For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 18, 2019

So in the final panel, Michael makes a valid point?

Ellie, don’t let the kid dictate to you what to wear.

If Elly didn’t have the shorts on backwards, they would look better.

My mother wore hers, showing off her varicose veins and white skin.

Wear it in freedom, honey. Some things are meant to be enjoyed, not gazed upon.

In air temperatures above 72 (F), my arms and legs must be exposed to circulating air or I get light-headed. Fashion is not a concern for me.

Elly, you DROPPED your shorts on the FLOOR? You blow up when Mike does that. Double standard much?

So she’s willing to put up with two insulting males in the house and obey what they say. Time to show a bit more backbone Elly.

At my age, I don’t give a care about what others think of me. All I care about looking clean and tidy. What I choose to wear is my own business. What I do care about is comfort.

Sheesh, if it’s hot, it’s hot. We’re so obsessed with who is ‘allowed’ to show what, we perpetuate negativity at the cost of comfort. Elly is sensitive about her looks and that’s fair enough, but she should not allow Michael to become someone who thinks it’s acceptable to criticise a woman’s appearance.

Wear ‘em at Walmart, you won’t stand out.

my “stupid feet” managed to find the only smallest of sidewalk uplift on sunday. Needless to say, both knees are sporting the prettiest colours of blue/purple/red. I’m wearing shorts.

When realization hits, it hurts. Ow

Short shaming.

I wear shorts in the summer and I really DON’T care what folks think. I am covered up more than about 90% of the younger folks. I saw a young lady?? in a pair of Daisy Dukes the other day and it was embarrassing how much of her @$$ was hanging out.

Get back into your jogging, Ellie.

That’s the long and short of it.

And the humiliation continues. Seriously, I wish Ms Johnston would find other ways to make a joke.

Actually it was fun to annoy my sons when they were that age. The small stuff, like wearing shorts they hated, was good to get their goat.

To invoke a semi-infamous parody of this strip that posted several years ago, For Worser Or For Best…..

Notes from yesterday, not posted then and equally valuable today:

Lynn’s Comments: I never wear shorts and rarely wear skirts. I have never liked my legs…even though I know they are average looking and hold me up just fine. Funny what a negative “body image” can do to us.

Interesting, that she will admit on paper that even a child can push an insecure person like this. It takes some bravery to admit your weaknesses. My guess is, she’s not alone there. I’m not a particularly image-conscious person, and I was always a swimmer growing up, so I don’t understand this, but I respect the admission of a weakness that I now understand does say a lot about the human condition. I know women in their 30s who look perfectly normal and won’t wear short sleeves in the US South where it’s HOT for reasons like this.

So, it’s okay for Michael to first torment his sister about her glasses and then torment his mother because he thinks her legs don’t meet his standards. Michael should just go join the Taliban and leave humans alone…

Other comments I have read are that if they said any thing like that to their mother they would be a grease spot on the wall! How she lets her kid say things degrading to her is unbelievable.

Geezus, Elly, you change your clothes because of a stupid, thoughtless remark by an adolescent male?

Crumb would like them.

I wear what I like and if someone has a problem with it then it’s their problem and I don’t give a rat’s ass. Especially in my own home.

Don’t listen to your SON, Elly! You are a TOTAL MILF!

If my kids talked to their mom that way, hoo boy. They’d wake up with lumps on their heads!

Elly – if John can buy a model train, you certainly can go and buy a pair of nice shorts that fit. While you are at it, tell your kid that if you want his comments, you’ll ask for them.

A missed chance to teach kindness, acceptance. Judging is one step up from bullying.

I always thought my Mother had beautiful legs…I would never have talked to her like that.

The shorts are not on backwards; Elly has bab(ies) pouch, which LYnn is trying to show. The problem, a kid her son (who by way has some responsibility for the pouch) is body shaming which is so very wrong. She looks fine and will (? hopefully) remind him of his faults.

Panel 3: This is NOT HOW HANDS WORK, Lynn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!