We all need a break from the constant barrage of political news, but this topic could prove to be just as divisiv. After penning a letter to the editor of his local newspaper, Bennington, Rhode Island resident Alan Sorrentino found himself the subject of the ire of Lulemon loving women everywhere.
The 63-year-old Sorrentino apparently has a big issue with yoga pants and decided to let his feelings be known. I guess he took a break from tel to get the hell off of his lawn and went after ladies who like to wear yoga pants. Here are some excerpts from the letter. It’s quite the gem.
“Not since the mini-skirt has there been something worn by so many women who should never have it on in the first place.”
“Like the mini-skirt, yoga pants can be adorable on children and young women who have the benefit of nature’s blessing of youth. However, on mature, adult women there is something bizarre and disturbing about the appearance they make in public. Maybe it’s the unforgiving perspective they provide, ina ppropriate for general consumption, TMI, or the spector of someone coping poorly with their weight or advancing age that makes yoga pants so weird in public.”
“Yoga pants belong in the yoga studio. What’s next? Wearing a “Speedo” to the supermarket? Imagine if men did that. Yuck!”
Okay, I do see his point about the Speedos. They are pretty much yuck on anyone. Well, yoga pants fans in the sleepy Rhode Island town were none too happy with Sorrentino’s comments and organized a march past his home. The event was organized via Facebook as a “peaceful yoga pants parade” and organizer Jamie Burke told the local television station that the march wasn’t an attack against Sorrentino, but was more of a statement against misogyny and body-shaming of women. Burke said of the event, “This a wonderful group of people celebrating our bodies and our right to cover them however we see fit.”
Hundreds of yoga pants-sporting supporters, many armed with signs displaying positive messages like “I’ve got passion for my pants and I ain’t afraid to show it” and “Love yourself,” took to the streets of Barrington, marching past Sorrentino’s house and ending in a local park for a yoga session. The event also raised money for Sojourner House, a non-profit organization that aids survivors of abuse.
Of course, social media had a field day with the hashtag #yogapantsparade. Some were glad to show their support:
I'm not here to be pretty for you #Barrington #YogaPantsParade
— kathrynyates (@kathrynyates) October 21, 2016
I wish someone would try to tell me not to wear my yoga pants anymore. Bitch, please. #YogaPantsParade pic.twitter.com/aMMZu7YdXO
— Jennifer Medina (@jennaay0730) October 24, 2016
On the other side of the debate was conservative talk show host Dana Loesch, who was among the detractors of the event, tweeting:
Pretty messed up to organize a protest at the house of a private citizen who doesn’t like leggings https://t.co/ywZPx3C44E #yogapantsparade
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) October 24, 2016
Sorrentino told the local media that his letter was meant to be satirical, but the damage has been done. He has reported getting death threats and told WPRI’s Eyewitness News the parade by his home was “stressful” and “intimidating,” calling the event an “improper reaction.” He even went so far as to say, “This is bullying.” He was invited to take part in the parade but refused when he was asked to don yoga pants himself for the event. Dish it out, but you can’t take it, huh?
I don’t know what all of the fuss is about. Yoga pants are comfortable. No, actually, they’re really comfortable. And, as many of the protestors noted, no one has the right to tell you what you can or cannot wear. That being said, I personally am very self-conscious about walking around in yoga pants if I am not planning to head to the gym in them. That’s just me. If you want to wear yoga ants, knock yourself out. But just remember, yoga pants might be considered pants, but leggings are not pants. Never forget! (This woman is still my hero.)
Some words from the organizer before the parade began. #yogapantsparade pic.twitter.com/wknvhYbdok
— Kyle J. Silva (@Kyle_J_Silva) October 23, 2016
Yoga pants for all generations. #YogaPantsParade pic.twitter.com/v4YhFYX5k8
— Yoga Pants Parade (@paradeyogapants) October 23, 2016
Women over 20 shouldn't wear yoga pants? Oh please! #YogaPantsParade https://t.co/nKJrGhd2V0 pic.twitter.com/JJaOmuo7bQ
— Jade Tai (@JadeTaiXO) October 25, 2016
It’s taken this article for me to even know that there exists an item of clothing called yoga pants.
I hope the writer of this letter never claps eyes on me and my wardrobe. He would never recover.
Sixer this is one of the funniest comments I’ve ever read.
As I type, I am contributing to the pyjamatisation (see below) of Sixerville. Because I may have slept nekkid, put on some pyjamas when I got up, and not yet got properly dressed. It is lunchtime here in Britland.
I think I might need some yoga pants.
(In my defence, I’ve already got in five hours of work.)
You’ll have to check the athletic section of your local charity shop the next time you’re out!
Pyjamas are magical and should be considered acceptable and professional clothing at any given time and place!
In other news: OLD MAN SHOUTS AT CLOUDS…
I’ll need to sleep on it.
I’m way behind….., I though Yoga Pants were loose, fine cotton with straight legs, the items shown look like clothing worn for competition cycling.
Yea me too! Lol
@Sixer – Really? Even allowing for the American ‘pants’ term, how can you not know what yoga pants are?
Never underestimate my lack of interest in clothes. All mine come from charity shops, as NOTA mentions. I’m honestly not joking. Never even heard of yoga pants before!
‘Pants’ is not an American term – and I’d never heard of yoga pants either. *High five Sixer*
Yoga pants are a vital component of my life. They are flattering for a number of figures- I certainly don’t get complaints when my 40something self wears them.
I don’t need to judge what people put on their bodies, even if I don’t make the same choices. When I do, I know I need to check my self for a-hole-ishness, except when it comes to celebrities, because that’s just harmless fun.
I don’t wear jammy pants out of the house, though. A guy in my neighborhood walks his dog in spongebob pajamas, and it’s a bit too much for me, but hey.
Even I don’t wear pyjamas out of the house. I grudgingly put on some jeans!
Wish people would take interest in more important things to a. Write about pants and b.organize a protest//walk over said pants.
I’m all in for the march, but doing it outside his house seems like a little much to me. Maybe outside the newspaper office would have been better; they made the decision to actually publish the letter. He would get the message either way.
And in Barrington, no less! All the preppies there must’ve had a coronary.
Marching outside his home and threatening his life is just despicable. People are entitled to their opinions, and those opinions aren’t always going to match our own. Forming a march or worse because you can’t cope with someone who may not think as you do about yoga pants (of all things!) is absurd. We don’t all think the same, and we aren’t meant to.
And not for nothing, but I agree with him. Leggings are not the most flattering or appropriate for many of the situations I see them worn in.
Agree. Makes me wonder what they were like on the playground.
I agree. It’s an overblown reaction. A more balanced response would have been for the offended parties to write their own letters to the editor. These women are behaving like idiots.
He should keep his opinions to himself. Don’t know why people constantly feel the need to express their opinions about other people.
Except that he wrote the piece for Op-Ed, which is exactly about expressing opinion.
@marcus– and you ask this on a gossip blog?
You obviously don’t understand why they were upset. Women’s bodies have been a battleground throughout history. Men do not get to be the body police just because they’re male. They do not get to tell us when we are attractive (according to him: when we’re young! How original!). They do not get to tell us what is okay to wear. His letter was an example of a misplaced and misogynistic attempt to control women. How many times do we have to say it: our bodies, our choices. The era of women being under the control of men–legal, psychological, moral–is OVER. These women had every right to be upset and “express their opinions” right back to this guy.
