Dear Amy: My women friends and I are all mothers of teenagers. One of my closest friends expressed the opinion that many girls these days “dress like tramps,” so it’s not surprising that boys respond sexually. She even said she had accused her own teenage daughter of this, and then turned to her 13-year-old son, saying that there are two kinds of girls: the ones you could take home to your family and the “other kind.”
My other good friend seemed to agree. I said I thought this was a huge mistake, and that she was teaching her son that it’s OK to mistreat girls.
In a separate conversation, three moms stated that they have told their sons that they need to watch out for girls these days, because girls are likely to falsely allege sexual assault. Another mom stated that, “The girls deserve what they get” because of the way they dress.
Amy, I am floored. I believe that girls should be respected, regardless of their clothing choices.
Your advice if this comes up again?
— Frustrated Friend
Dear Frustrated: Your friends’ despicable “advice” to their teenage sons and daughters is ethically wrong. Your own daughter, for example, is interacting with teenage boys who are being told that girls “deserve” to be touched against their will.
You should continue to advocate for advanced thinking with your friends in this regard.
