Some years back, before I went through the temple, I had a discussion with a non-LDS friend of mine about garments. She, of course, thought they were extremely weird and a sign of oppression and why would anyone wear them, etc. My main thoughts were that a) all things considered, yes they do limit some fashion choices, but at least it's not throat-to-wrist-to-feet coverings 24/7 like some faiths, and there are exceptions for circumstances and activities, and b)it's someone's underwear and how on earth is that ever anyone else's business? Lay off!
Only later after wearing the garment myself did I realize that the same question must then be posed to members of the Church. How is it anyone else's business whether an individual is wearing their garments on a given day or not? Or at all or not? It's not, but I'll tell you, it's impossible not to feel conspicuous about going out in public where other Mormons might see you and know/think you're not wearing them.
Example: I was recently at a friend's house for a get-together involving her mother on a day when I had run low on clean garments, so it was just me and regular heathen underwear. This mother can occasionally be a bit of a busy-body, and at one point when I was standing next to her, I'm fairly certain I felt the edge of my shirt lifted and then lowered. I was busy doing something so I can't absolutely confirm that this happened, and she made no comments, but I wouldn't put it past her from my experiences being around her. If this indeed happened, not only did she invade my personal space without permission--and I have very specific issues with people messing with my clothes, especially when I'm wearing them--but... what business is it of hers or anyone's? None. Absolutely none.
If I'm wearing my garments, it doesn't matter.
If I'm not wearing my garments, it doesn't matter.
My underwear is none of your business. Ever.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
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Thank you for wanting to leave me a message. I hope you've found something I've said edifying, and you'll extend the same to me. Please be positive, I'm not here to argue, but rather to just have a place to write things that I find spiritually uplifting, or share my own ponderings on matters of faith. Thank you.
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Oh.My.Gosh. It's one thing to stare at shoulders or look for that knee line (or wait for them to bend over and see if anything peeks)...but to actually peek into someone's clothing. WOW. And obviously I think all the examples there are beyond decency.
ReplyDeleteA couple of months ago we had a male friend over (good friend, we have him over a lot), and somewhere in the course of the evening he stretched and I caught a glimpse of the waistband of his underwear. Until that moment, I had never thought about whether he was a boxers or briefs (or boxer briefs) guy. The moment of the glimpse wasn't even a "oh so he wears ___" it was more of a passive internal acknowledgement of the presence of underwear. Something like how you might notice that someone has a green shirt on today, or that their hair is in a ponytail. I noticed but I didn't attend to it. And (except for about 2 seconds just now) I have never spent time wondering whether he wears the same style of underwear every day or not. IT SIMPLY ISN'T MY BUSINESS and I frankly don't care either.
I do pay some attention to my spouse's underwear. Some. But the mormon obsession with underwear and what is being worn by whom...I agree. Disturbing.