@EG, yes, but in all fairness, women can be just as body policing — just have a look at the magazines at your local newsstand. People have a right to say what theyre not attracted to., or do they not anymore? I, too, don’t like it when people wear ill fitting, unattractive clothes.. but why should I censor myself in a forum of free speech, like an op-ed? When is it shaming, or when is it simply a case of someone expressing something they are free to say? We can’t police people’s likes and dislikes – is that the world we want to live in. Would that be the world you’d want to live in? One can’t be shamed unless one lets someone shame him or her. That this guy was of no consequence or effect, and just expressed a stupid opinion, and now has become someone who has a national story is ridiculous. The umbrage at him is ridiculous. Anyone could have just as well written in and told him to look the other way if he didn’t like what he was looking at, but last I checked, his statement isn’t stopping anyone from wearing yoga pants. Sure, people should be respectful, but when they aren’t —are we really so mortally injured? Are we just so thin skinned that you let a nobody’s opinion have power over us?
You seem to have missed the point, he doesn’t get to tell women ,who are not his child, how to dress.
People are entitled to their own opinions, until their opinions involve how other, unrelated people should exist in the world… in which case, no, they’re not “entitled” to any opinion.
Maybe you and the letter-writer should ask yourselves this: Why do you hold other people accountable for dressing in a way that you find suitable? Do you really think everyone should dress in a way that suits your particular tastes?
Even though this protest seems (to me) like way more effort than it’s worth, maybe that’s what happens when some women have their fill of hearing “just my opinion” when that opinion is arrogant and frankly a waste of a perfectly useable human brain.
Bored grandpa apparently has lots of time on his hands to ponder the BIG QUESTIONS in life. Maybe he could do something a bit more virtuous like volunteering at a homeless shelter instead of staring at women’s azzes to such an extent that he feels the need to make his personal opinions extremely public. Personally I think it was mighty kind of those ladies to come strut their stuff on his lawn, bet he hasn’t seen that much action in decades.
What of the bored reactionary protesters who had nothing better to do than make their displeasure known outside Grumpy Grandpa’s abode? Or were they gathered there to offer the man a ride on their way to that homeless shelter you mentioned? The man is undoubtedly an ass, but the protesters need to get a goddamn life. They’re yoga pants ffs!
He’s not “undoubtedly an ass”. And who knows what charity work he might do?
@Robin Ehhh, sending a ‘Letter to the Editor’ to his local newspaper that states a large proportion of yoga pant aficionados look bizarre and disturbing, and lets not even mention “the spector of someone coping poorly with their weight or advancing age”, undoubtedly makes him an ass. But by all means find something redeeming in his action. I’ve noticed being an unmitigated ass in 2016 is cool because…. pc culture, you know.
Spot on Kaiko! Bored Grampa is right. Probably Dirty Grampa as he’s only interested in looking at the young ‘uns butts. I think the protest walking by his house and ending with a parkland yoga session was perfect. I doubt these are the same people who were giving him death threats. But hey, write a douche letter, get the umbrella ready.
There are no homeless shelters in Barrington.
Oh yeah. He’s an ass. I live in Rhode Island and the local commenters are not kind about him. Here is the weirdest part, to me:
“I thought I would write something silly and frivolous so I kind of assumed this character of this old man and I wrote that thing in five minutes and I sat down and I thought it was hilarious I was dying,” Sorrentino said.
I don’t believe this for a second. He fired off a nasty letter and when it was poorly received he tried to pass it off as a joke. After offending millions of women he made a fuss about being the victim. Some people don’t believe he received any threats at all. Is there any evidence?
Apparently the Pants Protest was a very congenial walk outside on a nice day with a lot of women in yoga pants laughing. I did not watch any videos so if anybody took it further than that I am uninformed.
Yeah, I agree. They should have marched somewhere else. I agree with their sentiment, though. Men should worry about something other than what women choose to wear.
He calls the march bullying, but he sounds like a bully himself:
“Not since the mini-skirt has there been something worn by so many women who should never have it on in the first place.”
Yeah, real nice.
He wrote a simple letter saying it seemed inappropriate to wear “yoga pants” as clothes. They marched/protested on his property. So now someone who expresses an opinion that isn’t agreed with, this is the reaction that’s deserved?
Ever since the mini skirt?
Is this man methuselah? When were there not miniskirts? Honestly most confused by that.
The rest is pretty par for the course idiocy.like really, what did he think his letter was going to get him? An ordinance to ban yoga pants in public and a good medal?
Mini skirts didn’t exist until the 1960s. This gives you an idea of how old the writer of the letter is and the times he grew up in.
Apparently they’ve been around since 1300bc, but the 60s popularized the term ‘mini skirt’.
I’d guess he thought the letter would get him some attention for being “clever.” I can’t see why anyone else would bother doing this. At least he didn’t hide behind internet anonymity, I guess.
I get why people were angry, but I think marching past his house was a bad choice. I like the yoga and fundraising, though. So I guess his letter did lead to contributions to the abuse survivors nonprofit. Silver lining?
Ah yes, the urge to be seen as clever. By delivering a pithy take on how work out gear on uggos are ruining the town.
He is being inconsistent though, if he is so concerned about seeing the ravages of age on the female waistline he should be pushing for all women to wear yoga pants all the time. That way he can know who is working to keep it trim for him.
He didn’t sound remotely clever at all, just insulting.
I don’t mind that they had a march against this bully.
Yes but not in Modern American culture. The mini skirt vanished for centuries most likely due to the emergence and wider exceptance of Christianity. Women were much “freer” before we switched to a patriarchal world heavily influenced by what we understand as modern day religion. For this typewriter warrior he most likely grew up in a “leave it to beaver” household viewing women who wore these new skirts above the knee and (gasp!) jeans as drinking the devils nectar. And now yoga pants are just the last straw. If only these women would stay in the kitchen we wouldn’t have these issues.
lol. shit. I just don’t know my role apparently.
All I needed was one man with a pen and an opinion to set me straight!
Amen. Despite lots of women being early converts, Christianity has often been used to justify misogyny.
Once again, I’m in agreement with you.
In terms of the march, it was neither malicious or threatening and the signage seems positive and uplifting, actually.
I don’t see why they shouldn’t be able to do a march starting at his house..it’s a public space, after all.
This story’s been covered a lot here in New England and several of my friends on social media found this part of the letter particularly disturbing: “Like the mini-skirt, yoga pants can be adorable on children and young women who have the benefit of nature’s blessing of youth”
Mini-skirts are “adorable” on children? Um….creeper much?
I really wish he would learn from this, but as people have mentioned – this will probably push him further into curmudgeon-hood.
And yeah… that specifically is extra gross. I mean mini skirts on lil kids are adorable. Mostly because everything they wear is adorable because THEY are adorable. Putting that right next to the idea that you feel only women you enjoy seeing should wear mini skirts… it’s not a good look.
“Like the mini-skirt, yoga pants can be adorable on children and young women who have the benefit of nature’s blessing of youth”
Yeah, that part both annoyed and skeeved me a little.
I feel bad that he’s getting death threats though. I mean he’s an asshat for sure but at the end of a day it’s just his opinion and he shouldn’t be threatened over it.
I must have skimmed the death threats part.
He’s a dick, but it isn’t illegal. Death threats are, and prove nothing.
We should be channelling Muva Mobama, not the Donald.
Bored grandpa apparently has lots of time on his hands to ponder the BIG QUESTIONS in life. Maybe he could do something a bit more virtuous like volunteering at a homeless shelter instead of staring at women’s azzes to such an extent that he feels the need to make his personal opinions public. Personally I think it was mighty kind of those ladies to come strut their stuff on his lawn, bet he hasn’t seen that much action in decades.
Maybe he is a secret genius.
He’s gonna put out a letter against free the nipple next.
What I got from his op-ed is that he doesn’t think women whose asses he doesn’t want to stare at should wear yoga pants. Which, okay, old dude. I see you there. Those youthful girls aren’t going to give you the time of day anyway.
I don’t care one way or another about this protest but this guy is gross. I personally protest him thinking he is entitled to stare at young women’s behinds in the first place, much less tell us what he finds appropriate to wear. Don’t wear yogas if you don’t like them, grandpa.
thisexactly!!!!
