THE RANT: Just when did our daughters start dressing like hookers?

Capital Hill Blue ^ | July 8, 2002 | Doug Thompson

[Stand Watch Listen]

God knows I’m not a prude. As a teenager, I hid Playboys under my mattress, ogled the lingerie ads in the Sears Catalog and even knew about the secret place at my high school where you could look into the girls’ locker room shower.

On most Saturday nights, I was in the back seat of my ’57 Ford at the Autodrome drive-in in Radford, Virginia, wrestling with some young lady, trying to score the teenage sexual equivalent of a home run (funny how we learned early on to equate sports and sex).

In the immortal words of Meatloaf in his anthem to raging teenage hormones, the goal was to “see paradise by the dashboard light.”

Memories of those angst-filled days came back over the 4th of July weekend while sitting under a refreshment stand tent at a carnival in East St. Louis, Illinois, watching too many young girls parade by in the accepted attire of the times.

After an hour of so of this, I had to wonder: How in the hell does a teenage boy today keep his hormones under control? Lord, I had enough trouble when a glimpse of young female leg above the knee would satisfy the lustful cravings of a young man’s desire.

But now, with bare-midriff tops, low slung jeans, low-cut haltertops, thongs and see through blouses, there ain’t a hell of a lot left to the imagination.

We’re not talking about just 17, 18 or 19 year old hardbodies here, but 12 and 13 year olds wearing shorts low enough for the tops of thongs to show and blouses with enough open buttons to show what they may one day have to show.

Add to that enough navel, nose and eyebrow rings to start a jewelry store and you start to wonder just when it became acceptable for young women to dress like hookers.

Like most men, I enjoy looking at sexy young things, although at my age, “young” begins at about age 45. But I wonder if young girls shouldn’t at least go through puberty before letting all that they may or may not have hang out for public view.

Should a 15-year-old girl be parading around in public wearing jeans cut so low that they require shaving of pubic hair or shorts that ride high enough in back to show off butt cheeks? Are parents allowing this or are these nymphets changing into their CFM attire after they leave home?

If current teenage attire can shock even a dirty old man like me, has it gone to far?

I don’t have an answer. I do find it unsettling. If I had a teenage daughter right now, I’d probably lock her away until a safer age, say about 30 or maybe even 40.

[DAnconia55]

That is how many men view the situation. And, many men do not commit because of this fact.

You must be 50+.

Most men NOW do not commit because of the legalites regarding divorce.

I don't know many guys who are extremely uptight about their wives former sex lives.

[Polybius]

I think Polybius voiced similar complaints.

ARRRGGGHHH!!!!

Let's get one thing straight. Maybe about OTHER people's daughters but not about MY daughter!!!

So far, we have had an ideal enviorment for our kids. We have had them in parent-run "Co-Op" private schools where like-minded parents own the building lease contract and own the teacher's contract. My 12 year old daughter has no idea who Brittany Spears is and, last year, dressed the same every day for school: white blouse, dark green plaid skirt...the same as every other girl at school.

The school only went up to 6th Grade. So, next year, my daughter will be going to school in the third floor of our house, along with five other children, taught by one of the best teachers in town that I have privately contracted.

Yes, parents can control what enviornment kids grow up in. I decided that my kids were going to grow up in Mayberry, circa 1940.

Historically though, this Hooker Wannabe Syndrome has been a problem since the 1920's. As evidence I put forth a cartoon from a book called "Cartoon Cavalcade' published in 1945 that I bought at an estate sale. It reprinted newspaper cartoons from the 1890's to the 1940's.

The cartoon was called "Polly and Her Pals" and was published in 1928:

First Frame: Papa sees Polly going out on a date. Her flapper skirt is half way up her thigh, the back plunges to the waist leaving a totally bare back and the front has very thin straps ( ala Jennifer Lopez) that barely cover the breasts............Papa yells,

"Take it off this instant! No daughter of mine can appear in public in that scandalous outfit!"

Second Frame: In the bedroom, in her slip, Polly complains,

"Y'know, Ma, there are times when Pa burns me up!" Ma replies, "And How! Never mind, Honey. Slip this one on."

