Scantily Clad Women

The following opinion letters are from the Modesto Bee. One gentleman wrote in to respond to another letter that complained about scantily clad women on a sportswear float. He thought that it was no big deal, and implied that the "entry that promotes such behavior as homosexuality" was worse.

Then a woman wrote in to dispute his statement that the sportswear float was no big deal, and also stated that the Stanislaus PRIDE Center float was not offensive. She actually stated that she appreciated the fact that we, the gay float, "were not flaunting [our] behavior."

This is just funny. The "homosexuals" were okay in the parade because they were not "flaunting their behavior", but darn those heterosexuals flaunting their sexuality with their scantily clad women!

-Beth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Float showcased sports apparel
Published: Saturday, July 15th, 2006

In response to 'Parade's scantily clad women shocking,' (July 7, Letters): The Indigenous All Boarding Company would like to let you know what we are about. Indigenous means native to a land, environment or region. In 2002, Patrick Michael Riner envisioned an apparel company that every extreme boarder could relate to. Thus, Indigenous All Boarding Company was created. In October 2005, while attending San Diego State University, Patrick died in a freak accident in Mexico. Indigenous was put into motion. The company's goal is to inspire individuals to have a strong passion for life and not waste it, but tackle it head-on, as Patrick did.

Indigenous All Boarding Company represents snow-, wake-, skate- and surfboarding sports. We entered the parade representing those sports. The ladies were dressed in Indigenous tank tops and boy shorts, which covered much more than the typical wake- or surfboarder would wear. We chose not to have the ladies wear bikinis, because of the family atmosphere. We felt that their attire was appropriate.

We are proud to fly the American flag and are ecstatic that we won first place for corporate float. Indigenous extends our thanks for your opinions; we hear you.

Stacy Potter Gibbons
Modesto
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/12456170p-13175656c.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Girls' float wasn't appropriate
Published: Saturday, July 15th, 2006

In response to the gentleman who didn't think the float was so shocking ('Girls in parade weren't that shocking,' July 11, Letters): This was my family's first year at the parade and we enjoyed it greatly, except that when the parade stopped, guess which float we got to stare at for almost 30 minutes?

If I wanted to see girls' bottoms hanging out, I would go to the beach or the lakes. When we go to those places, we know what we are going to see. As for the homosexual float being offensive, I do not agree with homosexuality, but they were not flaunting their behavior and I appreciated that. If you didn't already know what they stood for, you couldn't tell it by their float.

Shari Walker
Modesto
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/12456172p-13175660c.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Risqué float inappropriate for parade
Published: Wednesday, July 12th, 2006

I agree completely with regarding the 'Indigenous' float. This float was inappropriate and never should have been allowed in the parade. They spoiled what otherwise would have been a wonderful parade. Let's hope it doesn't happen again next year!

Gelene Lang
Escalon
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/12440304p-13161803c.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Girls in parade weren't that shocking
Published: Tuesday, July 11th, 2006

Somebody was shocked and horrified by some young girls in bathing suits, not underwear, dancing on a boat and Jeep in the parade (). Did the writer see the entry that promotes behavior such as homosexuality? Get real, those girls were not hurting anything. This person obviously does not go to the beach or lakes.

James Calvillo
Modesto
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/12436064p-13158005c.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parade's scantily clad women shocking
Published: Friday, July 7th, 2006

The Fourth of July Parade has been a tradition in my family for years. However, this year, as we stood supporting our country and cheering the floats, we stood shocked and horrified to see a float of young women provocatively dancing in bright pink underwear that revealed all.

A parade in which families can join together as Americans suddenly became an unsafe place for families. I refuse to subject my family to the soft porn I saw on the 'Indigenous' float. If Modesto's parade continues to allow floats in which scantily clad women dance around, the wonderful parade no longer will be a family tradition.

Corinne Cline
Modesto
http://www.modbee.com/opinion/letters/story/12418567p-13142237c.html