Exactly!! This wasn’t just a criticism about yoga pants in general, if he was just saying he thinks they’re tacky or inappropriate for certain events that would be one thing. But he’s not criticizing yoga pants as a whole, instead he’s criticizing women’s bodies and who he deems hot enough to wear yoga pants and who he doesn’t. Apparently he approves of yoga pants on young hot girls but not older women; so it’s not yoga pants he dislikes but older women’s bodies.
@Littlestar: EXACTLY. That is exactly why his letter was totally protest-worthy. Jerk.
Miniskirts came in in the 1960s–so many folks were alive at that time. I remember my mom, who was a teacher, worked at a school where the female employees were not allowed to wear pants. So they all started wearing miniskirts. The policy changes pretty quickly.
Hahaha. I always wear opague leggings as pants!! But I cover up my butt with a long top. However, even if I wanted to walk around in a bra and underwear, that is my decision and my prerogative. Everyone should just dress in whichever way they want. No judgement. Just you do you!
I also wear leggings as pants. But like you said, I make sure the shirt I wear covers my butt.
But do you have “nature’s blessing of youth”?
*eyeroll*
yeah what does that even mean that leggings aren’t pants? They are pants. They aren’t tights. What the hell are pants if leggings aren’t pants? People just need to buy better quality leggings so they aren’t see through. I try to cover my ass, but whatever, who cares? My leggings aren’t see through
There were leggings in the 80’s and 90’s, and they skimmed the body rather than being skin tight. They had some stretch, but there was more cotton and less spandex in them, so they didn’t show every crack and crevice and they let the body breathe. I found them to be way more comfortable than today’s “leggings”, because I don’t understand the comfort in wearing something that squeezes your body, I prefer loose clothes for comfort.
I miss the old leggings, I really wish they still existed! And yes, the new ones are just footless tights, which have been around for ages. Look up pictures of modern dancers in the ’70s. They are wearing tights, not leggings! Today’s fashion culture has just renamed them and decided that they are okay to wear as pants.
TM, stirrup pants? With the elastic straps that wrapped around the sole of your foot that allowed them to skim instead of cling.
yes – tiny martian is right. why wont anyone say it out loud? tights are not leggings (and leggings are not tights).
Stirrup pants were sooooo great! Loved those! I feel like they were pretty form-fitting, though, at least up top!
I wear the Indian dress which consists of a long top (which is called a kameez or kurta) and tapered leggings or pajama bottoms. It is so comfy!
Dude is entitled to his opinion – lots of people don’t like the pajamatization of America.
There are more important issues to march about….
He’s not pouting just because people are wearing informal clothing out in public. He’s upset because he doesn’t believe women should wear form fitting clothes unless they’re super skinny or young. Men should not be telling women what to wear.
And I hate the argument that there are more important issues to talk about. Of course there are. Doesn’t mean we can’t talk about smaller ones. Otherwise, why are you on this site?
“And I hate the argument that there are more important issues to talk about. Of course there are. Doesn’t mean we can’t talk about smaller ones. Otherwise, why are you on this site?”
THANK YOU, @alleycat!
I think the march was waaaaaaaay over the top, but the guy’s argument was rather irksome — basically, he’s saying that women should only wear yoga pants if they (the women) can do so and still be aesthetically/sexually pleasing to men. Dumbass.
Alleycat speaks the truth. This man’s opinion happens to be that only women who can be sexualized and pleasing can wear yoga pants, the rest are nasty to see and he shouldn’t be subjected to that torture.
Ha, I love “pajamatization.” Although to be honest I’m more irked by pajama pants in public than yoga pants.
YES. Preach, mama.
Agree so much with you guys. He doesn’t have a problem with yoga pants as long as it’s not those old “fatties” wearing them. I wonder what “certain men” shouldn’t wear. I also don’t see how speedos and yoga pants are comparable. Men wearing tight pants would be comparable to women wearing yoga pants.
I am torn on the march though. In general I don’t have a problem with a peaceful march going past his house (it just seems silly/funny to me), but then there’s always the possibility of a nutjob showing up and going overboard. I wonder how they found out where he lives? That part seems a little scary to me. And the death threats are an obvious no-no.
Lol at “pajamatization”. I’m stealing that.
See but he wasn’t talking about the pajamization of America. It would have been fair if he had talked about men too. He was specifically talking about women being too fat or old to wear yoga pants, which is nasty.
I have pajamatized my entire life. I rarely remove my LLBean flannel jamie pants (I have 1/2 dozen) from November to April. I wear them to walk the dog, to the supermarket, the bank, target, select diners, the occasional movie, to visit my BFF, and to the thrift store to look for more flannel pants. Ironically when I do take them off it is to put on yoga pants to go to the gym.
let me just say: i want to be you. your life sounds awesome and comfy.
I don’t think the march was over the top. Guys like this constantly sh-t on women’s appearances.
I love yoga pants and leggings ! I wear them pretty much every day every where. I find jeans to be uncomfortable and even most work pants dig into my skin after sitting a long time ( such as 8 hours at work).
+1 aren’t yoga pants the casual/comfy running errands clothes of today? Where I live, women are not running errands in jeans or any other kind of pants- I don’t even know another kind of casual pants!!! I’m sure as hell not doing full makeup and a fancy outfit to go to the drugstore. I’m always showered, teeth brushed, and clean- in clean yoga pants- so what’s the problem?
I love yoga pants and leggings ! I wear them pretty much every day every where. I find jeans to be uncomfortable and even most work pants dig into my skin after sitting a long time ( such as 8 hours at work).
Dumb letter, dumb march.
Honestly – they just gave the guy more attention and more reason to be an old grump. They marched in front of his home – which probably just validated his feelings.
And honestly – as someone who wears leggings as pants on occasion (with tunic type tops) I’m not about to go march around in support of my right to wear them – because honestly – this guy’s opinion isn’t going to do anything in regards to me changing my wardrobe choices. It doesn’t matter what he thinks.
It’s not all that different from people complaining about men wearing their pants too low, or for wearing skinny jeans. Yeah, you have an opinion – whatever. But the way other people dress shouldn’t have enough impact on your day to cause you to submit a letter to an editor about it.
I just find the whole thing kind of embarrassing on both ends.
Completely agree.
Perhaps just going about their day wearing whatever they like, be it yoga pants or mini skirts, and ignoring his complaint would do an effective job of conveying that his opinion mattered not a jot.
Yep
Exactly. Sometimes the best response is NO response.
1+
The march wasn’t about women’s right to wear yoga pants. The march was about women’s right to wear what they want, regardless of whether men approve of it or not. It was a march to gently remind men that our clothing choices aren’t always based on looking attractive for them.
This dude wasn’t simply saying “I don’t like yoga pants” he was saying “I don’t like yoga pants on overweight and/or older women.”
People here seem to be making it about this one guy’s letter, when really it’s about the incessant policing of women’s appearance. This cranky old dude’s letter is symptomatic of a much larger issue.
I mean, in a day and age where we have a male presidential candidate who still rates women on a scale of 1-10 and a female presidential candidate who gets incessant criticism for wearing pantsuits, I get why women are fed up.
I agree, Kit.
And I don’t think we should be telling women what they can and can’t be upset about any more than what they can and can’t wear.
this got me too, like dude, do you not pay attention to the news?
This is not the time to get on the oppress the wimmins, especially the nasty wimmins, bandwagon.
Not only is he clearly wrong, but he can’t take a measure of the political climate at all.
On the one hand, I agree. On the other hand, most people don’t wear whatever they want to wear, they wear what society tells them to wear. Right now, society is telling women to wear athletic wear as casual wear, including leggings and yoga pants. And women may love Lulumom, but the founder of Lulumom is a man.
I’ve heard men say how great it is now that women wear leggings/yoga pants instead of sweatpants, because now there are so many asses on view, whereas they used to be all covered up. So grumpy old guy might not want to see it, but other men do. Either way, women are objectified. Marching for the right to wear yoga pants doesn’t really tackle that issue though, does it?
