Girls Gone Skank

So, I was at Wal-Mart today (yes, I shop there. Hold onto your social consciences; I think with my wallet.), and I saw a display a few aisles down with some clothes that I thought might fit my daughter (she's 8 months old). I got a little closer, only to realize that these were clothes for 10-12 year-olds. Super-short shorts. Super tight shirts. Etc. Etc.

It made me think of this book that's coming out this year,

Girls Gone Skank by Patrice Oppliger, a prof. at Boston University.

It's a funny title for the book, and I felt a little scandalous visiting the website (don't worry - it's a book blurb that is quite the opposite of what porn-surfers would prefer to find), but I do think this is a pressing problem in the contemporary US. Somehow, it became cool to look and dress like a skank, and that's trickling down to younger and younger ages. Prof. Oppliger's book includes examinations of "fashion, plastic surgery, and beauty pageants" - all phenomena that strongly stress appearance. Now, I think her book deals with younger and younger females engaging in this type of behavior, but in many ways it's a reflection of society as a whole. There's a time and a place for fashion and plastic surgery (not so sure about beauty pageants), but I fear we often stress appearances to an unhealthy extreme.

I wish women didn't have to draw their confidence and identity from how they look. It's a complicated issue - people like to look nice. Plus, I'm a shallow guy too (my wife is smokin' hot), but I think there's probably a more constructive middle ground between nun and whore-slut.

Especially for girls, who should be worried about playing hopscotch or soccer instead of looking sexy.

Maybe I'll give Patrice's book a read when it comes out