Students Push Back Against Mom Who Complained About Leggings in Notre Dame Church

Notre Dame students are hitting back at a mom who slammed them for wearing leggings to church.

Maryann White wrote a letter to the editor of the college’s newspaper, the Observer, saying she was outraged to see leggings worn during Mass inside the Notre Dame church.

"In front of us was a group of young women, all wearing very snug-fitting leggings and all wearing short-waisted tops (so that the lower body was uncovered except for the leggings). Some of them truly looked as though the leggings had been painted on them," she wrote in the letter.

White, who called herself "a Catholic mother of four sons," said she felt "ashamed" for the young women.

"I thought of all the other men around and behind us who couldn't help but see their behinds,” she said, adding that her own sons did not “ogle” them.

She finished the letter by asking the female students, “Could you think of the mothers of sons the next time you go shopping and consider choosing jeans instead?”

Some students at the Catholic college shared their outrage with Inside Edition over the op-ed.

“It's a very dated opinion, I feel like,” one said. “A lot of us have been hearing this argument for a really long time and I thought we were over it by now.”

Another added, “It does emphasize curves on women and it could be viewed as sexual but it shouldn’t. I’d like to challenge her to think: What’s the root cause of your problem? Why do you think this way?”

Students turned their anger into “Love Your Leggings Day,” encouraging all students – men and women – to wear leggings on Tuesday.

“Love your leggings, love your body, love yourself!” said the Facebook event, which hundreds of people indicated they were attending.

“I saw a lot of guys wearing leggings in solidarity,” said one student.

Another added, “After this article came out I’ve worn leggings every day this week.”

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