The issue of women wearing 'revealing clothes' has been a long-drawn debate, and an unnecessarily vague one.
How would one exactly define revealing clothes ? Is there a specific equation or quantity that gives clothes the status of 'revealing' ? Because the last time I checked, no girl or women calculated : “Area of Skin Show * (no.of stares + intensity of stares) = Amount of revealing” while shopping for her self.
A certain individual may position, a simple pair of jeans or a tee shirt under the title of 'revealing', while another individual might not even find a bikini exposing.
The basic question comes down to 'perspective'. Because the person who has an issue accepting anything alien in nature or which is out of his/her comfort zone, displays an example of the people who have an issue with the still , 'undefined' revealing forms of clothing. No matter how concealing they are.
When you come to think of it, technically a saree 'reveals' much more than a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, but our darling moral police would blindly vote for the saree.
Baffled,one may ask WHY ?
Very simply put, the concept of a Saree or a Salwar kameez is not alien to them. For generation after generation, they have watched their mothers and sisters adorning themselves in these oh-so-concealing ensembles.
The concept of westernisation is fairly new to our moral police. Again, let me remind all of you, there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with the notion of discomfort regarding a new culture.
But then why do they not once flinch while turning on the ignition of their imported cars ?
After all, aren’t they used to the centuries and decades old stories of bullock carts and manual labour ?
Apart from the hypocritical choice of clothing, the major reason for shunning revealing clothes is, the safety (more often read as 'honour') of a woman. This particular reason would have made a somewhat minuscule amount of sense if the child abuse toll wasn't rising higher than the Everest, if six year olds weren't getting raped in primary schools and the respectable , Indian-cultures women weren't victims of marital assaults.
Therefore, before you question the girl about her revealing clothes...Uncle, make sure YOUR mouth isn’t watering and Aunty that blouse of your beloved saree isn't showing too much of your midriff and back.
Prior to pointing a finger at someone, make sure YOUR skeletons are well hidden in the closet.
DECIDE the 'Equation Of Revealing' , ABIDE by it yourself, and then ASK "Should girls wear revealing clothes on the streets of India?"
You ask, Who should change ? I say, Nobody. No one has the right to ask another individual to change himself/herself.
But that does not really answer the 'What'...
You ask, What should change ? I say, The Reasoning. The Mindset. The Hypocrisy.
And very importantly an update in culture, because you don't once hesitate while updating your smart-phone’s software to watch an 'A' rated movie with a smoother streaming.
And all of these apply to both - Women and Men, sister and brother, mother and father, girl and boy.
Teach your daughters, self-esteem and courage. Teach your sons, perseverance and respect for fellow beings.
Misogyny and misandry will only take you so far as to give you the title of a revolutionary...but the revolution in actuality , will never follow.
Because Tagore had rightly said,
"Where the mind is without fear,and the head is held high,
Where Knowledge is free...
Where the mind is led forward by thee,
Into widening thought and action,
Into that heaven of freedom, my father , let my country awake."
Comments (41 so far )
The point here is not only about revealing clothes, the point is about one's perspective. I am not even advocating 'revealing' clothes. All I am pointing out is, that everyone has different perspective. The perspective turns sour, when hypocrites manipulate their perspective according to their own comfort level.
And just so you know, in the practical life, people who actually wear bikinis do NOT get offended if someone stares. But the catch being, they are stared at, not OGLED at.
And no one is NATURALLY attracted to anything. Women are as much attracted to male assets. Why we don't stare ? We have been brought with the notion that only males have sexual urges. Do you not think that is wrong ?
Being 'naturally' perverted is a very very lame excuse mister.
What do then film makers exploit when they focus on cleavage? Or what are sexy item songs meant for?
As I said, even greed is a "natural" sentiment, but does that make stealing right. No. But what if somebody lets hang a 500 rs note from his pocket in a crowded bus? Well, that is stupidity.
Women folks too abuse children, though I won't like to go into those details, But yes, being pervert is not limited to one gender only... Psychopaths are best left alone for the law to amend itself and take care of such dysfunctional minds appropriately...
About "Why we don't stare" - You would appreciate the fact that men population, in general, don't indulge in accessories which accentuate and highlight sexual maturity etc, imagine, what impact it would have on fairer gender had it been the scenario...
It is a debate which shouldn't be undertaken unless both sides of the coin are fully understood at first.
Try to understand and document what uncalled for serving of skin, deep necks, bare backs do to adolescent male children first.Observe teens around when you notice someone displaying fair amount of skin next.
We must accommodate the fact that those people are also Perverts who are so obsessed with their "rights" that they don't seem to care about the frustration and confusion they generate in those who might not even be aware of notions of perversion and might already be fighting with the reactions of their body and mind when being served an uncalled for "Healthy neutral" dose of skin show.
Being responsible is the key, its applicable to both genders as you rightly said.
