Just to anyone who still attempts to contradict this inspirational and beautiful poem, please watch the below video. Just as a warning, it contains swearing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SdBuq2UTruM
Okay, I'm gonna put this out there:
My self-respect and self-worth are NOT determined by the length of my skirt or the amount of skin I show. The way I dress does not negate my right to feel safe walking home. My clothes and makeup are not an invitation - they are for me. To make me feel confident and pretty, not to ask men for validation. I couldn't care less if a random man thought I looked good. That man has no right to harass me and take away my feeling of safety. I am not just here for men to look at. I dress for me.
A girl who dresses modestly is not better than or worth more than a girl who does not.
If a man finds that he does not have the self control to avoid cat-calling, whistling or otherwise harassing me simply due to what I wear, he is the one with a problem. He is the one who needs to change something, not me.
Agreed with Scarlet, modesty is beautiful. Men will look no matter what but hide yourself so there is nothing to look at. Sure, a pedophile or rapist will take you no matter what you wear but, dressing like that could higher your chance of getting hit on, kidnapped, rapped etc. I dress modestly so men can't see my woman parts and dress modestly to please God. But, this quote does have a point, just a few flaws. Everyone has their own opinion :)
Dressing any way you do should not "higher" the chance of getting r*ped/kidnapped or anything. They will, as you say, "take you no matter what you dress". The only way a man should hit on a woman is if she's giving him consent. If she says no he should just back away, right? People should undertand the meaning of a simple word as "no".
R*pe does not happen for a reason or for the way you dress/look, r*pe only happens because people can't contain themselves or understand the word "no".
Also, dressing modestly won't stop men/people from looking at you/judging you/throwing comments at you.
As a male, i totally agree with Scarlet down below. It's true, i wouldn't want my girlfriend or wife to be dressing like that in the street. I want a modest woman who really respects her self. And dresses that way only for me ;)
Well, being a b* and wearing shorts skirts and that much makeup is pretty much an invitation to men. If you want men to respect you, first respect yourself.
Nothing a woman does or wears is an "invitation" to men; it is for themselves.
A woman can wear a lot of make-up and short skirts and still respect themselves, self-respect is not measured in the length of a skirt.
And by this logic of a woman's clothing affecting a man's better judgement, are you saying if I wear a shirt that stated "kill me", you would? No, you wouldn't; because you wouldn't take a shirt seriously.
If a woman gets tired of men always treating her like that, then why would she continue to dress the way she does. If she really hated it, she would dress more modestly. Women get a little offended when men whistle at them but they do like that someone thinks they are beautiful. That's why she keeps dressing the way she does without even knowing it. But, it is true women put on just a little makeup and dress nicely but modestly just to feel good, that way she looks pretty, feels pretty and doesn’t get treated with disrespect. Woman like that are very smart and attract only nice, respectful men. True men respect woman who respect themselves. What kind of smart, intelligent and nice man would want some girl who prances around with mini-skirts and so much makeup on the streets? He knows that girl isn’t very smart, and all the pervs will go after her.
Maybe she keeps dressing like that because SHE likes it. If she didn't like it, she wouldn't dress like that, simple.
The way a female dresses does not say anything about her or is not an invitation to anything. If she wears short skirts/short tops/etc it does not mean she is a b*tch/sl*t/wh*re, it only means she likes wearing the stuff she wears.
Now, of course women like people thinking they are/look beautiful, but mostly they like feeling/looking beautiful. She may look awful to you but they wouldn't care about your opinion as long as she feels good with herself.
And if men wanted to comment on how good they look, can't they just tell them nicely "hey, you look good"? Instead of barking and whistling at them in the streets? Men are human beings, they can think, but no, they'd rather act like animals in heat, like they can't contain themselves.
Also, women do not dress/make up for men, there are women who don't like wearing skirts or make up and they don't do it because they just don't like it.
Plus, women who wear short pieces of clothing and make up are just as smart as women who dress "nicely/modestly". Intelligence does not have anything to do with the way you dress. You can cover yourself complety and still be dumb/uneducated.
So, if men like women who respect themselves, maybe they should know that self-respect has nothing to do with the way you dress/look/or how many times you've had or if you're a virgin or not. Self-respect is all about making desicions that make you happy. Please educate yourselves.
