I’m probably being a prude but…

[Username73638]

…what is the deal with teenage girls running around basically naked these days?

Last week, I was driving down the road near a secondary school at letting out time and I must have seen about 5 girls’ actual bum cheeks as they were leaving school. Like, we all rolled our skirts up fairly short at school, but this was actually full knickers and bums on display… one girl was wearing a thong so it was just her whole bum on show.

Then, I was on the beach today (we live near the sea) with my two primary school aged sons and there were a group of maybe 13-14 year old girls, they were very young, more than half of whom were in thong bikinis. They spent most of the time on the beach doing a photoshoot, predominantly photos of them from behind looking out to sea, presumably for social media?!

I know teenagers have always been teenagers, but I’m pretty sure underage girls weren’t wearing thong bikinis on the beach when I was that age 😳

I could see other families on the beach felt uncomfortable with it too.

Do their parents know? Is this just how teenagers dress these days?

Well they aren't accepted here which is why we have the signs everywhere.

Naked toddlers sitting on tables?
Where does that happen?

I didn't think you caught worms by sitting on them. I thought you had to ingest the eggs? Don't tell me I lve been living with that misinformation for over 70 years. I need to Google.

Google and the NHS are saying you ingest the eggs. I know it's horrible but you must have got the eggs on your hands and ingested them. Hand washing is good advice particularly before eating and no nail biting.

Don't twist what I said 🤬

what I said was...

you're only young once & id rather the girls had the confidence to do it than sat sweltering hiding themselves away! I know there's plenty of 'in between' but frankly I can't get bothered by a bit of flesh!

which is a million miles from what you're accusing me of saying.

I have been on MN practically since it started. I am not some unsavoury perv/troll. Nor are many of the posters who have agreed with me, several who were SA as children, whilst wearing far from revealing clothing. The victim blaming on this thread is disgusting.

By the legal definition, no idea. I’m not ducking the question. I was around 17/18 at the time. I’m well into my 40s now and can’t remember whether l was before or after my 18th birthday. I don’t think that is very surprising

Agree, I started to wonder about this poster myself so stopped engaging

Yes, people keep repeating 'victim blaming' on here, don't they? When in fact, I and many other posters have been crystal clear that the children in this scenario are blameless. It's the culture created by adults who should be protecting them, but instead celebrate their 'pert' bodies as something that can be displayed for viewers pleasure that is to blame.
I note you quoted yourself but left out the most offensive part, but I've twisted nothing in your post. It's there for all to see. Children are fine to reveal their bodies because they are young and pert, unlike those of older adult women.
Its very difficult to read that applied to 13 year old children without feel rather sickened tbh.
If that's not how you intended to come across, you might want to reflect on how you express yourself, because your choice of wording to describe the bodies of children is highly inappropriate.

Defining clothes as "too revealing" or implying that they in any way "encourage" attacks or abuse is victim blaming. Because it's saying "if you were that then you are asking to be assualted/abused/attacked because it's an invitation"

That's not how you catch worms

Unless you were eating the sand or touching the sand and then eating (which isn't recommended)

Use a beach towel

Not accepted in shops and eateries but on the streets it still happens right as if not there'd be no need for the sign?

I didnt say naked!

Fair enough that makes sense.

The bare arse cheeks might be a this generation thing but the pissing off the older people isn't.

Mini skirts were outrageous in the 60s.

I'm a woman. My dsd was 15 when I met her and living in a pair of denim hot pants which showed her full arse cheeks and often glimpses of her genitalia. I was utterly horrified and didn't understand how her dad could stand it. (I've since realised he had perfected the art of looking away, breathing deep and reminding himself it was a phase that would pass.)

Then I remembered MY teens. They were during the 90s, the era of The Wonderbra. Who else remembers Eva Herzigova on the 'Hello Boys' billboard? I - a very voluptuous teen - embraced this look. My bestie often had to give me the nod which said 'your nipples are showing'. The only time I didn't have a wonderbra on was when I was sunbathing topless.

My poor stepdad. My poor mother. My poor father.

But it didn't last.

I agree, and the lycra shorts and leggings that are so tight that everything is on show. I don't ever need to see the outline of anyone's genitals.

I disagree. You can believe that certain clothes are inappropriate in a certain setting - such as cleavage in the office or a very short skirt at a funeral - without believing the wearer is encouraging abuse or attacks.

So what is your approach then? If your 13 year old daughter wanted to walk to school showing her naked arse cheeks in her uniform skirt, would you say 'that's fine darling, your body, your choice'? Or would you warn her that she would be highly likely to have disgusting men shouting vile things at her in the street that might make her feel scared, upset and intimidated? Would you let your (blameless) child be subject to the volley if harassment and ridicule without saying a single word to at least prepare her? Your sentiments are correct and worthy, but are you going to use your own daughter as a banner for your principles, knowing how distressing unwanted attention can be?

There's a difference between thinking its inappropriate for the setting and what some people are doing here which is saying that children should cover up else they invite pedophiles in

I taught my DD that knickers and bums were private aged 3 as part of her parent-led boundary-setting learning.
When she was a little older and wanted to wear a very short skirt (that showed her knickers), I let her, but while she was wearing it when we were out, kept calling her back to remind her that we could see her knickers and to pull her skirt down. By the end of that trip, as soon as we got home, she changed into something else and chucked the skirt into the back of her wardrobe, never to see the light of day again!
That was the most worthwhile fiver I’ve ever spent (the skirt!)
It’s part of boundary-setting, and the duty of the parents IMO…

Well firstly I'd say that a skirt up her arse wasn't appropriate for school because school is a smart environment and skirts need to be at least mid thigh for such an environment

"Men sometimes might make comments but it's not your fault" is also not the same as "wearing that invites men to make comments"

But as people will make disgusting comments regardless of what they wear then preparing them for these comments should be done without highlighting clothing

In my day it was all about cleavage. We used to pad our bras and have as much boob on show as possible. Surely it’s just the fashion has changed from boobs to bums?

Young people will always wear things that shock the generation before them. It’s a right of passage.

Ah yes, shaming your daughter constantly in the street by yelling you could see her knickers was brilliant parenting

I bet she wore that skirt or similar again but where you wouldn't know because if your behaviour

Well firstly I'd say that a skirt up her arse wasn't appropriate for school because school is a smart environment and skirts need to be at least mid thigh for such an environment

Why though? If clothes don’t matter, and anyone looking should avert their gaze, and we shouldn’t judge people on what they wear - her body, her choice - why does her skirt need to be mid-thigh for school? She can be smart in a short skirt.

She is highly likely to experience that no matter what she wears as cat calling is common regardless. It isn't the clothing that attracts this behaviour it is their desire to intimidate and harass.

So do you think it happens more when they have short skirts on? You are very much mistaken. It happens no matter what they wear.

No one is letting a child be subjected to that aside from society who thinks it is acceptable for females to experience it. This woman is fully covered and gets it throughout. Did her mum let her experience this? Or tell her that if she covered up it wouldn't happen! It bloody does no matter what. Looks like her mum failed according to the video. She is covered up and still getting harassed. What a shit mum for not telling her to stay inside.

She also won't tell her mum if anything happens as she will self-blame because of how her mum taught her it is her fault.

Because we do have some societal expectations.

Some would say skirts need to be knee length. I think mid thigh allows for shorter skirts without being too short for the environment