Bumcheeks fully on show at family attraction

[SpringSunshineanddaffodils]

Today I was at a local attraction aimed at young families. It's an outdoor attraction with a zoo, a few tame rides, a soft play, that sort of thing. Aimed at kids under 10.

There were two teenage girls there, probably about 16, didn't appear to be with anyone else, who were wondering around looking at the animals. One of them had on the shortest "skirt" imaginable. When I say bum cheeks were on show, I don't just mean a peek or a little glimpse. I mean the "skirt" ended almost at the top of her arse. It's truly was like a belt. Not only that but she was wearing a thong and fishnet tights. You could see her entire bum, and things were only just decent around the front.
She and her friend must have noticed quite a few shocked glances and maybe whispered comments because her friend said loudly "well that's THEIR problem isn't it"

Is it? AIBU to think its entirely inappropriate?

Some body parts should be covered for the sake of decency. I know I sound like a prude but I'm really not. Would you mind seeing a man exposing his entire naked buttocks in a family venue? I really think people wouldn't like it and would complain but we're expected to be cool with seeing a teenage girls naked buttocks.

The leggings comments below are stupid. Calling them judgmental is flattering them too much. But if you have nothing else to think about...

It’s just a bum

It’s actually an interesting question, because of course tens of thousands of years ago people went around naked.
But society dictates that other than small children on the beach, people are clothed.
In addition a short skirt which only partially “covers” the area, is more sexual than full nudity (just as suspenders on thighs sends a more sexy message than just thighs)
So to those saying it’s fine, would you mind your child’s headteacher or your solicitor or GP exposing their bottom?

There are some strange, (faux-naive possibly?) and quite illogical responses on here!

If you think young women should be able to wear what they like in public - shouldn't everyone? How would those who are cool with what these girls were wearing feel about a man wearing something similar in the local park or zoo?

Would it be OK for him to wear nothing but a string with at least half of his buttocks exposed to everyone, and maybe even the tantalising chance of seeing more on show at the front?

Seriously - would that be OK? What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, surely?

I'm an old prude and proud. Social taboos are often there for a reason.

It's never just a bum. Bums are not like elbows or chins, are they?

This. Don’t want to see young men’s (any men’s) backsides in low slung jeans, either.

@CoffeeCantatawell everyone has one!
I would rather vulvas and penis’ were not on display unless it’s the beach but I can’t get worked up about bum cheeks at the Zoo

@toastandegg
So would you be OK with your mother or grandfather wearing clothes that exposed their buttocks if they took your children to the zoo or a cafe?

Would you mind if at parents' evening, your child's teacher was wearing a skirt which exposed their buttocks?

Exactly. It's just not socially acceptable. It's not that we're pearl clutching here, it's just not normal in our society.
I can't believe the people who are saying it's fine would be happy to see a man at a zoo with a completely naked arse. They'd probably think it was pretty gross and that he should cover up.

I would think they looked silly but I wouldn’t care about seeing it, I grew up with nakedness not being taboo though

Yes - I understand that in Scandinavian countries for eg. nakedness isn't such a big deal as in the UK. But I think to pretend it's the same here is disingenuous. Nakedness is (for better or worse) associated with sexuality, whether we like it or not. Cultural norms are what they are - and some cultures insist on particularly women covering up to a degree that most British people would find excessive. I don't like that idea either - but I think showing your arse cheeks and crack in public shows not only disrespect for other people but ccan almost be an act of aggression.

I believe in dealing with the world as it is, not as some people would like it to be. Some body areas are perceived as erogenous - they're not just like a nose or an eyelid. Anyone who denies this is on shaky ground - just look at the porn industry. Clearly, buttocks are sexually-charged body parts. For me they also remind me of bowel movements and personal hygiene, so I wouldn't want to see them for that reason too.

I'm happy to be called a prude or uptight or frigid or whatever put-down comes to hand. It makes no odds to me. But I don't want to see genitals or erogenous zones like butts or breasts. I also think that, if you defamiliarise yourself with the norms...it's weird for women to make a big market-stall-type display of their cleavage too. I hate the idea of 'displaying your wares'. Ugh - tacky. So shoot me!!

