excuse me I need to have a cold shower and gouge my eyes out with a teaspoon.

    Will nobody think about the dirty old gay men!

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Will nobody think about the dirty old gay men!

    I'd rather not if it's all the same to you ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Tess Rooney,

    Okay, do people here think that short skirts on teenage girls are NOT regarded by society as sexually attractive/suggestive?

    We think, I'm pretty confident in asserting, that it's neither helpful nor useful - for the girls or society - to reinforce the conviction that what women wear is a guide to their sexual availability.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Tess Rooney, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    That's fair. But do you think it's possible?

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Russell Brown,

    I'll restrain myself. Just for you -- thankfully any erotic allure is quickly dissipated by the teenage propensity to be irritating beyond reason. The Victorian tradition of packing your children off to boarding school until they could hold their liquor and use a fish fork properly is much under-rated.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    We think, I’m pretty confident in asserting, that it’s neither helpful nor useful – for the girls or society – to reinforce the conviction that what women wear is a guide to their sexual availability.

    I'm just popping out to get Lucy a pony.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Tess Rooney,

    That’s fair. But do you think it’s possible?

    It is if we start by not telling them that if they wear short skirts they’re really telling all the boys they want them, which inevitably leads to sex and regret. Or perhaps by not telling them that it’s their job to not be “provocative”. You know. Small steps.

    I’m just popping out to get Lucy a pony.

    I can't have a dragon instead? *looks hopeful*

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    kneed to knowing...
    There does appear to be a lot of
    hemming and whoring here...
    (he thighed)

    ...the upshot seems to be the
    borderline proposal that
    "if you turn it up, sewn, the seeds are..."
    as Yoda might say (if you forced him)

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    I don't think I can wait for the appropriate thread to post this, so I'll just chuck it in here now and hope noone gets too offended:

    http://privilegedenyingdude.tumblr.com/

    And if anyone is offended by this, well, that's because you're racist.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    Serious question: I very seldom wear long pants. (In fact the last time was at the last Great Blend.) Would anyone view that as saying anything about my "sexual availability" - and if not, is there anything behind you reasoning besides my gender?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Lucy Stewart,

    I can’t have a dragon instead? *looks hopeful*

    You can haz time share on my next kitteh – which will be carefully trained to be a brain-melting mash up of Mephistopheles and Hello Kitty.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to Tess Rooney,

    That’s fair. But do you think it’s possible?

    Whatever we do, we must be realistic. Short skirts are going to be perceived by some as sexually attractive/aggressive, therefore as a sign of availability. Of course since we’re talking about a school and there are educators involved, it might be considered an opportunity to teach that particular cohort that sexy doesn’t mean available. But is it realistic? I mean could we convince them all? Probably not. Let’s not even try. Let’s in fact preach the very opposite of that.

    While we’re on the subject, should we coach effeminate gay male pupils to talk and behave in a more stereotypically manly manner? I’m asking because the way they carry on might be taken by some other males as an excuse to bully them. Of course it is no such thing, and the fault resides entirely with the bullies. But is it possible to dispel this notion? And if it’s not, should we even try? Probably not. Again, we’re at a school after all – best ignore any and all teachable moments and reinforce prejudice instead.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    You have time share my next kitteh – which I intend to select on the basis of pure evil.

    Awwww, Craig, you're such a sweetheart.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Tess Rooney,

    "It is if we start by not telling them that if they wear short skirts they’re really telling all the boys they want them, which inevitably leads to sex and regret. Or perhaps by not telling them that it’s their job to not be “provocative”. You know. Small steps."

    Yet again, I think it's context. No one assumes netballers are gagging for it because they wear short skirts - it's practical. Yet what about woman's beach vollyball which clearly has a male following because of what little they wear. I think we need to be realistic about social meanings that clothes portray.

    Would anything a girl wears ever be unacceptable to you? Say she turned up to school on mufti day wearing a corsette and stockings, would this still be acceptable to you? Because to me it seems like a sliding scale of acceptabtility.

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg,

    Would anyone view that as saying anything about my “sexual availability” – and if not, is there anything behind you reasoning besides my gender?

    Since you had to ask; that totally depends on how high your hotpants go when you're kneeling.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    The little buggers...

    Will nobody think about the dirty old gay men!

    Why can’t we be honest about the fact that some boys dress to attract the male gays?
    : - )

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Tess Rooney,

    @Craig - I once went to a party where one gay man was wearing skin tight silver hotpants and nothing else, okay I lie, maybe a bow-tie too. Are these the kind of shorts you are wearin? Because if so, then yes, you look like sexually available.

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Martin Lindberg,

    Be careful what you wish for, young man. There is someone out there who will Photoshop my head onto Kylie Minogue’s body for a gold coin.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart, in reply to Tess Rooney,

    Would anything a girl wears ever be unacceptable to you? Because to me it seems like a sliding scale of acceptabtility.

    The phrase you're actually looking for there, Tess, is "slippery slope". We wouldn't want to mess up the bingo scoring.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Tess Rooney,

    It's not a slippery slope, it's about context and social definitions of signals that certain clothes or ways of dressing send. Togs...undies :)

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • B Jones,

    I got some of my best lessons in sexism (as in omigod, people think like that? How should I deal with it?) at high school. It's where people learn about life, which is why conservatives get angsty about sex education curricula. It would be nice if by the time my daughter goes to college she was learning about how to treat people fairly. It's a better lesson than how not to be one of those Terrible Sluts.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 976 posts Report Reply

  • Tess Rooney,

    I just googled "sexy school girl". It was short skirt world folks.

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Martin Lindberg,

    There is someone out there who will Photoshop my head onto Kylie Minogue’s body for a gold coin.

    I'm spinning around on my chair as I type.

    Stockholm • Since Jul 2009 • 802 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I just googled “sexy school girl”. It was short skirt world folks.

    Your point being?

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

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