Modesty shouldnt be a prerequisite for respect and it shouldnt be the sole indicator of self-respect.
But why on earth would posting provocative selfies ever negate the experience of being violated?
There are many ways to respect yourself that havenothingto do with clothing.
We are, as a society, conditioned to see women as objects.
We forget their humanity in the process.
When the tables are turned or flipped, the absurdity of such conditioning and objectification is revealed.
Caju Gomes
There is much backlash for any woman who doesnt neatly fall into theMadonna-Whore dichotomy.
These bodies are often unfairly judged by society to be lewd or vulgar regardless of what clothing women wear.
The modesty doctrine isnt about clothes, its about bodies.
The only difference was that I had developed first.
The modesty doctrine defines some bodies as inherently problematic.
She later issued an apology saying that victims are never to be blamed for being assaulted.
Shes not the only woman who has suggested that modesty protects women from being assaulted.
Self-blame and internalized misogyny perpetuates the idea of the mythological perfect victim which simply does not exist.
Rape has nothing to do with a victims behavior or manner of dress.
Now, should we treat women as independent agents, responsible for themselves?
But being responsible has nothing to do with being raped.
Women dont get raped because they were drinking or took drugs.
Women do not get raped because they werent careful enough.
Rape happens because rapists rape, period.
The way women dress is more heavily scrutinizedbecausethey have been objectified and sexualized.
It is because there is a need for society to see women as human beings and honor their complexity.
This is a product of the patriarchy and it needs to be reexamined, not reinforced.
Womens bodies dont exist to just anyone.
Women dont exist to dress for or cater to what society wants them to be.