Tiny Martian,
Like you said, men are objectifying women either way. This march doesn’t seem to be so much about marching for the right to wear yoga pants, but matching to say “we don’t give a f*ck what you think because we don’t exist just to please you.”
@Tiny Martian–But who is “society” that is dictating yoga pants?
I would say that in 2016 women have a variety of casual clothing choices. Nobody HAS to wear yoga pants, but the point is that we should have the option to wear them without being shamed by men simply because our bodies might not fit into this man’s narrow perception of “attractive”. Body type and age shouldn’t preclude a woman from being comfortable and we all know yoga pants are comfy as hell.
“Marching for the right to wear yoga pants doesn’t really tackle that issue though, does it?”
Again, the march isn’t “for the right to wear yoga pants”, the march was an assertion by women that we CAN and WILL wear what we please.
Mostly, why are people so mad about it? It was a peaceful, positive march that united women and drew attention to an important issue: the policing of women’s appearance. No riots occurred, nobody got hurt, there was no violence whatsoever so what exactly is the harm?
If anything, it was impactful in that it generated a conversation about autonomous choice and how essential it is in terms of understanding gender oppression and objectification. Hell, we’re all here talking about it so clearly it wasn’t all for naught.
“in a day and age where we have a male presidential candidate who still rates women on a scale of 1-10 and a female presidential candidate who gets incessant criticism for wearing pantsuits, I get why women are fed up.”
Amen! Hallelujah! EXACTLY THIS. And I adore that Hills just keeps on wearing the pantsuits.
No way this Dude is with her.
I agree with a lot of the posters and I do think this is an important topic. What’s more important then our livability and comfort in pubic?
Men feel like they have the right to comment on women’s appearances as if women leave the house for public consumption and it’s total bs. Telling a young woman to smile so she’s pretty is wrong and telling her to not wear certain things because she is not skinny & young is wrong.
I just thought yesterday about how many men (when I was younger) stopped to tell me to smile. I was an angry teen (for good reason) and ‘could have been pretty’ had I worn different clothes & smiled more. I wore what I wore to detract attention from men and having a grown men stop me to tell me that they can see that I have a pretty body under there so why wouldn’t I wear a nice dress was so disturbing. They would actually stop my body from walking or get me at work and give my a lecture and I had to wriggle away from or out of it. Creeps.
Or society makes it okay for men (and some women) to comment and publicly shame women for making choices that don’t feed into the “1-10 game”. That is not okay and it should stop. I am not fond of the human body and it’s nakedness (my genetics are Catholic so…….) but that’s MY problem- not anyone else. I also don’t like boobs and breastfeeding- MY problem alone because my mother told me boobs were bad, not the mom feeding. This guy felt it was okay to put this down in a paper & send it off for many to read and it’s a great example of an attitude and action that is not okay.
@MC2- I love thee! Exactly to everything you said.
“Men feel like they have the right to comment on women’s appearances as if women leave the house for public consumption and it’s total bs.”
This right here. That’s what the protest was about, not yoga pants.
I’m also not a “naked person” and I don’t have the excuse of a religious background as I was raised by two atheists. However, as much as I avoid my gym’s teeny-tiny locker room at all costs, I refuse to shame women for being comfortable with their bodies.
Well said, Kitten and MC2!
It’s good to point out that insulting women’s appearances is wrong.
Yes to not shaming others and understanding that was what the march (and movement happening????) is about! I think of myself as evolving into the women of the future and trying to do my part.
The boobs- I can’t believe I wrote about that because I’m kind of ashamed that I’m not ‘free the nipple!’ Seeing other women’s boobs makes me itchy and squirmy. But that is my problem 100% and I don’t want people to put their boobs away! Take them out and then maybe I’ll get desensitized and my brain will realize that they don’t have all the things attached to them that must be there to make me squirmy. We used to feel this way about a lady’s decolletage and now I wear v-necks and I daydream that there was a me back in Victorian times saying “let the chest breath! Even if I find seeing the windpipe so crude.” Or something like that…….I like the movement to accept others in how they want to be. I’ll keep covering my boobs up and not giving judgement to others who don’t.
I sort of get why women were upset. Enough already. Mind your own business, don’t tell what I can and cannot wear in public. I personally would’ve written my own letter and had it signed by all these women instead of marching. That’s a little excessive but okay, if they were THAT upset.
The only offense I see here is the cowardly way in which he expressed his crusty judgment. Say it to our face, you old boob. See what happens. But a letter to the editor followed by a march seems not the best way to discuss women’s clothing choices, if we need to discuss them at all (let’s not pretend we don’t have opinions on men in skinny jeans).
I wouldn’t have marched because I don’t give a rat’s bottom what some old dude thinks of my attire. Or anyone, for that matter. I don’t have the time to listen to them.
Listen, after having 2 babies I need the stretchy waist band. And my butt looks TIGHT. And I can sleep in them. Suck it, cranky old man. I wear them to work out and then shower and put on a fresh pair. I do make sure they’re not see-through (Athleta, Old Navy and Under Armour are good)… But they’re so much more versatile and comfy than jeans. I hate jeans.
Just a correction – it’s Barrington, RI, not Bennington. And Barrington is a quiet, affluent, conservative community so this was quite the march.
The leggings lady is a goddess!
I live nearby and was shocked that this happened in Barrington. Protest marches and Barrington are not two concepts that I normally would put together! 🙂 I wonder if there is a backstory to all of this that we’re not aware of… For example, has this guy annoyed the town for years with his petty, mean-spirited complaints and comments? Perhaps this was the last straw and the town was fed-up?
Two of my co-workers are from Barrington, ultra-conservative, and the woman would NEVER wear yoga pants outside of yoga class. They are shocked, SHOCKED, that this happened in their lovely little hometown. Those liberals from Cranston must have organized this.
Ha! That is hysterical. I’m sure the yacht club does not permit yoga pants on their grounds ;). More likely suspects for the organizers are all of the new people who moved to Barrington from Providence’s East Side for the good public schools!
I can totally see regulars from the Hope Street Farmers’ Market organizing this…
Well technically he has a point, they DO look ugly on most people. As do many things. It’s just not for him (or anyone) to tell people not to wear them. Just look the other way if you don’t like it. By the way, what is it with you Americans and Speedos? Here most guys wear them and I don’t think they are better or worse than the tents you guys wear for swimming?
Americans tend to be uncomfortable with swimsuits that call attention to men’s, ahem, junk. But we don’t stage protest marches over them… at least, we haven’t yet.
@Alix, it is your civic duty to write a letter to that RI newspaper and protest men in Speedos. It would be SPECTACULAR to see a bunch of dudes parading down the street in Speedos.
#SpeedoSuitYourself
@sizedoesmatter: Well, if you think it’d be a public service…
I’m not bothered by Speedos anymore either, as my teen boys swim and play water polo competitively and that’s what they all wear. And I gotta say, the Olympic water polo players in their Speedos are not hard on the eyes…
Ahem, Real Swimmers think trunks are for idiots.
Real Swimmers wear those little short shorts for training, or grosser, an old tatty speedo over a tighter newer speedo.
Then tight as f*ck jammers (skin tight trunks with a torso) or full suits. At least many years ago when I was a competitive swimmer that’s the way it worked.
I am going to protest speedos as work wear and see how many bites I get.
Much has changed since I was a competitive swimmer, including backstroke turns that are now not backflips anymore but front flip turns. Full suits have been banned. Tight jammers are for when you are tapered and racing for your pr, tiny speedos are for regular season competition.
I’m fully behind protesting speedos as work wear, though. 🙂
Oh man, I can just imagine the water up the nose from a backwards flipturn judged incorrectly. And the accidental face conking from misjudging your timing.
