We take out the trash. We walk the dog. We order Chinese take-out. We go to the gym. We sing. We dance. We have monthly periods. We have to wear undergarments when in public. (Well, it’s preferred.)
We are mothers and daughters.
We are women.
It is a man’s world even at the female student-dominated Azusa Pacific University. As women, our rights to buy undergarments have been taken away because of the common man. As a private university, Azusa Pacific has control over the content that students and staff access on the school’s Internet.
Many figured this out when they went to buy a new bra on Victoria’s Secret’s website and a rectangular box of death popped up.
Victoria’s Secret is the largest American retailer of lingerie. For some women, Victoria’s Secret is the only place that supplies large enough bras to support their chests.
The only problem is that Victoria’s Secret promotes sexuality. However, we seem to forget that a similar sexuality was prevalent in the Bible. In the beginning of time, Adam and Eve walked around in the garden naked. It was a natural way of life. It still is for many of us.
Yet there is this social stigma if a girl wears a “sexy” bra, she is by default seen as promiscuous. Why is that? Because women have always been seen as a symbol of sex for men and the logical solution to preventing that at a Christian university is by blocking sites with “inappropriate content.”
There are many problems with this way of thinking. It is naïve. Men are not the only people who struggle with purity; women do, too.
To make it fair to the entire student body, all websites that contain male models should also banned, such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Hanes and American Eagle. While we’re at it, we might as well ban Google, because if I search “Magic Mike,” a dozen naked men pop up on my Web browser.
Part of the misconception is that students would use Victoria’s Secret as a means for pornography.
Unfortunately, porn is not a problem to get a hold of on campus. Many students can purchase their own wireless Internet or go and download it at Starbucks. Some of The Shire students have close enough access to get Starbucks’ Wi-Fi from the comfort of their own homes.
If students wanted to view half-naked ladies or men, they would be able to do so easily, regardless of the block on Victoria’s Secret’s website.
I could understand if the school banned the website because of the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, since it can be very provocative. But the fashion show airs on CBS, not Victoria’s Secret’s website. Those who want to watch it can view it Dec. 10 on broadcast television or Hulu the next day. Not to mention social media will have constant updates and pictures.
Besides, there is so much more to Victoria’s Secret than sexy lingerie. They sell workout apparel, beauty products, lounge clothes and normal, non-sexy undergarments. It is a place to buy long-lasting basic necessities for every day life. Why should that right be taken away?
The truth is that women are doing society a favor by wearing bras. Nobody wants a bunch of bra burners running around causing chaos, and to be honest, it wouldn’t be comfortable.
The physical store only carries up to size DD40, and anyone who has a larger size is forced to shop online.
I ran into that problem while buying bras and had to resort to online shopping. When I found out the website was blocked, I was overwhelmed with frustration.
First of all, Starbucks is too far of a walk for my lazy self, and second, shopping online for bras in a public place is more uncomfortable than farting in front of your crush.
Because of this ban, I now have to buy my bras on the black market without the luxury of the familiarity that comes with my purchases delievered in that cute pink box.
Give us our access to Victoria’s Secret back and we can go on making the world a better place.