A few days a go I had an interesting conversation with a guy on Twitter regarding the Men See Women in Bikinis as Sex Objects post. After a few responses back and forth he said “modesty is a defense”. I’ve heard that before but I thoroughly disagree. What do you think?
7 comments
gretchen
I agree no one should put a woman down if she’s doing what she truly feels is “being herself”. It’s just hard sometimes to determine one’s intent by their apparel. :-??
Jenn
um . . . let’s take this a step further.
Let’s not care about what men think. What men think should matter very little in comparison to women’s personal freedoms.
Let’s care about what the woman in the bikini thinks and feels about her own body. If it is HER body then she has the right to be as modest or immodest as she cares to be and NO ONE–absolutely NO ONE–should tell her that she’s a worse woman for being herself. Telling women that they are loose, b’tchy, or immoral for being themselves is a type of social aggression that really has to end. When it is perpetuated by women who try to equal the playing field by caring about what men think . . . ugh.
shorty
VERY well put! You totally hit the nail on the head!
I am modest for the same reasons! Men DO notice the difference and for the most part show respect. I spend a lot of time in garages/ mudbogs with a bunch of great Florida Boys with big trucks- all that to say they’re not known for being refined gentlemen (LOL) but even they can see the difference between me and the other scantilly clad women who run in those circles. They treat me differently than the other women.
Modesty is worth it… no need to show everything, besides…let your body speak for itself! :)
gretchen
=d>
kel1
Well, that depends on what he means by “protection.”
It could be a protection from the unwanted advances of certain males.
I think, though, that modesty truly protects a woman’s integrity. It protects her reputation, and it can also protect her view of herself, in a way. By choosing to be modest, she is saying to the world, “I respect myself enough that I don’t need to show as much flesh as possible. I am a woman, and not an object.” And, as your “bikinis and men” post shows, modesty is apparently a protection against men viewing us as merely objects to “grasp or handle.”
gretchen
Ok I just went back and re-read my Tweets:
Him: Yes, Please don’t take offense I don’t mean to be demeaning. I am just curious. Usually women fight for rights when they have wounds.
Me: I understand your thought pattern, but some women fight for the rights of other women cuz we see a need. Not cuz we need to heal.
Him: Just understand we men are not all evil. Unfortunately even men in this world have to fight for their rights against others.
Me: I’m not anti-men (I’m married). I’m really more about educating women. Teaching them modesty is not a bad thing.
Him: No, You’re right modesty is great. Modesty is a protection. Very Good.
So correction – he said “protection”, but my question still stands – is it a “protection”?
kel1
A defense for WHAT, exactly? I don’t think I understand what he’s talking about well enough to comment as to whether I agree or disagree.:-?