Swimsuit Issues

Dear Sirs,

I am a father with 4 kids under 12. I just got my SI Swimsuit Issue in the mail today. How do I explain to my 3 daughters (12, 10 and 6) that this kind of literature is legitimate? And, is it appropriate to enjoy the articles with my 5-year-old son?

Please advise,

Itaintporn

Kansas City, MO

Dear Itaintporn,
A gentleman lives in the age into which he was born, and in this age he has got to be able to navigate a lot of images of naked and near naked women without coming off like a sleazy creep to have any chance at being a gentleman.

Generally, a gentleman appreciates beautiful women and does not pretend to be innocent to his masculine desires. That said, a gentleman does not celebrate his carnal desires by taping pictures to his bedroom wall, bragging about his downloaded porn collection, or trying to convince his pre-teen daughters that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is legitimate literature.

This is not a parenting column, and I have no idea how you should explain to your children what the SI Swimsuit Issue is all about without making them think less of you or themselves.

But a gentleman does not jump down the rabbit hole of psychology, morality and ethics every time he sees a picture that appeals to his prurient interests. Read the Swimsuit Issue. Enjoy the pictures. Don’t be a creep about it.

Regards,
The Gentlemen