“Modest is hottest”: Dad’s song to daughters sparks backlash
Christian singer and Youtuber Matthew West has released a song for his daughters which is dividing parents around the world.
The song is called Modest Is Hottest, and is encouraging his two daughters to dress conservatively.
The video starts by him telling his girls that “it’s time to have a talk” before telling them how they should present themselves to others.
“The boys are coming round ‘cause you’re beautiful. And it’s all your mother’s fault,” he sings while the camera pans to wife, Emily, standing in the kitchen.
He continues, “Modest is hottest, the latest fashion trend is a little more Amish, a little less Kardashian.
“What the boys really love is a turtleneck and a sensible pair of slacks. Honey, modest is hottest, sincerely, your dad.”
Later in the song, Matthew expresses his disdain for social media platforms and online trends, with the entire family dressed in black turtlenecks and khaki pants.
“If I catching you doing dances on the TikTok, in a crop top, so help me God, you’ll be grounded ‘til the world stops,” he sings.
The 44-year-old singer claimed his video is a “light-hearted take on an age-old struggle”, but many thought the video went too far.
“How do you think your daughters feel?” one commenter wrote.
“The start of the song says that boys are looking at your daughters only because they’re beautiful… What about their love of Jesus? Or their personality? I’m saying that you have told your daughters that the only reason that boys want them is because of their bodies.”
Another user said, “This is triggering me. Purity/modest culture is toxic in so many ways.”
Many parents have also taken issue with the lyrics of the song, with one mother saying “What a girl wears does not equal her worth!”
Matthew defended the song on Twitter, saying the song was to serve as a reminder to his daughters.
“As a dad raising daughters, this song is my ridiculously silly way of reminding them that their appearance doesn’t define them,” he said.
Matthew has since deleted the video after the backlash.
Image credit: Youtube/MatthewWest