Do clothes make the woman? Only if we let them
Swati Deva says those who object to being judged by appearance should not judge others
Whether it is India, Hong Kong, Australia or the US, the question of how women should dress or what clothes are "provocative" has been raised in cases of rape or molestation.
Men have tried to argue that, sometimes, the way a woman is dressed can become a major factor in the chain of events that follow. Women, on the other hand, have always felt offended by any such remarks or conclusions.
My question here is - is it really something women should get offended about or is there something more to this issue?
Clothes have traditionally been used for keeping us safe from the elements. Over time, they have become fashion statements. We ask our daughters to look pretty and our sons to look handsome when they go to a birthday party. We ask students to look presentable when they attend interviews. Mourners in the West should wear black, and brides white. People judge us according to what we wear.
This is not about a male- or female-dominated society; these dress codes are created by society in general. But these judgments are personal, depending on who you are, and where you stand.
It is very unlikely that somebody who walks into a room dressed "inappropriately" (by the standards of that particular place) would go unnoticed.