A few days ago, a post about bikini’s blew up my website as well as my Facebook Page with readers, comments, and important conversation surrounding the topic of modesty.
In summary, my post explained why we as a family are choosing to say “no” to bikinis, and that we see general modesty (for both the males and females in our family) as an opportunity to value our body in a world and culture that tends not to. (If you haven’t read that post – you can read it here). Being aware of how we dress is one aspect of displaying modesty and valuing our body in a way that isn’t normally thought about in our culture at large.
But as the comments came rolling in, I wanted to make sure I wrote a post to address the men out there, as well – because modesty isn’t just for the women. It’s for the men, too.
In fact, if you look up the word modesty, it has absolutely nothing to do with gender. It’s defined by: behavior, manner, or appearance intended to avoid impropriety or indecency.
Modesty comes down to doing our part to avoid indecency. It can be present in how we dress. It can be displayed in how we behave. It can exist in how we interact. And modesty can most definitely be expected in how we think.
Just as we’re teaching our girls to value their bodies, we’re teaching our boys to value their minds, their thoughts, and their behaviors. We’re teaching them to take ownership of their internal world, just as much as they take ownership of their external world.
We’re teaching them that the objectification of women is NOT the standard, and in fact, it’s unacceptable in this home. We’re teaching them to see the opposite sex as living, breathing, human beings who deserve honor, respect, and equality in every way.
We’re teaching them that THEY are in charge of their own modesty – by avoiding indecency in how they dress, in how they act, in how they think, and everything in between. We want to raise boys who rise above the noise of this world, and realize that honoring and empowering the women in their lives begins from the inside-out.
We’re not okay with simply painting the broad brushstroke that “boys will be boys”, because we don’t want to raise boys – we want to raise men.
Men that take ownership of their thoughts and behaviors.
Men that exhibit self-control, in both the “easy” things, and in the “difficult” things.
Men that value women as equals, and give them the honor and respect they deserve.
Men that aren’t simply driven by their sexual impulse, but are instead, anchored by their faith.
Men that understand that what they take in will either fuel their spirit, or poison their soul.
Men that believe that self-gratification at the expense of others is no gratification at all.
Men that live to honor God, above all. Especially when nobody’s watching.
For our family, we want modesty to be a defining characteristic for our boys and for our girls, because want them to value themselves and those around them in a way that portrays honor, respect, and integrity. I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: modesty is not body-shaming…it’s body-valuing: the valuing of our body, the valuing of our mind, and the valuing of our heart.
Share below: what are your thoughts on the subject and why? (only kindness will be accepted in the comment section).
Debra Fileta is a Professional Counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life, where she writes candidly about dating, relationships, and how to find true love. Her newest relationship book is set to be released in the Summer of 2018! You may also recognize her voice from her 200+ articles at Relevant Magazine, Crosswalk.com, and all over the web! She’s the creator of this True Love Dates Blog, reaching over 4 million people with the message that healthy people make healthy relationships! Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter or book a session with her today!
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