Feminist+Response

Feminists throughout the 20th century have had a lot of contention over most shaping garments, but especially the corset. Most found the garments oppressive due to tight lacing and the restricted movement.

__Points of Contention__
 * Did corsets sexualize the body in such a way that it was degrading to women?
 * At what age did women/girls start to wear corsets?
 * Were corsets even appropriate for girls?
 * Medical issues with wearing tight laced corsets
 * Women being forced into wearing corsets due to a patriarchal society

Women who did not wear corsets were ostracized from society and were seen as low-class. However the issues of corsets did not go unnoticed to the public. Many newspapers and journals of the time ran editorials which either praised or lambashed the corset, providing medical evidence as well as social commentary from the wearers of the garment.