For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 22, 2020

This is nothing compared to what teenagers wear today

I never understood what’s so stylish in feminine fashion to bare the midriff.

To be fair to Elly, tube tops are not the best choice for athletic activities for obvious reasons. That said, one of the running themes for this comic strip is Elly’s disapproval of Michael’s girlfriends who wear anything that shows off their figure. The modern term for that is slut-shaming. Elly prefers girls who wear gender-neutral clothing that completely covers their bodies.

In the meantime, I wonder what in the world John is doing as he is holding the handle of what appears to be the lawn-mower in one hand while in the other hand he is holding pliers.

I am wondering if Elly is in the camp of women who say the women like Martha are asking to be sexually exploited or abused especially when they aren’t interested in the guy. More and more feminists say women should dress whatever we want and it is the men who have to control themselves and should know better. Which are you?

When I was a teenager, seeing a girl who looks like that didn’t make me think of danger…

Female here. With an explanation. Summer is hot. And for some freaking reason women have to wear tops even when men can just take their shirt off. So midriff’ get’s the reprieve.

The girl is looking for a case of road rash in that outfit.

My wife & I had just reached the top of the steepest hill in town when two girls approached us. The one on a skate board asked the other, “Should I ride it down?” As she was dressed like Martha, but lacked any protective gear, I had to interject, “If you had knee pads, elbow pads and a helmet.” Of course, she listened like any teenager; of course she lost control half way down; but she managed to run it out like Usain Bolt. I guess the moral is, helmets are for the clumsy.

When I’ve seen Martha like that, I see a girl with self-confidence to do what she wants without fear while Elly whines like a fearful biddy. I wish Johnston could have done a strip about her reaction to Gwen Jacobs, an young Ontario, Elly’s province in Canada, who got in trouble with the law for going topless on a public street, went to court on the issue and won with a judgement saying she had a right to do it. I do know that my own family all but sneered in private about Jacobs being some kind of slut while I tried to defend her.

It’s that kind of thinking that kept “I Dream of Jeannie” from being even a bigger hit than it was.

They are usually people with very low self-esteem and it makes them feel better about themselves. Too, bad they have not learned to love themselves as they are.

All I noticed was the unlikely same sided arm/leg motion. Opposite arm is what is needed…

I guess I’m getting old. I was thinking that, if she hits a stone she will be a bloody mess. …sigh

It is not stylish, it is sexy which is what makes it dangerous.

not wearing a helmet and pads is similar to the thinking that masks and social distancing aren’t necessary

don’t you know that young people are invincible?

It’s not the outfit but, rather, the person wearing it.

I like how, even 1: without Mike, 2: outside of a mall, AND 3: in roller blades, Martha is still able to get in her marching time.

& the outfits are UGLY too!

Anyone know if Martha had all that protective gear on in the original?

Double standard showing here. She’s working out and sweating. No one questions a guy when he removes his shirt playing basketball or such.

So, did Elly ever get around to putting away the groceries?

hip huggers and halter tops , but nothing beats tits and jeans

“Martha” isn’t a popular girls name now. She sure doesn’t look like what I associate the name Martha with LOL.

If she falls the pads she is wearing won’t protect her bare skin from getting messed up on the ground.

I have the same outfit. It’s called a crop top.

I would rather have their boobs Bared