July 5th is National Bikini Day, and we are here for it. The mid-1940s was when bikinis began to be worn, and they are named, for some strange reason, after the Bikini Atoll where the United States conducted atomic tests. Whatever, we are just happy that we are in communities in which body acceptance and inclusion is our bread and butter (as well as all inclusion/intersection/advocacy), and we love that we have spent that last couple of summers sporting our own bikinis. As the day approaches, we also find ourselves pouring over the lyrics of that 1960s song, She Wore An Itsy Bitsy Teensie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini. Do you realize that the entire song is all about how self-conscious the woman in the bikini feels about being in the bikini? Do you think the songwriter was simply making an observation? Was he attempting to empower her, and give her strength? Or was he just being a jerk, and judging her for wearing it? The popularity of the song DID boost bikini-wearing, and helped to usher in the era of the bikini-clad surf movies, so maybe the music group was all about empowerment.. At any rate, wear your bikini with pride on July 5th, and make sure you put sunscreen on!
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore!
It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today.
An itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini
So in the locker she wanted to stay.
Two, three, four, stick around we’ll tell you more!
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so a blanket around her she wore.
She was afraid to come out in the open.
And so she sat bundled up on the shore.
So in the blanket she wanted to stay.
Refrain!
Now she is afraid to come out of the water.
And I wonder what she’s gonna do.
‘Cause she’s afraid to come out of the water.
And now the poor little girl’s turning blue.
So in the water she wanted to stay.
Refrain!
From the locker to the blanket,
From the blanket to the shore,
From the shore to the water
Guess there isn’t any more.
-Itsy Bitsy Teensie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini by Brian Hyland
Want a bikini body? Put a bikini on your body!