Mother Of 4 Sons Begs Young Women To Stop Wearing Leggings — Students Protest By Flaunting Them

Sep 21, 2021 by apost team

Fashion has continued to evolve and change over the years, but some items are true staples in people’s wardrobes. While we all have our own personal favorite items of clothing, some outfits are definitely known for being classics. For many people, this is typically a pair of jeans and a simple shirt. However, we live in a very individualistic world where people are able to express themselves freely and dress whatever they want.

However, not everyone is completely comfortable with this concept, and those people try to control what other people can and cannot wear. In March 2019, a mother decided to write to the editor of The Observer, the student newspaper of the University of Notre Dame, to express her concerns over the popularity of leggings. The mother detailed how troubling it was to raise four sons in a Catholic home while being surrounded by young women constantly wearing leggings. Even though she believed that she raised her sons to treat others respectfully, she worried that other men wouldn’t treat women right if they saw them wearing such revealing clothes.

While the mother was shocked that so many women enjoyed wearing leggings for comfort, more people were shocked at how outlandish the mother was for even suggesting that women couldn’t wear what they wanted. Many Notre Dame students were upset with the letter and decided to show everyone how they really felt by protesting. They essentially made the mother’s worst nightmare come true when they not only spoke out against her frustrating letter, but they wore the one garment of clothing that she despised the most: leggings.

In her letter to The Observer, mother Maryann White wrote about how hard it was to constantly see women wearing leggings, knowing that men would most likely be staring at them. “I’m just a Catholic mother of four sons with a problem that only girls can solve: leggings,” White wrote. She referred to the pants as “unforgiving” since they typically leave little to the imagination. She was most shocked by the fact that many young women wear the snug-fitting garments to church.

White continued to express just how hard it is to be a Catholic mother and raise sons to view women as daughters and sisters rather than “babes.” Most importantly, she believed that “all people should be considered with respect.” However, the mother explained that it was “unavoidable” to view women’s bodies while they wore leggings. “How much more difficult for young guys to ignore them,” she said.

The mother explained why people's reasoning for wearing leggings aren't the best. "I’ve heard women say that they like leggings because they’re “comfortable.” So are pajamas. So is nakedness," she wrote, adding, "And the human body is a beautiful thing. But we don’t go around naked because we respect ourselves — we want to be seen as a person, not a body."

She also used the example of Princess Leia from the "Star Wars" franchise to describe the idea of a "slave girl" who is forced to wear an ensemble that highlights her body, and how though girls who don't wear leggings are "slave girls," they are certainly putting themselves in a position where their body is their only focus. 

At the end of her letter, she urged female Notre Dame students to stop wearing leggings.

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It’s safe to say that many students were unhappy with the letter and decided to speak their mind on the matter by protesting. On March 26, 2019, several students came together to protest White’s views on leggings. They even did so while wearing the garment the mother despised the most: leggings. Several women reminded White that it was her job to teach her sons to be responsible for their actions rather than putting blame on what women wear. 

Speaking with The Observer, student Nicole Waddick had this to say while wearing her leggings: “I wear leggings because what I wear is not an invitation to sexualize my body.” Others agreed, stating that it’s not women’s responsibility to control men’s feelings or actions.

Another woman also brought forward the incorrect notion that a woman has to be seen as a relation to someone to be considered worthy of respect, and wrote, "'makes it hard on Catholic mothers to teach their sons that women are someone’s daughters and sisters' - Really? How about that they're SOMEONE. full stop." 

Another woman showed her support for White though, as she wrote, "She is entitled to her opinion, and I'm proud of Maryanne speaking up, asking young women to consider how young boys and men control their sexual urges, thoughts and desires. Modesty in public, always." 

However, most responses have been very critical of White and her thoughts and reminded her that a man's behavior is his responsibility and does not fall on a woman and that as a mother, she should know better.  

Do you believe that the mother was right to ask women to dress differently, or do you think she was being disrespectful and blaming young women for men’s thoughts and actions? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family members and friends, too.