Third Frame: The second dress leaves nothing less to the imagination. Pa goes ballistic,

"Nuthin' doin'!That's worse'n the other one! Nix! N.G.! OUT!"

Fourth Frame: Pa wipes the sweat from his brow:

"Ye Gods! Keepin' a daughter in clothes is no longer a matter of finances!!"

Remember. This was 1928! :-)

Another favorite cartoon in that book from 1944: A sailor consoles his sobbing girlfriend.......

"But, Honey, I ain't got a girl in every port. I ain't BEEN in every port!"

[Conservative til I die]

A shining example of libertine libertarianism. Mind you, I've come to respect libertarians more, but you're a shining example of what's wrong with a good portion of them.

Is there a reason the topic of teens dressing like whores has gotten you so riled up? It's somewhat disturbing.

[Dan Day]

Assault is worse than sexual harassment.

I was using a figure of speech.

[rmlew]

I wrote:

2. Birth control is less than perfect, especially in the hands of teenagers. Undesired teen pregnancy is a major problem.

DAnconia5 responded
Reread the thread. Half of the comments are about women.
And the relevence to my comment is..?

And I'm not so sure teen pregnancy is a major problem. Unless you think it was a problem for the last 20 centuries.
I said "Undesired teen pregnancy is a major problem"
The word "undesired" is important here.

[Conservative til I die]

And abortions too! Don't forget! Yummy 9th month abortions!

[conservative cat]

I don't know many guys who are extremely uptight about their wives former sex lives.

Don't know who you have been hanging out with, but most men do have problems with it. They may think it's cool at first, but once they've fallen in love, it's a whole different ball-game...

[Wondervixen]

Whoa, time out...I'm not a girl...At least at 30, I don't THINK I am anymore. I'm a mother of three little girls and I was just waxing philosophic as to female/male attitudes as I've grown to observe them. We don't want any of our precious little angels to become worldly before they're adults, but when it happens, it is the PARENTS business, not outsiders. The whole burden for early sexual activity in teenage girls still falls on the girls themselves, but only if the parents brought them up right to appreciate the value of their goodies and the importance of preserving them for someone equally special.

They're growing into young women, not amusement park rides.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

She was also wearing a pair of thongs.

Thank goodness she was wearing two thongs, most gals only wear one!!!

Thongs, the Devil's Panties.

[PJ-Comix]

When she demanded to know why, he said "Because no daughter of mine is going out dressed to service the fleet."

Watch the History Channel RIGHT NOW!!!

[Don Myers]

Oh yes, the changing times. And, just look how far we have advanced. (Sarcasm tag inserted here)

[Don Myers]

"They're growing into young women, not amusement park rides."

That one just sailed right over Danconia's head. Did you hear the sound of the riccocheting bullet?

[Don Myers]

"Don't know who you have been hanging out with, but most men do have problems with it. They may think it's cool at first, but once they've fallen in love, it's a whole different ball-game..."

Shallowness doesn't care. To many men, women are to be used. Some men never grow up. It is the Peter Pan Syndrome.

[thathamiltonwoman]

When did our daughters start dressing like hookers? Possibly in the 1920s. When the flappers bobbed their hair, & took off their corsets that shocked their parents. Perhaps it was in the 1870s when women horrified their elders by giving up on the crinoline. No, I'm wrong. It has to be in the 1800s when young girls actually put on wet dresses so that the material would cling to them. Oh, gee I guess I have to go back to Eve's first daughter. Seriously, no generation of kids has ever pleased their elders.

[Bella_Bru]

I amsupposed to be on vacation, keeping my BP low, dearie.

[Gabz]

Sure, the mom's allow it

This is one mom that will not allow it - my mom didn't allow it with me and her mom didn't allow it with her. And I don't really care what "the other kids" are allowed to do.

[2sheep]

BTTT

Little girls seek Classic Ho look; dumb parents write the checks

THE INNOCENCE WILL END...BUT NOT YET

[AmericanInTokyo]

Well, I believe the slang is "yellow cab". One suspects this was actually invented by Japanese, even though their myths tell them it was coined by Americans (particuarly in Hawaii) who were amazed at the loose morals of young ladies visiting Honolulu from Japan, flushed with cash, a sense of liberation, and no boundaries.