Letter: He had every right to criticize yoga pants — even mine!

Posted 10/25/16

To the editor:

I’d like to weigh in on the ‘Great Yoga Pants Debacle of 2016’ here in town. As a woman, my opinion may not be a popular one among other women, but hear me out, …

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Letter: He had every right to criticize yoga pants — even mine!

Posted

To the editor:

I’d like to weigh in on the ‘Great Yoga Pants Debacle of 2016’ here in town. As a woman, my opinion may not be a popular one among other women, but hear me out, please?

There are many issues regarding this article that Alan Sorrentino wrote that need to be addressed. First, when did our ‘freedom of speech’ in this country become ‘freedom to speak ONLY if it doesn’t offend anyone’? We are slowly becoming a country where, if you say something that somebody else doesn’t like, you are silenced (or worse)! I wonder if we all understand the implications and consequences of that. You don’t have to like what someone says, but you do have to understand the importance of that person’s right to say it, without dire consequences. Of course there are exceptions, such as speech that incites hatred or violence.

Over the past few years, we have become a country that is perpetually offended …. with a lynch mob mentality for those who speak of things ‘we’ don’t like, even if we have completely misunderstood their point or the manner of which it was said.  Our First Amendment right allows us all to speak our truth as long we aren’t directly hurting anyone else.

So, here comes Alan Sorrentino, clearly NOT a fan of yoga pants on women over twenty. Is he a jerk for saying so? Maybe ….. but that’s how he feels. Yet, so many women felt the need to come out in protest of what he said, because although he may have been wrong to degrade women who choose this comfortable attire, again, he still has the right to say it.

What was sad to me is that the women who came out and gave him ‘death threats’ and protested and came at him with such anger actually gave Mr. Sorrentino more power than he should have ever had.  His words ‘mattered’ to them, and they all felt the need to defend their stance on yoga pants by parading by his house IN their yoga pants.  To me, those women were not in the position of strength and power, Mr. Sorrentino was ... Because they felt the need to defend a right they already had … to wear what they want, when they want, whether some guy in town likes it or not.

There are plenty of great causes in this world…. And ladies, if your government comes out and bans yoga pants because the govt. doesn’t like the way they look on you, you have every right to be pissed and go parade all you want. Just like you had every right to peacefully ‘protest’ Mr. Sorrentino’s aversion to yoga pants. But you gave him your power in doing so, by your knee-jerk emotional reaction to what is clearly a ridiculous pet-peeve by this man.

When I read his article for the first time, I laughed…. I LOVE my yoga pants and I’m about 25 years past actually looking good in them, I will be the first to admit that…. The thought also crossed my mind that I could have been the inspiration for his article, as I had been at Mr. Sorrentino’s house about 3 weeks ago. Whether his article was mean-spirited or satirical, who cares? Who among us hasn’t had an opinion that others would consider offensive? 

So, Barrington, let’s chalk this one up as a funny little blip in our town and next time, let’s pull up our big girl panties and laugh at people who spew hatred at women who ‘aren’t perfect’….. it’s not our problem it’s theirs.

Meanwhile, I’ll see you all at Shaw’s… I’ll be wearing my stinky black yoga pants proudly!

Karen Starks

Barrington

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