Get Inspired, Be Empowered Forums Sexism & Patriarchy Is it right to judge women because of their dress size? Reply To: Is it right to judge women because of their dress size?

Semantee Chattopadhyay
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It is not right to judge a woman because of the size of their clothes. In India showing a little bit of cleavage or leg will get women reactions like “what on earth are you wearing?” Revealing clothes weren’t considered vulgar in ancient India. Ancient figurines and temple carvings reveal that nude bodies were worshipped. When the era of the Delhi Sultanate began in India, elite women’s movement in public spaces became restricted and used to cover their heads in public. Women’s clothes became a matter of their family’s honour. With the advent of British colonialism, the notions became even stronger. The British considered draping the saree without a blouse “vulgar.” As the feminist movements emerged, and the notions of morality evolved in the western part of the world, it became acceptable for western women to wear revealing clothes. At the same in India, the binary of the “good Indian women” and the “bad western woman emerged”.This situation changed in the 1980s and 90s as the economy began to open up. With the arrival of fashion brands, beauty pageants and cosmetic industries wearing short clothes seemed to be quite normal. The era of the “modern Indian women” had begun. While it is still acceptable for women in cities to wear these kinds of clothes, rural women are still condemned. It is still seen as a “risky” behaviour to wear these clothes. Many politicians have openly said that “revealing clothes invite rape”. Women’s clothing has nothing to do with “inviting sexual violence”.