A TikTok user sparked backlash after dubbing the cup inserts on her eight-year-old daughter’s bathing suit ‘inappropriate.’
Kristina Battaglia was forced to apologize after filming herself pulling out the cups in the swimwear which she deemed ‘unnecessary and provocative.’ She did not specify where the swimsuit was bought.
But other online creators was quick to point out the real purpose of the cups was to preserve the modesty of girls who develop early.
One influencer, whose account is called The Asian Duo, said: ‘Those pads are not there to convey any inappropriate meaning or hidden messages at all. They’re there for an added layer of protection.’
She added that all kids develop at their own pace, and cup inserts help when a little girl hits puberty at an early age.
Kristina Battaglia was forced to apologize after filming herself pulling out the cups in the swimwear and asking why they were there in the first place
‘These swimsuits are very thin, and if you wear a very light colored material… Things will poke out, and obviously, that’s not appropriate,’ the user said in a July 21 video.
The response has been viewed more than 14 million times.
The Asian Duo posted their explanation TikTok video just one day after Battaglia talked about the bathing suit top issued an apology for her initial clip calling out the tops. She did not specify where she had bought the swimwear.
The mom labelled her original video a ‘mistake but explained she made the video after her little girl found the cup inserts and asked about them.
Battaglia assumed they were there to ‘hoist up’ her daughter’s breasts which she thought was ‘unnecessary and provocative.’
She added: ‘I got my a** handed to me and redirected into the purpose of them, and I feel horrible that I implied otherwise. I heartful apologize, especially to any mothers,’ Battaglia said.
The stages of puberty for girls usually begin when they’re eight years old, but medical professionals have seen it happen earlier than that
The mom predicted she was being ‘dragged’ online after looking at video shares and comment numbers, but she was happy to see some of them were educational.
She added that she ‘learned her lesson’ about cup inserts in bathing suits.
The stages of puberty for girls usually begin when they’re eight years old, but medical professionals have seen it happen earlier.
In some cases, girls can begin to go through puberty at age seven or younger, depending on genetics.
One of the first signs of puberty for girls is breast development or breast-budding, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
TikTok users who watched Battaglia’s video praised her for taking ‘accountability’ for her initial comments.
But others criticized her conservative stance.
One wrote: ‘They’ve circled around to complaining about actual modesty features in swimsuits.’
More than one user claimed the cup inserts would’ve been ‘super helpful’ for them because of when they began to go through puberty.
One person wrote: ‘I had a C cup by 9. My mom also developed early. I needed padding but couldn’t find it in a bathing suit small enough. This would’ve been amazing for me.’
A third added: ‘My sister and I hit puberty at eight and 9-years-old. I wish this existed when I was a child because men, boys, and girls were quick to point out my nipples and could be seen through my bathing suit – I was a child.’