I thankfully did not have to deal with that. When I was competing you definitely had different suits for tapered and championship events, but it was generally your nicest or newest (tightest) suit. Women had just started wearing suits to the knees with compression and the hydrodynamic striping, but there wasn’t full on conversion like the guys. The full suits, or overall type ones, those were just starting to catch on at high level events, but I think they only lasted a few races, so you def didn’t wear it even for warm up.
Does everyone still wear comp suits so tight they leave marks and you have to shoe horn yourself in? Also what do polo players wear? I would imagine it is much much different.
detritus, polo players wear the tiniest, tightest Speedos possible, to thwart competitors from grabbing them underwater. So at least in the boys high school aquatic (swim and water polo, which has lots of cross-over) world, tiny speedos are the main attire. The only time they are not worn is when the tight tech jammers are worn for big swim events.
And yes, comp suits are also tight as heck, and the bigger the meet, the tighter the suit.
Yes! I support the right of women to wear whatever they want, but let’s be honest: yoga pants aren’t flattering. Not even on young women, unless they are about 5’10” and 125 pounds.
Yup, apparently women were put on this earth for the viewing pleasure of men. Another old guy who believed he had the right to critique women’s clothing choices. All I got to say is ‘socks and sandals’ bub. I’d bet a million dollars he’s guilty of socks and sandals
😏
And pleated pants belted above his gut.
IDGAF about your boner old dude! Especially since I bet you aren’t working on keeping it tight for the general public either.
I read on another site the man that penned the article is homosexual, which to me takes the misogyny out a bit. I know my circle of straight girls and homosexual guys definitely point out what people should and shouldn’t wear, it’s like trying to do imaginary makeovers. Maybe this was sort of what was going on? Otherwise, I don’t really have an opinion.
There are plenty of gay men who are also misogynist. He doesn’t get a pass because of his sexual orientation.
A lot of the idea of making over women is misogynistic though. From women and from men, since it is usually to please the ‘male gaze’. I’m scare quoting that because not always the case, but most makeovers are to hottify people.
I’ve known gay men who make Donald Trump sound like Gloria Steinem, so one thing doesn’t rule out the other.
Personally I’d have marched in front of that newspaper’s offices. Any bozo can write a stupid letter, but they’re the ones who chose to publish it.
Plenty of gay men are misogynistic. I’ve met them in droves at pride parades, unfortunately.
Umm…plenty of gay men are misogynistic. But they often get a pass on that because it’s politically incorrect to criticize gay men.
Hahaha I love that video that PSA lady is the best. IMO both parties are wrong… My gripe is cover your ass if you’re wearing leggings and for the love of god shower after working out and change into clean clothes
I’m OK with leggings if you have a shirt that covers your butt. If you don’t have on a shirt that covers the butt and your camel toe, I don’t care for it. There is a woman at my job who has been wearing only leggings and you can see both areas. I don’t think it’s appropriate for work without covering up those areas. it doesn’t look professional one of the guys was talking about her camel toe. She is quite big also. This is all my opinion, please don’t hurt me!
I won’t hurt you. I clicked on the #yogapantsparade twitter feed. The fisrt picture is a selfie of a woman wearing them obviously in the privacy of her house (yeah yogapants everywhere), another one is a string of athletic, very fit 20 something baring their toned tummies, waving their perfect hair for the camera. On other pictures, women older or obviously less fit all wear anoraks or thigh length sweaters.
So the man is an idiot to say sometimes there’s TMI, but to prove him wrong let the pretty babes pose in just pants and bras and the others with their crotch and butt covered.
I’m with the previous poster “dumb letter, dumb march”.
Ha! Do we work at the same place cause I have a coworker that does the same. Every time she wears leggings we all text each “leggings are not pants!!!” It’s disturbing and really not work appropriate. I love leggings & yoga pants but always make sure my shirt covers my parts. It’s just not cute to have your junk out like that.
I’m with you, Snowflake. No yelling to be had. It doesn’t look professional. IMO, it is quite trashy. I don’t know why people are so against ‘trying’ to put together their appearance. Running a brush through one’s hair and putting on ‘real’ pants never hurt anyone. Do I like putting on makeup, a blazer, and pantyhose every day? Uh, no. However, it really looks childish to run about in yoga pants all the time. I am so guilty about wearing them or pajamas, but in the privacy of my own home. I’m in my twenties and I’m fit, but I would never ever consider wearing them out in public unless I was attending an exercise class. Tired of camel toe and butt cheeks everywhere. It’s awful when people don’t wear underwear with them and seem to think you can’t see through them.
Fat men and women, equal opportunity offenders to the eyeballs.
If they offend you so much, use the neck the Good Lord gave you, turn your head in another direction, and look elsewhere.
It boggles me the amount of people who need to be told ‘then don’t look’ I usually laugh at them. (they think I’m laughing with them)
So now do I get to tell all men who have beer bellies not to leave the house until they produce Shemar Moore abs? They’ve been ruining all sorts of clothing from…forever.
LOL! Yessssssss
But he’s not saying fat women should lose weight before they leave the house. He’s just saying that wearing tight, form fitting clothes meant for exercise or pajamas shouldn’t be worn as “clothes” in public.
Someone please explain to me what the difference between leggings and yoga pants is other. I go to yoga every day and every woman (and some men) there has on leggings and they’re opaque. The only difference I can find between the 2 is that “yoga pants” have flared bottoms, while leggings are slim through to the ankle.
I wear leggings to do things like workout, run errands, and go to class. I don’t try to pass them off as dress pants. I don’t wear them in inappropriate situations, and yes, I wear them with long shirts that cover my butt.
Personally, I don’t get the gripe about opaque leggings because you can’t see anything inappropriate. However, I’ve seen many women in non-opaque leggings that were sheer and completely see through when they bent over. To me, and I think many others, leggings are the new sweatpants. I would never be caught dead in a pair of sweats outside of my house because I think it’s a sloppy look. I think leggings are so popular because they offer the same level of comfort with a less sloppy look.
I don’t understand why so many people have such hard feelings about the clothing other people wear, though. Don’t like leggings? Just don’t wear them. PSAs and protests over it are stupid. I find it very dumb to protest some random harmless civilian’s opinion. It’s not as if his comments put their freedoms in danger in any way.
Personally, I disagree about the level of comfort, and I do think that leggings look sloppy as well, unless they are worn as tights with a nice looking tunic/dress top. I see women all the time in my city wearing leggings and a sweatshirt with Uggs, or with a tank top and flip flops in the summer, and it’s definitely a sloppy look!
And I know that many women find leggings and yoga pants comfortable, but I honestly can’t understand why? In the winter time I wear tights when I wear a skirt to work, and they are the first thing I take off when I get home, I absolutely hate them! Leggings and yoga pants feel the same as tights to me, the fit is, well……..tight! Meanwhile, I have more than one pair of loose fitting, drawstring pants that are of nice fabric that look absolutely fab and can go from casual to dressy. Basically, they are pajama pants, but the material makes them formal. Now those are really comfy!!!!
A toast to you tiny martini. I agree.
He should not have said anything at all. People have to learn to keep their opinions to themselves sometimes. Too many people nowadays want to dictate what other people can or can’t do.
In all fairness, is was an op-ed piece, which is a perfectly legitimate place to post opinions, no matter how inane. The best response would’ve been a scathing missive in the op-ed column, iterating all the ways in which his opinion was sexist, sizeist, ageist, etc. Damn, if I’d actually seen the op-ed before all the hubbub ensued, I would’ve written it myself.
So you want him to keep his opinion to himself, then you complain about people dictating what one can or cannot do? Did I miss something here? Let me guess, you want people to have the freedom to express opinions that you personally like and agree with, right? Lol typical.
People need to keep their opinions to themselves and they need to stop dictating to others what they can and can’t do. Somebody actually told me that I should’ve adopted a child from the US. I promptly told them to mind their business and be quiet.
