Sunday, October 14, 2012

When Women Who Think That Other Women Are Asking For It

This photo is via Ana Kasparian from The Young Turks.






















The issue I have with this, is that it implies that women who are wearing less are some how asking for it. I'm not a fan of revealing clothing, but a woman could be wearing next to nothing -- or actually nothing -- and that would not equate to asking for it. Unless a woman actually asks for it, one shouldn't assume that she is inviting rape.

One cannot insist that they understand the reasons behind showing skin. When I see a woman wearing revealing clothing, sometimes I think she wants all eyes on her, or perhaps she feels she is dressing just for herself as she feels good in said garb. There's no way for me to know for certain unless she were to tell me.

Although, what we wear has some bearing on what others think, (we most often wear things that we think others will approve of/find acceptable) it is possible to wear clothing just for ourselves. For example: if I wear a dress I am not dressing for men but rather I am dressing for me.

A man who allows a style of dress to give him permission to make advances (in any form, to any degree) is subscribing to the myth that men simply cannot help themselves; that boys will be boys. It is a theory that limits men to a source of minimal intelligence and dangerous behavior. I think we want better for our male friends, lovers, sons, fathers; strangers among us.

Women who believe that other women are asking for it are contributing to what gender studies professor; Hugo Schwyzer refers to as, the myth of male weakness. One should not allow their unease with other women's choices to convince them that they are less deserving of respect and safety.

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