She asked for it...

We live in an age where our character is determined by who we associate with, where we choose to spend our time and more importantly, what we choose to wear. The importance of clothing and the impressions that it creates has been sidelined for far too long. In our own microcosm here at Rhodes University, it’s no secret that students judge each other according to what they wear.

For instance, you have the “hippie trend”. These are students who religiously sport the Che Guevara/Steve Biko t-shirts, leave the shoes at home and adorn themselves with as many beads and strings as possible. Even though these ‘individualists’ may not have picked up a joint in their life, there is a misconception that these students all meet at the old gaol to engage in their habitual ‘stoning ritual’. While these stereotypes may just cause the occasional snigger, there are those stereotypes that have been created by clothing which prove to be dangerous.

When a girl walks into room, club or dining hall wearing a short skirt or shorts, there are at least three people who have judged her as being one of those eager girls (the most politically correct term I could think of). These people can either be male or female, and feel that they have the right to sentence this girl to a life of promiscuity, stupidity and failure. This may seem over exaggerated but it’s true that the sexual availability of these girls seems to be determined in one glance. Perhaps there are some girls who feel confident with flaunting their legs to get attention from guys and have other characteristics that create negative impressions of them, but then there are also girls who have no agendas when they wear short skirts...unless wanting to be comfortable or cool on a hot day is an agenda?

In a democracy, women should have the freedom to express themselves through their attire as freedom of expression is a constitutional right . Yet, so often women are forced to give up the choice to wear certain clothes simply because some men can’t keep it in their pants. There is the argument that women entice men and tempt them by wearing such clothing. In courts today, this is becoming a common (warped) justification of rape and abuse. It seems ridiculous to think that a simple item of clothing can cause a person to have all dignity, safety and power taken away from them. “She was wearing a short skirt, and so she asked for it” is no longer acceptable. Matters are then made worse when this kind of twisted reasoning disseminates from the mouth of influential politicians when they are accused of rape . This in turn, creates the misconception that rape is somewhat acceptable when the victim was wearing certain items of clothing.

Discrimination and abuse can never be justified by fashion. This idea is simply ridiculous and it all leads back to the acceptance of certain stereotypes which may appear harmless but can end up undermining the dignity and rights of the person. People shouldn’t have the right to undermine anybody else’s rights. Next time you are about to judge a woman for wearing a short skirt (or heaven forbid showing some skin), step down from your high horse and realise that she owns her own body and may clothe it with whatever she wants. As Eve Ensler says in her poem, My Short Skirt, “...mainly my short skirt and everything underneath it is Mine. Mine. Mine.”