Indeed, the last resort of many ethical arguments is an appeal to the wellbeing of children. The emptiness of these appeals is even more evident when it is clear that the one making them is merely using them in an attempt to emotionally manipulate listeners. It is easy for someone with a fiercely irrational moral framework to present an asinine ethical claim and still look like a person of character: many people are not intelligent enough to see through such facades.
As if age is in any way relevant to the matter, theological or political conservatives might posit that bikinis should not be worn by young girls because they somehow sexualize the kids who wear them. The phrase "I wouldn't let my daughter wear that" is treated as if it contains any authority at all, when it strictly expresses an arbitrary, meaningless preference. It would not be unusual for this position to reflect a disdain for bikinis or the human body in general, and it is likely that this is accompanied by a misidentification of other nonsexual things as sexual. The claim that bikinis sexualize female children is erroneous on all fronts, and this is easy to demonstrate.
Bikinis can't sexualize children because there is no inherent connection between any type of clothing clothing and sexual expression. Perceptions associating certain clothes with sexuality are purely subjective or culturally instilled, and there is no other alternative; clothing itself is entirely nonsexual (even lingerie [1]). People can sexualize children--ironically, this is exactly what those who complain about bikinis allegedly sexualizing children are doing! They are the ones regarding children in a sexual way, not the children themselves. Rational people see right through their false moralism.
Some adult women might at least partly wear bikinis to show off their bodies with sexual intentions, just like some men might forgo shirts to show off their bodies with sexual intentions. However, it is very unlikely that young girls have this in mind when they wear bikinis in public settings, to say the least! Children, having not necessarily yet internalized arbitrary cultural norms and beliefs about clothing, can easily understand that there is nothing sexual about a either a swimsuit or the male/female body.
Aside from the fact that there are no moral implications to merely wearing a bikini, there are reasons why wearing bikinis is objectively helpful in certain contexts. The pragmatic benefits alone can serve as an excellent basis for young girls to wear them: bikinis facilitate certain bathroom activities, among other things. But no one needs to bring up pragmatism to show that there is nothing problematic about bikinis. Neither onlookers nor parents have a right to pretend like there is anything sexual about either a young child or a grown woman wearing one to swim.
Logic, people. It is very fucking helpful.
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