I've been drinking since some 20 years now, don't think women start to appear like an object when I'm drunk. Never ever touched anyone under influence of alcohol (if there is any such thing as being under influence of alcohol, haven't seen anyone eating dog pile under influence of alcohol, just that perverts are perverts , drunk or sober).
@Joseph a.k.a. Mr. Wannabe: I warned you not to comment on me.
You dumbfuck! Some people are hungry for attention but this asshole craves for insults.
There's an inverse link between how intelligent you are and how much crap comes out of your mouth.
since there's nothing but crap inside your head so thats what comes out of your mouth.
Why don't you mind your own effing business and not flaunt how big of an asshole you're.
"NGOs working on child rights say there is a DIRECT LINK between child
sex abuse and problem of drug addiction or alcoholism in parents."
www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/patiala/high-on-drugs-liquor-men-prey-on-infant-young-daughters-in-punjab/article1-1217022.aspx
Another opinion around a study can be found here : http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/opinions/the-research-is-in-alcohol-does-not-cause-rape/201311113189
I would like to make my point a little more simple. The article was not about advocating for or against revealing clothes.
I meant to put up a simple question : Can you define what is revealing and what is not ? Because then it usually comes down to perception. One may find a saree revealing, while the other may find any western dress revealing.
Every body has the right to indulge in private perceptions, as long as they back it up with logical reason.
If you will notice, I have targeted the people who find 'revealing clothes' offensive. I have targeted the hypocrites who hate the 'western' culture in specific fields , but when it comes down to their own productivity, they are absolutely love their Audis, BMWs, Bentleys.
All I am asking the society to do is . DECIDE, ABIDE and then ASK.
Lets not violate each other's perception, if we do not agree to the other person's view.
And Thank you everybody for your feedbacks. :)
It been a pleasure.
Now you might counter me with the 'generalization' bomb, but that is exactly what I am talking about.
People have generalized the western culture into a demon of alcoholism, perversions, too-bold-for-the-world attitude.
The issue is NOT the western culture.
The issue is the Hypocrisy. The inability to decide on your reasoning and fumbling with your perceptions and then pointing a finger to someone who is not even at fault.
I have seen "Khaap" people talking a lot about western culture etc ,Ironically khaap people don't have any idea that the idols they worship as "shiva lingum" and "argha" are basically phallic symbols of male and female genitals.
Going by their own logic, I guess people in west should be pointing fingers at people in the east for bringing everything not only in open but also going a step further and starting to worship the whole "holy coitus" exercise.
I don't subscribe to western or eastern "influence" though , so I can only hope that maybe you achieved what you were aiming for, with this article.
I believe it was a balanced piece altogether. I read it with neither perspective of perception or bias, nor did i indulge in things that weren't necessary to be processed along.
Wrong or not has been debated for a long time now, and I believe it to be more of a subjective term, better understood from the bearers eyes. Sometimes it is right due to underlying conditions which still is subjective.
The only thing we can do is tell the difference from right to wrong based on what is universally and in its compete spirit right with no conditions along. rest will always be open to interpretation according to people sitting across the globe.
Would love to have chat regarding.. why? You'll know then and there as here I am not comfortable.:)
Dear. why waste your precious time throwing stone hard comments when it's better spent investing in beautiful pieces.
:)
No. Stark nude is same as burka. Both are equalled by perception. Right? :)
I'm not saying that all alcohlics commit rapes, but that alcohlism increases the chances. Just like it "increases" the chances of road accidents SIGNIFICANTLY.
Even supreme court judges agree with this.
www.sify.com/mobile/news/alcohol-rape-and-the-supreme-court-news-columns-nbqmO9cfcebsi.html
Also, you should learn to say the just, even if it hurts your interest. :)
So shut the fuck up you son of a whore fucking bastard :)
I am talking about the HYPOCRITE perception.
I do not have anything against the people (and you) who are against 'revealing' clothes.
My simple question is, can you in proper and specific measurements define how much skin show is allowed/not allowed before a dress is tagged revealing ?
Because, a jeans and tee shirt is said to be revealing according to our moral police. And yet have you noticed that Jeans-TeeShirt cover up a lot more skin than the traditional saree ?
Yes, if someone points at a bikini and says it revealing, I would still agree with him. But sadly, the small kids and girls getting raped are not roaming around in bikinis , are they ? :)
And you know what? You're also an attention seeking whore ;)
You are obviously a living example (sadly still living) of biggest drunken mistake ;p
Apart from hypocrisy, it is stupidity too. How? Say a man on the night of Diwali, as the custom goes, sleeps with his doors open so that laxmi comes in. Instead, the thief steals away the valuables. Though STEALING IS BAD, but the owner of house will be called stupid.
Similarly, despite knowing that men are NATURALLY attracted to female assets, dressing short and not expecting men to stare, is stupidity. But...Just like stealing is bad, staring too, is bad. :)