Modest is Hottest

2012-02-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

This past fall in my editing class, we were assigned to film a PSA or commercial. I went home and started my research. I found PSAs on texting & driving, underage drinking, animal cruelty, recycling, bullying, domestic violence, and even a parody on cooties, but no where did I find a PSA on chastity or modesty; two virtues that seem all but forgotten in society. I decided to do something about that.

It was a last minute film as I couldn't seem to find people with an open schedule that would be wiling to share their honest opinions on modesty. So I ended up taking my camera to youth group and filming some friends there. I couldn't be happier with the end result. My friends' thoughts on this touchy topic came from the heart and were truly inspirational.

The song at the end of my Modesty PSA came from the music video, "Modesty is Hottesty". It's funny, but has a good message. The boys who made it gave me permission to use their song in my PSA. You can listen to it here:

I remember a short piece I wrote two years ago regarding the topic of modesty. I was fifteen at the time and wanted to get some of my thoughts (and frustrations) down on paper:

As I casually strolled through the local mall alongside my two friends last night, I could not help but feel a burden; a burden that was placed upon every teenage girl inside that mall. Whether they realized and felt it or not, was irrelevant. My eyes wandered to the windows of Victoria Secrets. Beautiful half-naked women were staring right back at me; seemingly flawless and proud of their perfect, size 0 bodies. Unlike most people also passing by, I averted my gaze elsewhere. Then I realized it was everywhere. What is it? It is the disrespect and demoralizing of our ability to love and our bodies; which God has so carefully created. Enlarged photography was hanging in almost every store window of women in immodest clothing or in an intimate embrace with a man. What is this doing to us? Our self-image and image of others is being tragically altered everywhere, especially at the mall! We suddenly think it’s normal to be a size 0 with a flat stomach, skinny legs, and hourglass shape figure and therefore have the perfect “hot”, athletic boyfriend. We set this as our standards and wish to have this model’s beauty, body, and boyfriend; only to add to our many insecurities. Though we don’t realize it, there are hidden issues behind these pictures; photo-editing and unhealthy lifestyle. Why do stores have such seductive, demoralizing pictures and clothing? Money. Face it, sex sells. Whether we give into this or not is our decision. Unless we embrace who we are and the body God gave us, we are never going to be truly happy with ourselves and find someone who loves us for us. No one can love you unless you love yourself. While the media and society is telling us otherwise, we must stick with our conscience and realize the truth.

Now I'm seventeen years old and looking back on this, I realize I hit the nail on the head. I still feel that burden placed upon every teenage girl. I only pray that women, especially young girls and teenagers, will one day realize that the mystery surrounding a modestly dressed girl is so much more attractive to men than bearing it all for them to see. When a woman dresses immodestly, it acts as a barrier between a woman and a man. Men are visual, and immodest dress in women becomes a distraction which allows men to visually reduce women to mere body parts. Men are then denied the opportunity to come to know women intellectually and spiritually as a whole person. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have men look at me as a person, not look at me as a sexual object.

Modest truly is hottest.

Serving a Purpose, Saving a Life

2012-01-29T08:26:00.000-08:00

"If this letter prevents even one abortion, it will have served a purpose."

A couple weeks ago, the National Catholic Register wrote an article about The Letter and my other film work which can be found here.

Lila Rose found the article, because I had mentioned Live Action was one of my inspirations and shared it on her Facebook page. She made my day with the kind words she said and the fact that she had shared it.

This morning, I read this message on her wall:

I cried. God has blessed me in so many ways and I am so humbled that He chose me to film The Letter. The ways in which he works are amazing and I am honored that my film contributed to softening the heart of a mother and saving the life of this innocent baby.

TooShea Productions

Modest is Hottest

Serving a Purpose, Saving a Life