What is modesty?

As women, we are often told we should dress modestly. That doesn't bother me as much as when it's directed at little girls. You will be hard pressed to find a school dress code geared toward boys. They are always focused on girls: shorts, sleeves, skirts, you name it. When a authoritative figure tells a young girl she needs to cover up her legs or arms what is that really saying to her? Basically, it is implying there is something wrong with her body. It's bad and doesn't need to be shown. No wonder we have so many young girls suffering with eating disorders and body image issues.

Modesty is defined as the state or quality of being moderate in the estimation of one's own abilities, accomplishments, or value. It's also the state of being unostentatious or moderate in size or quantity. Obviously, this can be interpreted different ways. Unfortunately for little girls everywhere it is almost always directed toward their bodies. When adults, especially men, are concerned about how a young woman dresses, that tells me more about themselves. Why are they so obsessed with young womens' bodies?

I am aware they usually quote 1 Timothy 2:9. In the King James version it is as follows, "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array."

After a little research, I learn that modern day theologians and biblical scholars feel this particular verse was in reference to economic modesty and unity rather than sexual modesty. I looked up a New International Biblical commentary by Dr. Gordon Fee. He argues that Paul's message in the passage is about the socioeconomic display . He discusses how Ephesus was a wealthy port at the mouth of the Kaystros River where eastern trade routes met the Aegean Sea. Apparently, in their society, clothing was a marker of hierarchy and socioeconomic status. Wealthy women often imitated goddesses with elaborate braids and gold and pearls.

New Testament scholar Dr Ben Witherington III says the text is "addressing the ostentatious display of wealth in a worship setting." He says "modesty and sobriety are virtues of economic restraint and decorum."

There are several other bible scholars who emphasize socioeconomic hubris. A common belief is that many women then used their hairstyles and attire as an aggressive marker of their elite social status. I guess the same could still apply today, but how and when did it get distorted to make young women feel insecure about their bodies. Fancy sports cars and designer clothes can make someone feel inferior, especially when they can't afford such things, but how in the world did that get twisted into a woman's clothing or lack there of suggests promiscuity. As a matter of fact, I don't think any article of clothing says one damn thing about whether or not someone has had carnal knowledge. I think what is more interesting is WHY men could possibly translate a person's clothing into something sexual. Kind of makes me wonder what they're thinking about! And I'm a mom of two daughters so it disgusts me. No mother wants to think about some older man making sexual implications about their babies. Period. I said what I said. Full stop.

Modesty is a good thing. Who knows what Paul or his follower actually meant. A little digging suggests he was probably referring to humility, but let's say maybe he wasn't. Does that mean anyone should apply sexual or deviant connotations to young girls based on their clothing? Notice to all my BABs out there: men, often authoritative figures, are using their inner wants and desires to suggest defamatory sexual labels on our little girls. It's inappropriate and wrong. They should keep their mind out of the gutter. Our girls need to be uplifted and taught positive things about their bodies. Labels are dangerous and often completely wrong. It's up to us as women to stand up and say no to these people sexualizing our young girls.