So what is obscene?

[SeaCat]

This afternoon my wife was confronted in a store by another customer. She was told that she should be ashamed of herself and that her clothing was obscene.

Now my wife is not a large woman by any stretch. She stands 5'6" and weighs in at 125 pounds. (Some of you here have seen pictures of her.) She's in good shape. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white Tank Top that was sweat soaked. Because we were in a grocery store it was more than a little cool and you could see her bodies reaction to this quite clearly if you cared to look. My wife is 40 years old.

The woman who confronted her on the other hand was in her 20's. She stood maybe five feet tall and had to tip the scales at well over 200 pounds. She was dressed in tight Spandex Shorts and a Bikini Top.

Somehow I can't get my mind aroundher thinking my wife and her clothing was obscene. What are your opinions?

Cat

 

[sadangel]

I think someone needs her eyes and head examined. 200 lbs + and Spandex! And a bikini top. I think it sounds like that woman was dressed obscenely. Sounds like your wife was dressed just right for the weather. It is not her fault it was so hot she was soaked. That has happened to me several times this summer. Thankfully, most times I was on my way home so I just grin and bare it. (You know what I mean!)

 

[TE999]

This afternoon my wife was confronted in a store by another customer. She was told that she should be ashamed of herself and that her clothing was obscene.

Now my wife is not a large woman by any stretch. She stands 5'6" and weighs in at 125 pounds. (Some of you here have seen pictures of her.) She's in good shape. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white Tank Top that was sweat soaked. Because we were in a grocery store it was more than a little cool and you could see her bodies reaction to this quite clearly if you cared to look. My wife is 40 years old.

The woman who confronted her on the other hand was in her 20's. She stood maybe five feet tall and had to tip the scales at well over 200 pounds. She was dressed in tight Spandex Shorts and a Bikini Top.

Somehow I can't get my mind around her thinking my wife and her clothing was obscene. What are your opinions?



Cat

Sounds like good ol' jealousy to me. I mean, really. Anyone standing 5' and weighing 200+ lbs should be arrested for wearing spandex, much less a bikini top. Can you say 'Wide Load' boys and girls?

 

[yourmissl]

The woman who confronted her on the other hand was in her 20's. She stood maybe five feet tall and had to tip the scales at well over 200 pounds. She was dressed in tight Spandex Shorts and a Bikini Top.

Spandex is a privilege, not a right.

 

[Handley_Page]

Maybe a touch of jealousy, perhaps ?

[ come to think of it, the spandex woman sounds like a nightmare I'd rather not think about ]

 

[glynndah]

Maybe a touch of jealousy, perhaps ?

[ come to think of it, the spandex woman sounds like a nightmare I'd rather not think about ]

And if she sounds like a nightmare, just think of how she looks!!!

 

[slyc_willie]

This afternoon my wife was confronted in a store by another customer. She was told that she should be ashamed of herself and that her clothing was obscene.

Now my wife is not a large woman by any stretch. She stands 5'6" and weighs in at 125 pounds. (Some of you here have seen pictures of her.) She's in good shape. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white Tank Top that was sweat soaked. Because we were in a grocery store it was more than a little cool and you could see her bodies reaction to this quite clearly if you cared to look. My wife is 40 years old.

The woman who confronted her on the other hand was in her 20's. She stood maybe five feet tall and had to tip the scales at well over 200 pounds. She was dressed in tight Spandex Shorts and a Bikini Top.

Somehow I can't get my mind aroundher thinking my wife and her clothing was obscene. What are your opinions?

Cat

First off, I'm wondering why you're visting San Antonio and didn't let me know ahead of time.

We get a lot of "muffin tops" around here. Overweight women wearing very tight jeans or shorts which make the belly fat splooge over the waistband like a baked muffin. I don't know why they do it. I've nothing against large women, but why anyone would want to stuff themselves into clothing a few sizes too small is beyond me. Maybe some people find that sexy.

Regarding your wife's attire, I wouldn't call it obscene, but it does garner attention. If she was so soaked with sweat that it looked like she just won a wet T-shirt contest, i would have advised putting on a dry shirt before going into the store. If, however, she was simply "sporting," then no biggee. I see a lot of that at the restaurant.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

The only thing I consider "obscene" is the word itself. Well, that and child molestation, but beyond that I think that is one of the most overused words that doesn't really even need to exist.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Hmmmm. I don't tend to view many things as obscene unless they pertain to violence committed against the helpless or vulnerable. Apart from that, I'm pretty laissez-faire about things.

As far as your wife's attire is concerned; well, it might have been wiser to choose a fresh dry shirt before going out in public, but the woman who said she was obscene sounds ridiculous to me.

 

[jomar]

I would need to see certain pics of your wife in order to form an opinion.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

The word 'obscene' means 'off stage.' In Greek plays some action took place off stage, out of sight and hearing of the audience. In most cases the action was death.

Rome had a similar word of different origin that means filth.

Porn is another interesting word. Its origin is Greek and meant 'commerce,' and became a Greek euphemism for prostitute.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

Dude, what did your wife say to her? I would've told her to mind her own fucking business.

 

[xssve]

The proper response is: "why thank you"!

 

[john-the-author]

Spandex is a privilege, not a right.

