Girls Have A Wardrobe Full Of Nothing To Wear Because Society Dictates What They Should
Instead of focussing on what women should wear or what they should not, we need to focus on feminism in the true sense
Much has been written and said about women and their dressing. While some argue that a woman must dress conservatively to protect her modesty, others are enraged at the thought of having a girl wear concealing outfits. The debate continues, because it is believed that there is one particular ¡®correct¡¯ way for all women to dress.
A recent incident involving a Bollywood actress being asked to ¡®cover-up¡¯ her revealing outfit on a TV show has caught everyone¡¯s attention. The outfit was considered ¡®inappropriate¡¯ for the ¡®Indian Television Audience¡¯. The media reporting of the incident was mixed - while certain outlets deemed it as showing a hypocritical mindset in today¡¯s equal world, others sensationalised it saying that the woman was indulging in ¡®blatant skin show¡¯.
AP
Champions of the cause of feminism slammed the TV show producers and team as being misogynistic. While the world is growing to espouse the cause of liberation of women, the popular reality show was running in the opposite direction. Although this is frustrating, it is also interesting to note that even the girl on the opposite side of the spectrum is in a similar fracas. Since 2009, a ban has been placed on women who attempt to enter night clubs wearing a ¡®saree¡¯. It is felt that women in traditional Indian attire would ¡®lower the tone¡¯ of sophisticated nightclubs. It is believed by the concerned authorities that a saree is inappropriate wear for a nightclub. Therefore, in most urban Indian cities, women in ethnic wear are denied entry into discotheques. Here, shorter and skimpier outfits gain preference.
Basically, the average Indian woman is unsure if she should conceal or reveal, and what would be right to wear, to where!
Atlantic
The dress code is determined not by choice or situation, but by the opinions of a collective few that are illogically acknowledged and endorsed. There is always the fear of being judged for wearing a garment of their liking.
But it is not just the domestic dress code that presents this duality. This confusion is also prevalent widely across the world. In 2010, France passed a law banning women from wearing burqas and niqabs in public. This specifically presents a challenge for Muslim women who believe that the burqa is a part of their religious identity.
BCCL
On the one hand, the oppressed women of Syria would hail this move - since they were (and are) forced under the ISIS to wear burqas. In fact, in June, Souad Hamidi, a 19-year-old girl freed from an IS stronghold, tore off her burqa and replaced it with a colored headscarf. She was relieved to be freed of the veil, as she was forced to wear it. She was happy to be getting rid of it. Many other women like her, burnt their burqas once they were freed from IS held areas.
But then there is also the other story of 34-year-old Siam, who was forced to remove her burkini on a beach in France. She was considered to be wearing an outfit that ¡®did not respect good morals and secularism¡¯. This Muslim woman considers the headscarf as a part of her identity and faith, and was visibly uncomfortable moving in public without it. The police claimed that the beach was not a place for religious clothing.
Independent UK
Souad and Siam are both practicing Muslims, but with very different approaches to the same garment - the burqa. One identifies herself with it, while the other finds it oppressive. They should be allowed to choose or shun it accordingly. Similarly, it should be considered appropriate for a woman to wear a dress of her choice on a TV show, without making people uncomfortable, as well as for a saree-clad woman to be able to enjoy a nightclub.
Feminism also calls out for women being allowed to freely choose how they want to look. There should not be laws or bans that need to be determining their outfits for them. Imposing a type of dress code encourages negative belief systems - such as a woman dressed a ¡®certain way¡¯ provokes rape, or conversely, traditionally dressed women are not as competent as those dressed differently.
While the perplexed woman wonders if she should cover, or uncover, the irony of the situation is not lost.
Equality for women stands to empower them, to allow them to choose. Dictating whether they should or should not dress in certain outfits works just in the opposite way - in allowing others to tell them how they should be. It takes away the liberty of the woman in question. She must work in accordance with what is considered ¡®adequate¡¯ according to a section of people. While the debate continues, it all complicates the age-old girl problem of having a wardrobe full of nothing to wear!