Uh, because your choice in what you wear is not to be dictated by someone who isn't you? Not really, no, because a man's opinion isn't so important that a woman has to change how she dresses just for him. A "little" offended is putting it lightly, I have been whistled at in the street and it is humiliatingly degrading, I was not flattered in any way. And the idea of a woman "subconsciously" changing her appearance to appease a man is ludicrous.
Why must a woman be dumb to dress in short skirts? I see no sign saying "your I.Q must be shorter than this skirt if you want to wear it" and if a woman dresses modestly, it's not going to deflect the "pervs" because even "intelligent, respectful" men can turn out to be complete atrocities. A suit may make you appear intelligent and respectful, but it does not make you intelligent and respectful - just like wearing short skirts and lots of make-up doesn't make you automatically brain-dead.
My mother dresses exactly how you describe - "little makeup" and "nicely but modestly" - but she stills gets harassed at her workplace, she still has to put up with condescending men belittling her simply due to the fact that she is female. I am certain that my mother is intelligent, and I am certain that she respects herself, and I am extremely certain that she does not get treated with respect.
I'm not going to clog Destabilise's quote up with arguments though, so I'll agree to disagree with you.
Share
Post to Facebook
Tweet on Twitter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SdBuq2UTruM
My self-respect and self-worth are NOT determined by the length of my skirt or the amount of skin I show. The way I dress does not negate my right to feel safe walking home. My clothes and makeup are not an invitation - they are for me. To make me feel confident and pretty, not to ask men for validation. I couldn't care less if a random man thought I looked good. That man has no right to harass me and take away my feeling of safety. I am not just here for men to look at. I dress for me.
A girl who dresses modestly is not better than or worth more than a girl who does not.
If a man finds that he does not have the self control to avoid cat-calling, whistling or otherwise harassing me simply due to what I wear, he is the one with a problem. He is the one who needs to change something, not me.
R*pe does not happen for a reason or for the way you dress/look, r*pe only happens because people can't contain themselves or understand the word "no".
Also, dressing modestly won't stop men/people from looking at you/judging you/throwing comments at you.
A woman can wear a lot of make-up and short skirts and still respect themselves, self-respect is not measured in the length of a skirt.
And by this logic of a woman's clothing affecting a man's better judgement, are you saying if I wear a shirt that stated "kill me", you would? No, you wouldn't; because you wouldn't take a shirt seriously.
Now, do you get my point?
The way a female dresses does not say anything about her or is not an invitation to anything. If she wears short skirts/short tops/etc it does not mean she is a b*tch/sl*t/wh*re, it only means she likes wearing the stuff she wears.
Now, of course women like people thinking they are/look beautiful, but mostly they like feeling/looking beautiful. She may look awful to you but they wouldn't care about your opinion as long as she feels good with herself.
And if men wanted to comment on how good they look, can't they just tell them nicely "hey, you look good"? Instead of barking and whistling at them in the streets? Men are human beings, they can think, but no, they'd rather act like animals in heat, like they can't contain themselves.
Also, women do not dress/make up for men, there are women who don't like wearing skirts or make up and they don't do it because they just don't like it.
Plus, women who wear short pieces of clothing and make up are just as smart as women who dress "nicely/modestly". Intelligence does not have anything to do with the way you dress. You can cover yourself complety and still be dumb/uneducated.
So, if men like women who respect themselves, maybe they should know that self-respect has nothing to do with the way you dress/look/or how many times you've had or if you're a virgin or not. Self-respect is all about making desicions that make you happy. Please educate yourselves.
Why must a woman be dumb to dress in short skirts? I see no sign saying "your I.Q must be shorter than this skirt if you want to wear it" and if a woman dresses modestly, it's not going to deflect the "pervs" because even "intelligent, respectful" men can turn out to be complete atrocities. A suit may make you appear intelligent and respectful, but it does not make you intelligent and respectful - just like wearing short skirts and lots of make-up doesn't make you automatically brain-dead.
My mother dresses exactly how you describe - "little makeup" and "nicely but modestly" - but she stills gets harassed at her workplace, she still has to put up with condescending men belittling her simply due to the fact that she is female. I am certain that my mother is intelligent, and I am certain that she respects herself, and I am extremely certain that she does not get treated with respect.
I'm not going to clog Destabilise's quote up with arguments though, so I'll agree to disagree with you.
PREACH!
This needs to be top quote.