Why I Can’t Get Excited about “Sleeveless” Garments
Linda Hamilton
October 23, 2024
4 Comments
It’s taken decades of advocating and activism for men to literally give us an inch
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It’s taken decades of advocating and activism for men to literally give us an inch
Yesterday I shared a blog post about why I stopped wearing garments a decade ago. It’s obviously been awhile since I shopped for new garments because of that, so last night I logged into my account at store.churchofjesuschrist.org and looked at what has changed over the past few years. The pictures of garments brought back so many memories! I can feel them on my body even though I haven’t worn a pair in years.
I didn’t have a medical reason to stop wearing my garments. I just… hated them. I didn’t have UTIs or yeast infections or skin irritation – instead I just had generalized irritation. I always felt hot and frumpy. I wanted to feel pretty and not tug on my undergarments all day long. I’m writing this for the women out there who are like I was – miserable in garments but unable to stop wearing them without a valid excuse not to.
Blogger April Young-Bennett lists three reasons church leaders might be choosing to enforce a strict garment-wearing mandate, even if garments may not be effective at reminding people of Jesus Christ and their covenants.
Rules about swimwear should focus on safety. They should not require a girl to sacrifice her time, comfort, or convenience to find a suit deemed “appropriate” by others. A one piece swimsuit rule is an arbitrary restriction that does nothing to protect a girl’s physical or moral safety, since the rule does not inherently teach her to make choices that respect her body and its wellbeing.
“This isn’t a problem you can solve with quantitative data alone. Understanding and improving garment wearing for women requires a deeper understanding of the embodied religious experiences of women and the ways in which garments shape those experiences in positive and negative ways.”
My heart is broken because we champion motherhood so much in the church, but the church shows so little understanding about the intimate details of how a woman and her needs actually change with motherhood.
In the 15 years that I wore garments I never once thought of them as a symbol of Jesus.
“I know my Heavenly Mother didn’t create garments.
If She did, She’d know She had children all over the world who live in drastic climates, unable to easily wear another layer without rashes and heat stroke. She’d know that Her children all come from different cultures, with different standards of beauty and modesty, that white western puritanism isn’t supreme.”
I cross dressed for a decent percentage of the first few years of my marriage…The fashion industry wants female sexuality on display, the church wants it contained in an almost impossible feminine-but-not-tempting box.
Exponent II provides feminist forums for women and gender minorities across the Mormon spectrum to share their diverse life experiences in an atmosphere of trust and acceptance. Through these exchanges, we strive to create a community to better understand and support each other.