I just don’t get the yoga pants thing. Maybe it’s because I’ve only bought a couple of cheap pairs at Target for yoga class. I also don’t understand the love for leggings (I’m slowly beginning to appreciate the comfort of leggings although don’t really know how to wear them) but given this passionate response I clearly need to give yoga pants another try.
It is one thing to say you don’t care for yoga pants or leggings in general because frankly, neither are “pants”, more like leotards w/out feet but it’s entirely ridiculous thing to say it’s okay for some but not others. I am one who thinks leggings and yoga pants in public are tacky, but the difference is, I feel that way about ANYONE wearing them. I like leggings and I wear them alot but only with tunic length shirts, because I’m modest and feel my “jiggle” is intimate. The idea that it’s okay for women who are ‘built good’ but not okay for anybody out of shape is what really irks me. The author of the letter enjoys seeing young firm women in them but not older women with some cellulite. That’s the gist of it. That line of thinking is so gross!!!! I see women, young women, teenage girls wearing leggings all the time. Some look good in them. Some do not. But they all leave nothing to the imagination. I suspect for larger women, stretchy pants are more comfortable because they don’t have fabric wrinkling and riding up from thigh rubbing. I prefer some modesty and dignity, but that’s just me. Same goes for booty shorts. How do men justify to themselves that if it’s pleasing to them, it’s okay but if they don’t get a boner, it’s not okay? Do they not see the misogyny? Are they okay with their own young daughters being ogled by old man pervs?
P.S. The current cut and fit of girls’ volley ball shorts are deplorable. I would never let my daughter wear them. I don’t have a daughter, but if I did….
Jennifer Justice, good post. I gotta admit, I’m a little scandalized by those volleyball shorts. My daughter’s middle school has a rule that shorts that fall above where your fingers fall on your legs are not allowed. They also do not permit spaghetti straps. Yet the girls who play volley ball wear those shorts that actually look like underwear.
I’m conflicted about all these rules because there is noy equivalent rules for boys and even if there was, it seems teenage boys prefer long shorts.
On the one hand. the fashion industry seems to sexualize tween and teens clothing, as very short shorts seem to be the style. The schools are policing girls sexuality by observing and monitoring how much skin they reveal.
Meanwhile, boys are pretty much left alone to wear what appears to be comfortable baggy clothes.
If there were no dress codes in school, how could we instill in girls that they are responsible if boys can’t control themselves? Sigh. I don’t have a problem with the dress code itself but they do suggest that a bra strap or bare shoulder will “distract” other students (boys, basically). So rather than tell the boys to look elsewhere/ignore the distraction, they tell girls to cover up. Oh, and boys are allowed to take off their tops outside on a hot day but the girls can’t wear spaghetti straps. Totally fair, right?
@ Lacia Can
School dress codes really make no sense. I mean aren’t we supposed to get these kids ready for University/College? Yeah in University you can wear whatever you want to class, baseball caps, strapless tops, mini skirts, whatever. And guess what…the guys are still able to pass classes ! Go figure.
I absolutely would support a group or a march celebrating different body types and the right to wear what you want, but marching past houses of people with a different opinion, intimidating them?
This is not normal and I hope this is not the direction in which our society develops.
Good points, Melly!
+1
But the “right” to wear what one wants was not in question, nor was it being threatened. This man was not suggesting it should be against the law for women to wear pajamas in public, he simply said it was sloppy and in some cases not attractive. It was just a letter stating his opinion, not a law being enacted.
He’s allowed to have his opinions I don’t understand why people get so offended these days over what other people think or say. Something as trivial as some mans opinion on yoga pants does not warrant a peites
I agree. In fact, I find the protest more alarming than the letter. Crotchety old man writes unpopular opinion into newspaper with old-fashioned misogynistic views. Okay, write a response letter. You don’t organize a freaking protest!!!!!
Seriously, think about the repercussions of this. Are we going to get to the point that no one ever shares their opinion unless they know it’s the one held by the majority out of fear of internet vigilantism. My Grandpa (in his 80’s) used to say “Women shouldn’t wear pants” that’s how out of touch he was (to me while I was wearing pants LOL) I would be horrified if people organized a protest because of it.
Seriously, this March really disturbs me. This is a private citizen not a politician or even a celebrity. Politicians say gross things about rape all the time! Where are the marches about thsoe?!?!
I don’t agree with what these women did at all. Oh and yeah, I wear yoga pants too.
maybe you shouldn’t be horrified though.
You are mad because you feel people are acting out of proportion to ‘the crime’ and comparing some random old man to your grandpa who you love.
The problem is that you don’t get to say how much of an impact something like this has on other people, and not everyone feels that way about your grandpa.
If your grandpa told me I shouldn’t be wearing pants at work, I would probably have told him off in a very professionally thorough way. If he was writing in to papers about how women needed to wear pants, I would full on support a non violent march outside his house.
You don’t get to say things without repercussion because you are old and ‘don’t know better’. That’s infantilizing older people, and removing all personal responsibility.
You don’t really get the point. This is not about “saying things without repercussion”.
It’s about the way you show that you think somebody is wrong. Write a letter, organize a march. But don’t do it in an aggressive and intimidating way like protesting in front of a private citizen’s house.
Would you want that to happen to you? I think in a society like that people would just become afraid to comment on things and that’s not what a democracy should be like.
Yes–on the internet everyone is outraged about even the most trivial things.
I applaud the sentiment behind the march, but I wonder if it doesn’t give one man’s voice too much power. The paper and its advertisers need to be taken to task for publishing this sexist drivel, though.
So you want them to not post it because you dislike it. Somehow that is the most worrisome comment here and that’s saying a lot.
Sunny, please explain how my comment is worrisome? Papers are for-profit enterprises. If you have an issue with the quality of the articles they print, the best approach is to let them know.
Bettyrose, it’s worrying because it was the opinion section of the newspaper. The whole point is to let people share their opinions and other people can write in counter-arguments. I find the whole thing scary because just because an opinion is unpopular doesn’t mean you should receive death threats and marches. I don’t want a society where people fear sharing their opinion if it doesn’t match the majority. The appropriate response would have been for them to write in counter-arguments and have a dialogue. Not to attack and intimidate this man personally for his antiquated views.
Again, this was not an article written by the newspaper…it was a letter to the editor. That section is supposed to be for different opinions and counter-arguments.
The editorial board could have determined that this letter didn’t meet their standards of intellectual discourse. Opinion pages are for discussion of policies, social issues, etc, not attacks on specific groups of people. By publishing the letter the paper became complicit in institutionalizing body shaming.
Would you feel the same way if this old white dude was lecturing young black men on social etiquette and a mainstream paper published it?
Yes, I think this should be published as well. To show that racism like this still exists, so nobody can claim they didn’t know. And they should also publish other letters calling out this racism.
@BR
I don’t think pointing out the inherent sexism in his comment, or pointing out that journalists should be held to a higher level of accountability is an issue. I’m with you on this.
But sure, don’t have an opinion, because an opinion on someone else’s opinion piece is dangerous and THE WORST.
I don’t think that’s the argument at all. I think it’s “Should a protest be organized outside an individual citizen’s house because of their letter to the editor?” I mean, how did they even find out where he lived? He’s getting death threats!
The death threats are WAY to far.
You are allowed to express an opinion, and disagree with others. You don’t get to threaten violence. No matter what kind of dick grandpa is, it’s not ok to threaten physical harm.
@PineTree13: I agree that *if anyone actually did* send him death threats they’re out of control and way more in the wrong than he was. (Still skeptical though.) But as long as the march was in front of his property without actually being on it, there were no weapons, nobody was assaulted in any way, and there was no destruction or vandalism done to his property, he’s not being victimized here by this unnecessary protest. It was free speech that may have made him uncomfortable, but no harm was done. And his opinion isn’t unpopular either. Plenty of men and people in general have the opinion that women over or under a certain age or dress size should put things away and not wear anything short or tight.