Of all the daft comments on here though, the ones that I cannot take seriously are the suggestions that we shouldn't be looking. Which planet are these people from? I think these girls would be mighty put out if no-one looked! 😂

Oh, the Cool Kids are on every thread, arguing that there's absolutely nothing wrong with the C word and that teenage nakedness at a family attraction is just fine. They're either being disingenuous or they don't live in the real world. I'd ignore them - they're being silly.

Of course the girls wanted people to look - it’s a teenagers job to challenge cultural norms and to try to shock and has been since time began I’m sure.
It clearly bothers a lot of people, but it really doesn’t bother me and that is what the op was asking

The micro mini or micro skirt was first popular in the late 1960’s

We're well aware of very short mini skirts. My mum got married in one in 1969! She did not, however, expose her entire naked arse. That wouldn't have been acceptable then or now.

Wow! Some of the responses on here. There'll be men practically exploding with glee at the thought of heading towards a perverts paradise, with nudity for all, any time, anywhere. Oh, how cool, liberated and louche we all are!

Re Scandinavia/German speaking countries and nudity - it’s true nudity isn’t as taboo in selected contexts but it’s still not a thing over there to walk about at eg a zoo or funfair with eg bums showing. The nudity is very much acceptable in situations like changing rooms, saunas, showers or sunbathing type contexts but even then there is a certain etiquette. It’s disingenuous to suggest that something like a micro mini or a belt skirt isn’t done with a different intent than such situation-specific nudity. The very existence of the tiny bit of skirt worn in the “everyday” context is the entire point, it’s the partial covering aspect which is well documented as a type of titillation.

When you're out in public it is everyone's business

I know I'm old and I'm glad of it. I wore mini skirts - but they still covered my arse!
And they were acceptable in the workplace - I'd like to see where those girls could wear those outfits and keep their jobs!

And it covered our backsides!

Yes, this really ought to be the default answer but it isn’t, is it.

Unfortunately, predatory people will still see such clothing as an invitation. Wrong, obviously, but that’s just the way it is.

@SpringSunshineanddaffodils
icant believe my cousin sent me a pic of her daughter off out today to a gig with one of those skirts on.
I suggested your thread and threw my hands up in the air in despair!

You're OK with a child's naked bum being on public show? It's not "just a bum", as you well know. It's a private part. So if people walked down the street with their penises out, would you be all "It's just a penis"? And what about breasts? You're being incredibly disingenuous. Just a bum indeed.

Fluffypotatoe123987 · 16/04/2025 21:57
Well the teens don't agree with this comment. I mention to my 15 year old her shorts are to short she replies well men shouldn't be looking usually followed by women and girls can wear what they want and what they feel comfortable in should i wear a burka the literal response.

And teens are totally wise and aware of the way the world works, aren't they?

If your teen really thinks like this, maybe you should challenge her. She (and you) are being very naive. 'Men shouldn't be looking'. I ask again: what planet is she on? Has she never been out in the real world? Are you really OK with that level of naivety about sexuality? If she is actually OK exposing her arse cheeks to the world, please ask her why, exactly? I would be fascinated to hear!

Some pps on here refer to short skirts/short shorts. It's clear from the OP that we are not talking about these things. This get-up is of a whole different order and couldn't be called a skirt or shorts. I've seen such, and they are basically attention-begging porno-wear.

And as for the argument 'people should wear what they feel comfortable in' - what about making everyone else around you mighty uncomfortable? I suspect that's the whole point of outfits like the one OP is describing.

Give me anything but the faux-naive stuff, please!

totally - this is another perceptive point.

There's a huge mis-match - cognitive dissonance in fact- shown in some replies on here, Nowadays we fuss to the nth degree about safeguarding of children - it's become super-protective over the last decade or so, and rightly in many ways. I guess everyone on this forum would agree with that?

And yet here we get some parents expressing the view that once (particularly girls) get to puberty, somehow they're OK with them displaying sexually-charged areas of their body to any old perv because a) it's 'the fashion' and b) no-one should be looking.

Yeah, right. Exposing yourself in this way is disrespectful to yourself and to those around you.

If you disagree with this, you'd also have to be OK with, say, a very elderly man or woman wearing the same kit. If that would bother you, then your argument collapses. If a wrinkly elderly man went to the park or zoo with his arse-cheeks on display the very same people who are OK with the girls' look would be frothing at the mouth!