A TikTok user received widespread criticism after she called the cups on her eight-year-old daughter’s swimsuit “inappropriate.”
Kristina Battaglia was forced to apologize after filming herself pulling the cups out of her swimsuit, calling it “unnecessary and provocative.” She did not say where she bought the swimsuit.
However, other online creators were quick to point out that the cups’ real purpose was to maintain modesty in girls developing early.
One influencer, whose account goes by The Asian Duo, said: ‘Those pads aren’t there to convey inappropriate meanings or hidden messages at all. They’re there for an extra layer of protection.’
She added that all children develop at their own pace and that inserts are helpful when a girl enters puberty at an early age.
Kristina Battaglia was forced to apologize after filming herself pulling the cups out of her 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… Then things stick out and that is obviously not appropriate,” the user said in a July 21 video.
The answer has been viewed more than 14 million times.
The Asian duo posted their explainer video on TikTok just a day after Battaglia spoke out about the swimsuit and apologized for her initial clip decrying the tops. She did not specify where she purchased the swimwear.
The mother called her original video a “mistake,” but explained that she made the video after her daughter found the panty liners and asked about them.
Battaglia assumed they wanted to “lift” her daughter’s breasts, which she found “unnecessary and provocative.”
She added: “I took a beating and was distracted from its purpose, and I feel terrible for suggesting otherwise. I sincerely apologize, especially to all mothers,” Battaglia said.
Puberty usually begins in girls at age eight, but medical professionals have seen it happen earlier
The mother expected to be ‘dragged along’ online after looking at the videos shared and the number of comments, but she was happy to see that there were also educational comments.
She added that she had learned her lesson about cup inserts in swimsuits.
In girls, puberty usually begins around age eight, but medical professionals have also seen it happen earlier.
In some cases, girls begin puberty as early as age seven or earlier, depending on their genes.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, one of the first signs of puberty in girls is the development of breasts.
TikTok users who watched Battaglia’s video praised her for taking “responsibility” for her initial comments.
However, others criticized her conservative stance.
One of them wrote: ‘They’re just complaining about the actual modesty features of swimsuits.’
Several users claimed that the cup inserts would have been ‘super helpful’ for them as they went through puberty.
Someone wrote: ‘I was a C cup at 9. My mother developed early too. I needed padding but couldn’t find it in a swimsuit that was small enough. This would have been great for me.’
A third added: ‘My sister and I hit puberty when we were eight and nine. I wish this had existed when I was a kid because men, boys and girls were quick to point at my nipples and they showed through my swimsuit – I was a kid.’