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All hail the Rhode Island women who threw a yoga pants parade

A man wrote into his local newspaper to criticize women over 20 for wearing yoga pants. So, naturally, they mobilized — in spandex.
By Katie Underwood
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A woman joins others gathering at a starting point before marching for "yoga pants parade" in Barrington, R.I., Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. Hundreds of women, girls and other supporters proudly donned their yoga pants Sunday afternoon as they peacefully paraded around the Rhode Island neighborhood of a man who derided the attire as tacky and ridiculous. (Kris Craig/Providence Journal via AP) Photo, Kris Craig/Providence Journal via AP.

As one Rhode Island man found out this week, it's best not to get between women and their loungewear. Barrington resident Alan Sorrentino took time out of his apparently not-very-busy schedule to write a letter to the editor of the East Bay newspaper, shaming women over 20 for daring to wear yoga pants in public. Sorrentino's opus was published in the Oct. 19 edition, and well, just take a look at this nonsense:

"The absolute worst thing to ever happen in women fashion is the recent development of yoga pants as daily wear outside the yoga studio."

"Like the mini-skirt, yoga pants can be adorable on children and young women who have the benefit of nature's blessing of youth. However, on mature, adult women there is something bizarre and disturbing about the appearance they make in public."

"To all yoga pant wearers, I struggle with my own physicality as I age. I don't want to struggle with yours."

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What happened next was probably utter torture for poor, pant-menaced Alan: Steamed local resident Jamie Burke took it upon herself to organize a whole damn parade on Sunday featuring yoga pant-wearing women — 400-strong to be exact. Burke didn't just organize a comfy revolt, she also took the opportunity to fundraise for Sojourner House, a non-profit helping women who have experienced domestic violence.

"For years, men have been policing our clothes choices, and I thought it was important that women had their say," Burke told BBC News.

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The protest concluded with what was likely the most feminist yoga session ever — just as the pants would have wanted.

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