Catechism - Beach, Men: shirtless and women: bikinis?

[animalis]

Originally Posted by TheSeraphim

Is it okay for a man to go to the beach without his shirt on? Its appropriate clothing since the weather. In the same way, it is appropriate for a woman to go to the beach with a bikini?

The Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education (part of the Roman Curia that speaks in the name of the Pope) said in Ratio fundmentalis institutionis sacerdotalis (1970) in n. 86 "...Uphold St. Thomas Aquinas as one of the highest teachers of the Church."

St. Thomas wrote in his Summa Theologica,

"As regards the adornment of women, we must bear in mind the general statements made above (art. 1, you can read this on www.newadvent.org/summa/3168.htm) concerning outward apparel, and also something special, namely that woman's apparel may incite men to lust, according to Proverbs 7:10, "Behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire, prepared to decieve souls.

Nevertheless, a woman may use means to please her husband, lest through despising her he fall into adultery. Hence it is written (1 Cor 7:34) that a woman that is married thinketh on the things of the world, how she may please her husband. Wherefore if a married woman adorn herself in order to please her husband she can do this without sin.

But those woman who have no husband nor wish to have one, or are in a state of life inconsistent with marriage, cannot without sin desire to give lustful pleasure to those men who see them, because this is to incite them to sin. And if indeed they adore themselves with this intention of provoking others to lust, they sin mortally; whereas if they do so from frivolity, or from vanity for the sake of ostentation, it is not always mortal, but sometimes venial. And the same implies to men in this respect." (question 169, article 2, a.)

[Armor of Light]

Just from an asthetic standpoint, very few men should go shirtless. Even in Europe. I like modesty.

[petitfleur]

Originally Posted by Armor of Light

Just from an asthetic standpoint, very few men should go shirtless. Even in Europe. I like modesty.

said better than I would of. Honestly VERY few shirtless men have ever caught my eye in a way where I needed to avert them out of lust. I usually avert my eyes for different reasons,
For women some two pieces can be on the modest side and more practical. It is not always easy going to the bathroom in a one piece suit, especially if it's wet.

[DaveBj]

Originally Posted by Armor of Light

Just from an asthetic standpoint, very few men should go shirtless. Even in Europe. I like modesty.

Originally Posted by petitfleur

said better than I would of. Honestly VERY few shirtless men have ever caught my eye in a way where I needed to avert them out of lust. I usually avert my eyes for different reasons,

+1

Especially most men over 30. And some men under 30.

Originally Posted by Skygor

A priest of my parish gave a good definition of modesty. "Dress to draw attention to your eyes". So that a person see's you, yourself. If a guy doesn't wear a shirt at the beach because he knows he can flaunt it, then he's being immodest. For bikinis there are cases with my mother and sister that those are the only bathing suits they can find. (Seriously its very hard to find one pieces these days.) So they wear bikinis, but they don't draw attention to themselves.

Originally Posted by petitfleur

For women some two pieces can be on the modest side and more practical. It is not always easy going to the bathroom in a one piece suit, especially if it's wet.

Bear in mind that not every two-piece bathing suit is a "bikini." Bikini bathing suits were "invented" after World War II (and they caused a scandal when they appeared on the French Riviera). However, there were two-piece bathing suits years before that; they can be seen in early 1940s pictorial spreads in Life Magazine, showing the various starlets in Hollywood. They covered more than did the bikinis of 1946-1947, but less than the standard women's one-piece bathing suit.

[Dakota Roberts]

Originally Posted by Holly3278

I think that one piece swimsuits for women are much better than bikinis. Bikinis are very immodest in my opinion. I never wear a bikini but always a one piece bathing suit. I also wear a t-shirt over it for further modesty protection. As for men, I am not sure whether it would be better for them to wear a shirt or not. I lean towards it would be better for them to wear a shirt. However, shirtless men is a pretty common thing, especially at beaches and swimming pools. That does not necessarily make it right but that doesn't mean its wrong either.

In nearly all cultures it is acceptable for men to have bare chests