The Rebelution Weighs in on Male Modesty (blahblahblah)

[Reb009]

You know what? Lust makes the world go round!

[noni alabaster]

I want women to stop responding to this bullshit. Men can take care of themselves. If they cannot do so, who gives a flying fuck. Yes, I realize the irony inherent in this post.

[salex]

I agree!!!!

I was explaining this whole process to my husband on our commute, including the comment someone made earlier about eventually some of these guys won't be able to perform without being flogged by a woman in a frumper.

He and I decided that it might also create an unhealthy connection between sexual stimulation and the sight of men's shoes.

[salex]

Except for fundies thinking it is as bad as actually doing the act.

Which I think it a pretty serious and purposeful misinterpretation of the "He who without sin cast the first stone" story. I've heard ministers say that lusting in one's heart is several levels beyond noticing someone as attractive and stimulating but more into the whole coveting/plotting to obtain, etc. The story has always seemed another example of the "mote in your brother's eye vs the log in yours" idea, not aimed only at sex.

Not to mention--there is a clear difference between thinking of a thing and doing that thing, both to the person and the thing or person acted on. If you see an armored car and think of a movie where you saw an armored car robbed and think briefly about the relative ease or difficulty of robbing the armored car, it is not the same as actually doing the act. If you even plot out a plan to rob an armored car, and don't do it, it is NOT as bad as doing the act. You have not acted on a thought, you have not put others at risk and you have not taken their property... it is not hard to see the difference between thought and action--but boy has it been used by church fathers to dump guilt on people and control women.

[OnceModestTwiceShy]

Suspenders. Don't wear suspenders. Also? Bowler hats. Yes, I'm a weirdo. Kthxbye.

[debrand]

Almost any type of accent. British accent? My god, that is sexy. Do British people realize how hot their accent sounds to Americans? Patrick Stewart could just read the phone book as foreplay-well, it would be nice if he did a bit more.

[Talitha Cumi]

Yesterday, I walked by two teenaged boys wearing shorts and no shirts. At first, I was all "ooh, that one on the right" then I realized that the one on the right was maybe 16, at most, and felt really skeevy and gross, because I'm old enough to be his mother.

Did I blame the boy in question for making me look and then feel skeevy? Of course not. I averted my eyes, reminded myself I'm 37 and walked on.

There's a lesson there, boys.

I've done that same thing. A whole group of them ran by (shirtless) and I said something to my sister, and she said "Oh, thank God I'm not the only one!" :lol: Yes, they're young and defrauding, but I'm able to appreciate them without being overcome by lust.

[erunerune]

The Harris brothers' current take on the Modesty Survey seems to be (based on their remarks in the comments) "Geez, guys, we were never comfortable with the idea of a Modesty Survey to begin with, and we only did it because YOU kept demanding it."

I may have missed something, but they aren't exactly saying "Hey, it was a bad idea and we shouldn't have abused our fundie celebrity in such a harmful way." It seems like a good example of why smug teen-aged boys should not position themselves as "authorities" on female behavior (even if they back-pedal from saying that was what their original intention was). They knew that a lot of their followers were going to take the survey results as gospel & they ran with it.

It also seems pretty appallingly un-self-aware that whatever Harris brother liked him the tight shirts in college could have had so little inkling that he was being so hypocritical. Although critical thinking skills do not seem to be the cornerstone of SOTDRT.

I think my possibly less-than-clear impression is that the Harris kids are a hot mess, and it's sad that anyone gives weight to their viewpoints.

[RachelB]

Suspenders. Don't wear suspenders. Also? Bowler hats. Yes, I'm a weirdo. Kthxbye.

For me it's elbow patches and corduroy, the accoutrements of humanities nerds.