The more I think about it, the more I think that this was the culmination of a town that is FED UP with their resident mean-spirited curmudgeon. He’s been probably complaining at community meetings, grumbling at the yacht club, and writing editorials on a wide variety of topics for the past 30 years.
All of the people involved here need to get a life. So what, a guy doesn’t like your clothes. He’s entitled to express his opinion without being hassled and there is a difference between writing a broad reaching letter that doesn’t pick on anyone personally, and harassing the person who wrote the letter. He’s not telling you to not wear them and he’s not making a crusade to make them illegal, but these people simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to engage in some attention seeking behavior coupled with a hefty dash of “feminism” (which in its current form is another form of attention seeking/status signaling for so many).
I guess I just don’t get it. What is the end goal here? To look like “strong empowered womyn” that don’t care what no man thinks of them? Because it’s just the opposite. It looks idiotic and makes them look like fools and completely unaware that there are real problems in the world. If you’re so strong and empowered than an opinion that you don’t like shouldn’t have so much power over you that you actually spend your time doing something so ridiculously moronic.
He’s entitled to express his opinion without being arrested. There’s no rule that says you can express your opinion with no response from anyone ever. The protesters are just as entitled to express themselves as he is, and they didn’t like what he said so they made it clear. Just because you have the legal right to express your opinion doesn’t mean your fellow citizens can’t call you out when your opinion makes you an ass.
No, Sunny, the point is that if we just accept every small incident of men telling us what to do with our bodies, it becomes the norm. There might be more productive ways to protest, but a protest was necessary.
Imagine if the paper posted a racist editorial. Should we just say, hey, it’s only an opinion?
How is this man expressing his opinion, a problem? He isn’t instituting any laws forcing you to conform to his wishes, nor does the existence of his opinion somehow oppress women. This also extends to people with racist opinions. Whether or not you or i or anyone shares them, the person has a right to their opinions. I have far more of a problem with this mentality of wanting to silence speech that some dislike than anything else. I am exposed to many opinions that I find utterly vile but I deal with it because I am a grown adult woman and don’t expect the world to coddle me and my wishes. I definitely don’t want to silence anyone no matter what I think because that’s a slippery slope and history shows it always ends badly.
“…nor does the existence of his opinion somehow oppress… This also extends to people with racist opinions.” About the racism part: Free speech gives the racist-as well as the misogynist, the homophobe, etc. – the right to express those beliefs without being thrown in jail in this country. There are even Neo-Nazi, MRA, and other sites where those types are free to express those beliefs and find nothing but acceptance and approval. But free speech doesn’t give them the right to be protected from whatever non-violent, non-criminal backlash they get as a response to those beliefs, or mean that anyone who responds with criticism or rejection is violating their rights. It also doesn’t mean that whole groups of people aren’t oppressed in any way by those beliefs, that all beliefs/expressions need to be treated equally by everyone everywhere, or that anyone who doesn’t prioritize not making people with racist, sexist, or homophobic beliefs feel uncomfortable about them over the impact those beliefs have doesn’t support the first amendment or is sliding the country down some tragic slippery slope fallacy. I don’t think old entitled skeevy prudebro’s body-shaming opinion required any type of protest. It wasn’t necessary. But I also don’t think they were doing something wrong or encroaching on his rights by having it, and I think it sent a positive message. They used their free speech in response to his.
I agree with you. nobody wins here, but at least the guy went about expressing his dumb opinion in a somewhat proper way, by writing a letter for the op-ed section of his local newspaper. I think staging a public protest IN FRONT OF THE MAN’S HOME because he doesn’t like what you’re wearing is petty and a total overreaction.
He didn’t say he didn’t like their clothes, he said he doesn’t like their bodies and that they shouldn’t wear certain clothing because he doesn’t find their bodies attractive. He approves of yoga pants on young hot women apparently but is bothered by heavier and/or older women wearing yoga pants; so it’s not yoga pants he’s bothered by but instead women’s bodies he doesn’t deem attractive. He expressed his opinion and the women responded with theirs, no biggie; other than the alleged death threats, if that happened that’s out of line.
I’m afraid to read the comments on here honestly because I think women can be worse than men about these topics. Leggings are pants if the top you are wearing covers your but and crotch area. I will just leave it at that lol. I hate MLMs but I love me some Lularoe leggings and I will wear them everyday! I wear yoga pants to the gym and to run errands obviously not out to eat or to work or professional events but I will wear leggings under a cute tunic, sweater or dress. Hate. On. It.
Marching in front of the man’s house was a bit much but we need to stop policing what people wear! Leggings are pants and I will fight you if you say otherwise ladies ;P
“I think women can be worse than men about these topics”
Plenty of proof of that on this thread, unfortunately. Sigh.
This is a general question. Not just a comment about this specific post.
At what point is it considered body shaming and when is it just pointing out that something you wear is unflattering?
I think the crucial difference is that body-shaming – as in this instance – is when someone is expressing contempt for the body rather than the item of clothing covering it. It’s not yoga pants this jerk is bothered about, it’s the nature/age of the body beneath it.
Serves him right and good on the women for taking the high road and refusing to bow to his petty spite-rant.
So is telling an apple shape not to wear a shirt that is tight on your stomach body shaming?
I think this guy is ridiculous, but then i realized women are just as bad. Admit it or not we all love the swimmers at the olympics but put a fat guy in the speedo and were all like ewww….same thing when a hot guy goes shirtless. ….thats body shaming…..so then i think that u r not allowed to tell anyone whether what they wear is flattering bc ur body shaming if an article of clothing is unflattering.
I agree with Melly M that this is absurd. A person can’t have a different opinion???
I’m Jewish and we believe in modesty. I dress modestly within the bounds of what current fashion I can buy at Target and I’ll be dressing my daughter modestly (she’s 10 weeks old at the moment.) so I don’t wear yoga pants outside of exercising and I don’t wear leggings as pants. I really don’t care what anyone else does.
@Elian: I’m about modesty, too — for everyone, not just women. Problem is, that’s not what the jerk in question was complaining about. You see, fat, old, and out-of-shape women in yoga pants don’t get his motor running, and since that apparently is what women were put on this earth to do, he protests the garment.
A person can have a different opinion.
They shouldn’t have an opinion on what other people do with their bodies, but this man had one of those he wanted to share too.
The thing with sharing your opinion is, then other people then tell you what their opinions are and they sometimes don’t match.
Well said, detrius.
I’m clearly the worst person here. I believe in dressing with dignity and to flatter yourself. Incidentally the so-called French approach yo dressing.
I kind of agree with you. Not everyone looks good in yoga pants or leggings. I just think some women should be more aware of the fact that yoga pants might not be something they should wear outside of yoga class or whatever. Some yoga pants are just not flattering, especially when you wear them with a short top. I mean I don’t need to see the outline of your vulva !
Be more aware? Why? So as not to offend you?
Why does it bother you what total strangers choose to wear?
First they came for the sweatpants, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a pair of sweatpants.
Then they came for the Crocs, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a pair of Crocs.
Then they came for the leggings, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a pair of leggings.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
LOL
Unless something he said created a situation where women were banned from wearing yoga pants, I think the protesting is overboard. Of course he has a right to his stupid opinion. And women have a right to wear whatever they want. It was posted in an Op-Ed, where if we can’t disagree with each other anymore without doling out some sort of punishment to a person, then what have we become as a society? could you imagine if anytime you spoke out about something, a bunch of people showed up outside your private home to protest? Suppose it wasn’t an old grumpy man, but a young woman frely expressing her opinion? Are we free to speak or not? The protest was extreme, the letter was unneccesary – this event gave this guy more legitimacy and exposure than he deserved, and honestly, he has a right to his opinion. We all do. How can we disagree with each other without crucifying a person? Are we living in communist soviet union or Orwell’s 1984? Ignore the creep, or counter with another letter, FFS. He honestly had NO power or influence if we had just left it at the letter.
