I was sent the leggings letter by my daughter, a student at Notre Dame. I would like to share my feedback on it. We will start with this: Princess Leia? Is this woman serious? First of all, Princess Leia was a leader — strong, funny, smart. She saved countless people and was willing to sacrifice herself for others. Yet the example this woman chooses to use for a sexualized character in a movie is Princess Leia, a woman who wore a white full-length robe 90 percent of the time and in one scene, in one of many movies, was wearing something equal to a bikini. It’s absurd. She started off sexualizing everything by referring to this one specific outfit and did not even realize that such framework is the issue. Instead of telling your son that girls are wrong for wearing leggings, instead of sexualizing everything, how about raising your son to respect women and view them as valuable beyond their bodies? I will also say this: If nakedness is wrong, then this woman’s sons better have been fully clothed at the beach at all times. They better never have played a game of “shirts versus skins” pick-up basketball or football in the park. If tight clothes are equal to nakedness, then every male wrestler by her definition should be at fault for wearing the uniforms issued because my daughter is in the stands. Women find male chests and abs attractive like men find women’s legs attractive. By her own definition and logic, any male out playing on a sunny day at the park with his friends should be ashamed of himself, and as a mother she should have properly raised her son not to tempt my daughter with his body. This is the issue — the real issue. We are raising the wrong mindset. My daughter is not responsible for this woman’s sons’ thoughts or behaviors. I raised a woman who is strong, wise, intelligent, moral, unrestrained in her choices and also confident in herself. I raised her to love and accept people. I raised her not to judge, but to take ownership of her own choices and try to better herself daily. I raised her to focus on being the “fearfully and wonderfully made” child of Christ, who lives to refine herself daily. I suggest this woman focuses on that with her sons; leggings are the least of this world’s current gender issues.
Heather Piccone
March 25
