Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

An Upsidedown World: What's Bad Is Good

Right before I participated in a strictly-do-not-do-this-at-home exploit  yesterday, I had my eye on the Today Show—yet another embarrassment to add to the morning’s events. 

At any rate, a leading teen store now offers padded bras for the 7-14 year old age group.  Of course, the bras reflect criminally bad taste and undermine what we’re trying to teach our daughters about body image.  (What’s important is what’s inside.  Don’t look in the mirror and think “implants,” we say.)  Of course, mothers everywhere demand the offending garments be taken off the shelves.  And, of course, the store anticipated and, no doubt, welcomed this response.  When it comes to sales, bad news is good news.  Always.

Everything’s suggestive now from TV ads to padded bras for 7-year-olds.  In a world that’s moving way too fast, we should find ways to encourage—not beat down—innocence.  Maybe that’s why I love to write picture books. 

There’s really nothing sweeter than a little body nestled next to me, hanging on to my every word.  I might lose that feeling if there were an underwire poking into my side.

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