Our dear Pipe Dream has repeatedly been home to content concerning what is and is not suitable for a female to wear, whether it is in an effort to increase rape awareness or merely some guidelines about what is appropriate to wear to class. I myself am guilty.
But how much right do we really have to criticize the fashion choices of others, even if it does sometimes mean withstanding a peek at some girl’s booty creeping out from the bottom of her itsy-bitsy shorts?
The real answer is none. In my opinion, females should not be wearing such outrageous and revealing clothing. The body is something to compliment, not use to affront the eyes of others, and that goes for our precious male population as well. I do not enjoy seeing your boxers — or even worse, your butt crack — hanging out of your pants.
But this is only my opinion and not a fact. The two are not to be confused.
Nonetheless, we often take it upon ourselves to use poetic license to make rules about what clothing other people should be putting on their bodies; and to take it a step further, we associate style with certain behavior. Unfortunately, this is ostensibly most often committed against females.
In a media world driven by sexual tension and desire, it’s easy to avoid the actual message most advertisements, television shows, movies and things of the sort are sending. A woman needs lacy underwear to be attractive; a man needs aftershave to be gritty. Gender stereotypes are constantly being created and perpetuated around us, conveniently shoving males and females into tiny boxes that should not be colored outside the lines.
This unfortunately includes the taboo and ever-sensitive topic of rape, a crime committed against helpless victims, sometimes females with tiny skirts and plunging necklines. Over and over again, those tiny skirts and plunging necklines shoulder some of the blame for why rape was committed.
Please excuse me when I call this bullshit.
By assigning the blame to the victim we are only perpetuating the idea that rape is invited, even welcomed. No. People who are otherwise encouraged or perturbed commit rape. What’s even worse is that this reason holds the rapist to a lesser degree of accountability. It creates an argument based around the idea that the victim also wanted to engage in sexual acts, which brings me to my next qualm with gender and rape stereotypes.
The word “victim” does not automatically imply the gender “female.” Men and children have also been raped; transgenders and transvestites have also been raped. No sexual identity has escaped the wrath of this violent — and all too often silent — crime.
Women and men, old and young, are all subjects of sexual assault. It is less our job to chastise them about their wardrobe choices than it is to remind everyone that each and every body is something to be respected, revered and touched only when invited. Our eyes and minds must go further than the visible tramp stamp or the bulging bicep. Break free of the mold of victimization and see who is really committing the crime.