EXACTLY what I was going to say.

There's a list of guidelines for costumes at SF/F conventions. This is one of them. Others that I can remember this early in the morning include:

* Anything that turns red or gets erect when played with should not be exposed in public.
* If you don't fit in a bathtub, your costume should not fit in a walnut shell.

 

[oggbashan]

Obscene is in the eye of the beholder.

Matthew vii 3

Og

 

[kromen]

Obscene was the fact that she threw a rock through her own glass wall. Go figure; she probably likes to show up at town hall meetings and scream nonsensical verbiage as well.

 

[AngeloMichael]

It amazes me the way people can't learn two simple rules:
"Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself"
and
"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"

This lady was obnoxious, her attitude was obscene.

However, nothing to so with this lady cause she should never have opened her big mouth, but just speaking for those who are oversized and summer styles are hardly flattering, I'll be damned if I'm going to go to the store in steamy 90+ degree weather in long slacks and dress shirt. I'm going to wear my shorts (they at least hang down just past the knees) and a tee-shirt. Call me Fat Bastard or Jabba the Hutt and see if I give a damn.

 

[Gaia_Lorraine]

This afternoon my wife was confronted in a store by another customer. She was told that she should be ashamed of herself and that her clothing was obscene.

Now my wife is not a large woman by any stretch. She stands 5'6" and weighs in at 125 pounds. (Some of you here have seen pictures of her.) She's in good shape. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a white Tank Top that was sweat soaked. Because we were in a grocery store it was more than a little cool and you could see her bodies reaction to this quite clearly if you cared to look. My wife is 40 years old.

The woman who confronted her on the other hand was in her 20's. She stood maybe five feet tall and had to tip the scales at well over 200 pounds. She was dressed in tight Spandex Shorts and a Bikini Top.

Somehow I can't get my mind aroundher thinking my wife and her clothing was obscene. What are your opinions?

Cat

The same thing has happened here in the UK at a posh store such as Harrods, in this case it was an obese American lady wearing tight clothing.
Sorry? who are these people to dictate our size and what we should wear?

 

[sadangel]

It amazes me the way people can't learn two simple rules:
"Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself"
and
"People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones"

This lady was obnoxious, her attitude was obscene.

However, nothing to so with this lady cause she should never have opened her big mouth, but just speaking for those who are oversized and summer styles are hardly flattering, I'll be damned if I'm going to go to the store in steamy 90+ degree weather in long slacks and dress shirt. I'm going to wear my shorts (they at least hang down just past the knees) and a tee-shirt. Call me Fat Bastard or Jabba the Hutt and see if I give a damn.

I am a plus size woman. I wear shorts as often as I can and t-shirts. I would NEVER wear spandex shorts and a bikini top in public. Heck, I wouldn't even wear it at home...though at home I would wear a halter top. But that's because I live alone!

That's the problem with her going off on Cat's wife. Spandex/bikini top...on a way to large body for public.

 

[buxxxom]

Eh, both of you made judgements based on physicalities. She made hers in public and you made yours on the internet. Pot/kettle.

 

[AngeloMichael]

I am a plus size woman. I wear shorts as often as I can and t-shirts. I would NEVER wear spandex shorts and a bikini top in public. Heck, I wouldn't even wear it at home...though at home I would wear a halter top. But that's because I live alone!

That's the problem with her going off on Cat's wife. Spandex/bikini top...on a way to large body for public.

Completely agree as to the woman having no business making the comment she did. The spandex woman was in the worng. Cat's wife was perfectly in the right to wear what she was wearing and no one should have said anything, if a few people stared at her because her top was soaked, well I don't think that's a big deal and also probably human nature, but ffs keep your comments to yourself, especially when weather plays a big factor in what people are wearing or the condition it's being worn.

I'm just saying I'm not going to sacrifice my comfort for the sake of someone else's opinion either, and I don't care if a 200+ woman wants to wear spandex, or a man for that matter, I won't comment (though I don't see how there can be any comfort in that) unless they are the ones going around with the negative attitude about someone else's attire - then it's open season on their state of dress as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Guest]

Obscenity is in the mind of the beholder, and there's no accounting for taste or lack thereof.

My version of the appropriate response: "Madam, you may well be correct... but on the other hand, who the fuck asked you?"

And then walk away slowly, with dignity.

 

[SeaCat]

Okay to give a bit more info.

It was hot out. Over 90° with fairly high humidity.

The wife and I had been out riding hence our wearing jeans.

The wife wasn't about to change shirts in the parking lot. (Not that I or most people would have complained over much.)

The wife's Tank Top wasn't white but was grey.

My wife wasn't about to wear her leathers into the store, then again neither was I.

I wasn't denigrating the other womans weight, although I do tend to question her choice of clothing when describing my wife as obscene.

Cat

 

[frontfetish]

I see nothing wrong with your wife's outfit besides of being soak wet, LOL!!!
maybe the other lady has a little glimpse of jealousy to your wife

 

[JamesSD]

I think the woman who approached your wife was rude.

We Americans make way too big a deal out of breasts and nipples. A nipple outline is no more obscene than gratuitous cleavage, and really neither is unfit for childrens' eyes.