I agree. Also, what a great way for some perv to get women to show up at his house in tight yoga pants ! I mean damn can you imagine how many guys would love this??? Next some guy’s gonna say how he hates sports bras and next thing you know some ridiculous women will show up at his house wearing nothing but sports bras !
Honestly, as a woman, your armor has to be so strong in this world for all the crap that is thrown at you.. I am surprised something like this got under anyone’s skin! This guy was a nobody!
Boycotts and peaceful protest still count as free speech though. Nobody’s rights were violated on either side. Any protesters who gave him death threats were out of line and inappropriate, but I’m honestly a little skeptical that that part even happened- not only because this doesn’t seem like something people would actually threaten someone with violence over, but because when people get (earned) criticism for some belief they’ve expressed, it’s common for them to compare that backlash to things like violence, having their children taken away from them, being put in concentration camps, hate speech, being thrown in jail, or other types of persecution. It makes the person look sympathetic.
He has a right to his opinion. Women should be able to wear whatever they want and yes there are those who shouldn’t wear yoga pants.
… and I like to kick! … s-t-r-e-t-c-h … and KICK!!
The publishing of this letter is offensive because it contributes to and elevates the narrative that women are sexual objects who should only be seen if they are considered desirable by the observer. Should you be old or not of the most desirable shape or body weight, heaven forbid you dare to show your contours in public. The men are sensitive and your body is OBSCENE. It disgusts me that these entitled pricks are considered a voice of normality excused as ‘just expressing an opinion’. I would have marched with the women.
Agree with you completely. I’m so over this patriarchal drivel!!!
Well, Iwonder then if we should ban Vogue, and Mattel, and Hollywood, and Tom Ford, and network TV and H&M and all of it bc this guy surely isn’t alone in perpetuating that narrative. He’s an old fart saying people shouldn’t wear clothes that don’t fit well. I could say the same for men who wear pants that don’t stay up and expose a$$ crack. –am I going to get a bunch of guys with a$$ cracks showing protesting in front of my house?
This guy has no influence, he’s just an old grumpster who wrote an op-ed. Seriously: who cares what he thinks? Why do people let themselves get upset so easily by people they should not give that level of power to? Is this battle important in the war? Who is this guy? And why does he have any power to make anyone feel bad about their appearance? Eff him.
Exactly! Who cares what he thinks? I dress like a homeless wizard babushka and I get lots of stares and laughs and comments. I get my clothes from yard sales and thrift stores and couldn’t care less about “fashion” (I consider it a scam to be honest) and none of it bothers me. Because I’m secure in myself and my choices. I don’t need or want approval from anyone and I don’t live for them or anyone else. I’d never be caught dead at a stupid protest like this….or in yoga pants for anything other than yard/farm work. So ridiculous!
No, letters like this should be published and women should have submitted letters with counter-arguments. That would have been smart because nobody could have called that inappropriate like the march past his house.
I wasn’t on board with him in the first place, but he completely lost me when he put “Speedo” in quotes unnecessarily.
I get protesting the sexism inherent in his letter. Rock on, damn the man, fight the power. But don’t go to the guy’s house.
He’s 63 and voicing an opinion. Yes, that opinion has sexist undertones and is a metaphor for the patriarch.
However, he isn’t passing legislation, he isn’t campaigning for modesty dress laws, he isn’t actively trying to stop anyone from doing anything- going to his house is just an escalation that isn’t necessary and a little creepy imo.
I agree with the other comments that suggest protesting at the paper or even the town’s Main Street/square.
I just think- where does this go? 2016 has been the year of outrage, viral news stories, etc. Do we just go to everyone’s house that leaves a nasty note in the tip box that is shared through 90 different new sources on FB? Do we show up at the school’s when a teacher makes questionable remarks that is shared hundreds of thousands of times on FB? If our outrage leads to more outrageous behavior what are we doing? How are we making the world a better place?
Tl:dr: the outrageous outrage has to stop even when the outrage is righteous the outrageous outrage actions just make everything more outrageous.
The best reaction would have been to completely ignore him! And continue to wear whatever the hell you feel like.
“Protesting loudly in my ACTIVEWEAR!”
Adding this to the list of reasons why I love my state so much.
It’s so much more than just about yoga pants. It’s about a man saying women shouldn’t wear certain things because they are not young & skinny. Everyone should be behind this.
I just have to say this whole thread and the comments are making my life. Being from Vancouver, BC, the axis of evil from which lululemon and the ensuing yoga pants trend was spawned, I am sick to death of the ubiquitous yoga pant and how it’s acceptable attire for literally.every.damn.occasion in Vancouver…. *BUT* I really don’t care WHO wears them or what body type they have. It’s seriously entertaining to me that this is such a major issue for Bored Grandpa. These are yoga pants people. Don’t we have bigger things to worry about?
I don’t agree with the body shaming aspect, but I do agree with the general premise. The world is full of people who don’t dress right for the occasion and who don’t dress right for their body type. I finished reading The Lost Art of Dress earlier this year, and I don’t see what is so wrong with pointing out that all clothes don’t look good on everyone.
The book is a good read for anyone interested in dress and fashion.
Sorry but this old coot needs to STFU already, you don’t get to have an opinion when you’re opinion impinges on my selfhood. This is BS, “he’s just expressing his opinion” oh really? So, his opinion is that he only wants to see young girls in yoga pants because they have the blessing of youth? Oh please, I’m glad they did a march in front of his house, the only thing good about this guy is that he did not hide behind the internet and actually wrote a letter with his name on it, so that the ladies could march and know who he is! Yeay.
I somehow suspect that you would change your opinion if a crowd came for you and waited protesting in front of your house whenever they didn’t like everything you said during this day.
Who cares what this old man thinks?? Lol. I don’t need a man telling me what I can and cannot wear. Period.
That moment when your actions cause a reaction… and you go mimimimimi
Huh? There still are appropriate and inappropriate, aggressive reactions.
Sasha said it beautifully above:
“The publishing of this letter is offensive because it contributes to and elevates the narrative that women are sexual objects who should only be seen if they are considered desirable by the observer. Should you be old or not of the most desirable shape or body weight, heaven forbid you dare to show your contours in public. The men are sensitive and your body is OBSCENE. It disgusts me that these entitled pricks are considered a voice of normality excused as ‘just expressing an opinion’. I would have marched with the women.”
“Not since the Croc has there been something worn by so many people (any gender, age, or size) who should never have them on in the first place. Like the Crocs, Koolaburra Boots can be adorable on absolutely no one. However, on mature, adult humans there is something bizarre and disturbing about the appearance they make in public. Maybe it’s the clodhopper perspective they provide, inappropriate for general consumption, that makes them just plain weird in public. UGG Koolaburra, and all knockoffs, only belong on Cabbage Patch dolls. The only possible exception? Is when women pair them with yoga pants.”
As long as men feel they have the right to tell women what to wear, women have the right to walk down public streets in protest. He felt “bullied”?? He has NO IDEA of the bullying females put up with every day from sexism and ageism, including unless we are young and slim, we are an affront if we wear clingy clothes. Frankly, I don’t feel a bit sorry for him, but I’m proud and happy when I see a post like: I don’t have to be pretty for you”. March on, gals!
People have a lot of time on their hands. There are major, significant issues all around us. This doesn’t even come close to one of them.
Compare this guys opinion to the comments on a Kim kardashian thread after Kanye dresses her. Lots of comments on her clothing not being an appropriate choice for her body type, and not in that gentle of terms. How is this guy different? This old fart is not trying to enact a law. He gave his opinion, on an opinion section of a newspaper. And a bunch of overly sensitive people took the day off of work to stand in front of his private residence, in yoga pants. Wish I had that much free time.