Check out 16 Return-To-Work Programs In India For Ambitious Women Like You!
Women have a right to wear what they feel comfortable in, and dictating to them what they should wear is a sign of regressive thinking.
You are giving wrong signals with the plunging neckline and the rising hemlines. You should be wearing a saree for a family gathering. You should not be wearing jeans in college. You should not wear skirts or sleeveless tops to office. You are drawing attention to your dress. You will be in trouble. Don’t go out in revealing dresses at night.
No matter if we are 8 or 80, we always become victims of such moral policing. To all those scrutinising my dressing sense, I want to say that they should leave my dressing sense alone. I get dressed to suit my mood, my comfort, my choice, and my pocket. I do not dress up to impress you. So please stop judging me for what I wear.
I am not trying to say that wearing revealing clothes empowers women or wearing traditional clothes makes them virtuous. It should be about what one wants to wear, not about what you want us to wear.
Since time immemorial we have had restrictions on our speech, attitude, thinking, choice of food, behaviour; just about anything and everything. Clothes are no exception.
We have been told that you should wear pink because you are girls, wear red because you are newly married, wear white because you are a widow, and the worst being, don’t wear colours simply because you are old. You are supposed to wear a saree because you are married. And it is so common to hear comments like ‘You are too fat or too old to wear such a dress.’
For a change, stop being judgemental and let me make my choice. My plunging neckline or my rising hemline is not the yardstick by which you should measure my morality. Since when did wearing a mini skirt become a bigger offence than self-righteousness?
Women have been stopped from entering a place of worship because they did not meet a certain standard of dressing up. Please stop granting us rights based on our clothes. Are we really living in the 21st century where we are recreating human organs and converting water into fuel, but still judging women for their choice of clothes? Are we really living in a progressive nation/society?
Our girls today are being conditioned to believe by people in power that they are not supposed to wear clothes of their choice because they might become prey to sexual predators. To such people in power, I say, “Please assure us of our right to safety,” rather than putting restrictions on what we should wear.
It is also disheartening when a woman judges another woman based on her choice of clothes. Treat your son, daughter, and daughter-in-law alike. We need to realize that we will grow and things will change only when we become more forthcoming and accept the choices that others make without any criticism. Give them the freedom to choose. Do not stop a girl from wearing something because it is “against her culture”. Culture has to evolve with changing times, it has to suit the present day’s need.
So please stop saying ‘She looks slutty!! She is available!! She is easy!’
Stop making such statements based on her choice of clothes. If you really want to know us, come and strike a conversation with us. Look beyond our plunging necklines and rising hemlines and find out if you can match our wits and sensibilities.
Image source: a still from the movie Cocktail
Esoteric read more...
Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
Stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter or Daily Summary - or both!
People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
Love cannot be imposed Stalkers speak of love, which in a few minutes turns deadly when they are rejected by the woman.
Trigger Warning: This speaks of stalking, violence against women, and murder by a stalker, and may be triggering to survivors.
Justice prevailed after 6 long years.
A ‘NO’ once said or said over a thousand times holds only the same meaning when uttered by a woman.
Please enter your email address