"Wholesome" Swimwear. If by Wholesome You Mean Puritanical

Hey, look at the day glow puritans! For only $89 $79, you too can experience the freedom of safely concealed dirty pillows and all the sundry naughty bits... like knees. And, for those who are offended by exposed elbows, WholesomeWear will do itself one better:

We also offer a Slimming Swimmer suit that extends to the midarm (between the elbow and the wrist)  and covers down to the lower leg (between the knee and the ankle).

Emphasis all them. Jill from Feministe has an idea why these "wholesome" folks are so arm-phobic in their effort to cover all but hands, feet and face:

Because the rest of her is a temptation to sin, my friend. You see, God may have created woman with breasts and hips and an ass, but these things are nonetheless evil, and any indication of them is bad.

Insert painfully obvious Taliban snark here. Sure there's too much serialization of women in our culture. I was reminded again this weekend that Hooters really is considered a family restaurant for some Americans. I'm appalled each time I hear it, and have yet to actually reconnoiter for myself, but I'm with Jill in contextually celebrating scantily clad women:

The bikini was scandalous because it publicly revealed the female body. And, while I think we can all agree that objectification isn’t liberating, the bikini was sort of a big middle finger to the people who saw the female body as inherently sinful and needing to be covered.

It's a fine line to tread, the celebration vs. objectification of women's bodies - and even though context is everything, WholesomeWear is so clearly wrong. Nudity is a natural for swimming - not serving chicken wings.

Comments

[CSL]

I should have worn one these on Zanzibar - maybe I would have gotten fewer disapproving looks from the hotel staff. Still, it does leave those sinful forearms and calves exposed...

[sonja]

What do Amish women wear to swim? I'm guessing it's au-naturale.

[Doris]

It is about time someone has come out with a modest swimsuit that doesn't make every woman look like she's flaunting her wares.
If we cause a man to lust after us we have sinned.
We are to keep ourselves pure until marriage, and married women are to keep themselves only for their husband. What
husband would want his wife to bare her body in public for all to see and other men to drool over her. A bikini or scant bathingsuit leaves little to the imagination. It also shows that women who wear them have very little self respect.
I am very pleased to see this new line of swimwear available to women as an alternative.