It’s always the moms, isn’t it? A group of moms in Spokane, Washington are gathering signatures on a petition to set decency standards forcoffee shops serving up bikini-wearing baristasalong with espresso. I guess this has become a thing throughout the Pacific Northwest: Goodbye, modest Twin Peaks-style pie shops and hello XXX drive-through bars where you’re served coffee by scantily clad women. But it’s not the bikinis that bother these parents. It’s that sometimes the workers are wearing g-strings and pasties and little else. And since these shops are in residential neighborhoods, some women feel like that’s just too much.
Spokane resident Kimberly Curry says, "We feel like we're being pretty reasonable. We're not asking them to wear turtlenecks or anything like that. We'd just like them to wear bras or bikinis." After all, a kid passing by on a skateboard or bike could catch a glimpse, and then suddenly he’s skating by over and over and over and over again. But until a city ordinance is passed, consider this an excellent opportunity to have an important conversation with your kids. Here are some discussion questions you could try.
1. Do you think it’s okay to have coffee shops where the workers are practically naked? I know you kids like to run around naked, and that’s great. We celebrate our bodies in our home. But we have a rule, don’t we? You have to put clothes on if you’re leaving the house. So what do you think about grownups who leave the house practically naked? Would that make you feel uncomfortable?
2. Why do you think it’s just women working nearly nude at these coffee shops and not men? I mean, don’t you think Mommy would like to see some chiseled young man handing her a foamy cappuccino with a little cocoa powder heart on top? Because maybe I would. I’m speaking hypothetically, of course. I would never go to such a coffee shop. With you in the back seat, anyway.
3. Where is your dad? No really, where the hell is he? Why is it always moms who take a stand on issues like this? I’ll tell you where your dad is. He’s either watching the game on TV or he’s at that XXX coffee shop getting his last gander. But you know what would be nice? If your dad actually took an interest in these issues for once. I mean, what if it were one of his daughters working at one of these places? That’s right, what if it were you, Tiffany?
4. I will never let you work at a place like this. I know you’re just 6 years old right now and this is the last thing on your mind. This is not part of our discussion, by the way. This is just me telling you. No.
5. Can we talk about how these shops affect property values? What are property values? You know, how much our house is worth. You see ... oh look, now your dad is finally paying attention. Nice of you to join us, Jeff. Care to weigh in with an opinion here? What’s that? You’re going out for coffee? Why am I not surprised. Take the kids with you. I’ve got a Concerned Moms meeting I’m chairing that starts in 10 minutes. Have fun.
How would you feel if one of these shops opened up in your neighborhood?
Image via KHQ.com