To My Daughters

My beautiful girls,

I want to share something with you I that learned at church. It may be helpful to you one day, when you grow up and find the love of your life, commit yourself to that man, and marry. Perhaps even before that, as you become a young woman who begins to attract male attention.

It is this:

Women should dress modestly to avoid proving herself a stumbling block to her brothers in Christ who have a hard enough time as it is with the bombardment of visual stimuli in the form of scantily clad temptresses who are bound and determined to make mincemeat of men's spiritual souls.

I did. I learned that from non-denominational evangelical pastors. Of course, I rephrased it because I can not remember their exact terms. But anyway, you get the gist.

They were precisely the same ones who advised this:

Women should prevent "letting themselves go" and make certain they maintain their physical appearance such that their husbands will not be inclined to helplessly fall prey to the seductive lure of scantily clad temptresses who are bound and determined to make mincemeat of their husband's souls. Lest she prove herself, once again, a stumbling block.

Ahem.

Dear babes, what I would like to say to you is that it is my earnest desire that you dress as modestly as you see fit for yourselves, because your bodies are a priceless gift - a treasure - a vehicle to house your bright, intelligent minds and your willful ambition and and your unique aspirations and your extraordinary talent for being you and your witty sense of humor and your laboring hands and your strong legs that will carry you where you want to go and your smiles that can light up a room and make a day and delight a heart. They are your avenues for service, your vessels for demonstrating love and kindness and compassion and gentleness and strength and aid to your fellow living kind, including men and women and children and animals and the vegetables and flowers you may choose to tend.

This gift is not to be taken for granted, nor minimized, nor cheapened by placing inordinate emphasis on your appearance as if it is the sum of all that you are, the vast extent of all you have to give...or to hide. That is so very far from true.  

Apart from what any man thinks of you, you, lovely creatures, are so much more than your physique. From the day you were born, the whole of you held value and worth and substance, from your tiny little toes, to the tops of your heads, and that does not change just because you grow and begin to draw the attention or adoration or affection of boys and men, or because you choose to marry. That does not change ever.

You retain your worth, always. You are worthy because you are here - because you are You.

Dress with dignity, girls - for you are dignified. Care for your bodies - they are yours to steward and they will be ever with you - your mechanism for experiencing all that live has to offer you.

Respect yourselves as daughters of The King, knowing that hand in hand with that respect comes humility and mercy generously extended and graciousness toward all, men and women alike. Ponder what is appropriate for you, during each season of your life, and act accordingly to the best of your ability.

You are sharp. You are capable of figuring out what is best for you to wear.
I, for one, have great faith in you.