Submitted by Rumbi Goredema
“Ain’t I a woman?” — Sojourner Truth
A few weeks ago, Ncumisa Ngcukana was sexually assaulted at the Noord Street taxi rank because she was wearing a miniskirt. That’s the official version, at least.
In the days that have followed, a bitter fight has raged between women (not just feminists, or lesbians, or feminist lesbians, but women) — some who have been victims of sexual harassment at the same taxi rank, or in various other public and private spaces around the country, some who are outraged sisters, mothers, daughters — and those who fall into what I will call the “traditional” camp.
The women are angry, and hurt. We are spitting, hopping, crazy-mad, and not a little bit scared, because Ncumisa’s story is our story, or we know it could be our story, and we are tired of sitting around waiting for someone to do something for us.
In protest, Ncumisa, who I consider a brave woman — if it had been me, I probably would have been hiding, still — led a march of miniskirt-wearing, placard-wielding, freedom-song-singing women (picture it) to Noord Street to draw attention to what happens to women everywhere, regardless of what they’re wearing, regardless of where they’re walking.
The response from the “traditionalists”? Those women are “whores”, miniskirts are against “culture” (damned if I know which particular one) and decency, and women who dress like Ncumisa deserve it.
Here’s the real story, though. What happened to Ncumisa isn’t about her skirt. It isn’t about “culture”, “decency”, “moral values” or whatever else the “traditionalists” have been pulling out of their hats (or their pants, or their long skirts). At the risk of harping on old topics, or (shock, horror) sounding like a feminist, I am of the position that what happened to Ncumisa was about power, and that her rape (let’s face it, that is what it was) was an exaggerated version of what happens to women all over the world.
The responses of women who have rallied around Ncumisa, literally, and figuratively, in talk shows and letters to the media, have been about anger, but also about fear.
Some days, I walk down my street to catch the shuttle to campus, or from the shuttle stop back home. Every time I do so, this seemingly mundane task is one that causes me great anxiety and righteous rage. I cannot walk down my street without some guy saying something. What should be a leisurely 10- to 15-minute walk from A to B has become an obstacle course in which it is my task to dodge solicitations and ignore cat calls and requests (if that, usually it’s demands) for my number from men I don’t even know, men old enough to be my father, men I have grown to hate.
Because I am female, I am, it seems fair game. Anyone who’s anyone can have a go, can yell obscenities at me and can remind me every day that no matter how smart I am, no matter what I achieve, I have breasts, and that makes me a piece of meat.
I think that in addition to women rallying around Ncumisa because what happened to her was terrible and something had to be said and done about it, this feeling that women have to endure every day at work, on their streets, in supermarkets and sometimes in their homes is what has brought them out in full force.
On the one hand, we are mad because it is not right that we cannot, like other bodies (children’s bodies, men’s bodies) retreat into the invisibility that we need to get through the day: our bodies are constantly hauled out in front of us, to remind us that at the end of the day, we amount to nothing more than our hormones, our weight or whatever.
On the other hand — and I think this is the most misunderstood and imperceptible emotion involved in sexual harassment against women — we are afraid. We’re not afraid that what happened to Ncumisa might happen to us (although we probably should be) and we are not afraid that we cannot wear what we want to when we want to (the choices offered to us by popular culture and the clothing industry are pretty limited, anyway).
Here’s what being sexually harassed has told us over the years, since we ceased being “children” and became “young women”: it is possible to do everything you need to do to make sure you belong in a place — be it studying hard to make sure you belong at your university, paying taxes or joining the workforce to establish your belonging as part of your society — but when you are a woman, the minute you feel comfortable enough to stop hiding that you’re a woman (and become pregnant, or wear a miniskirt or a low-cut top), the minute you forget your place and have the audacity to feel comfortable in your own body, you can be assured that some guy will make a comment or look at you in a way that will remind you that your body is not yours to flaunt or in which to feel comfortable.
What scares me, and other women, is that our bodies will never be allowed to exist “normally” wherever we are. With these bodies, we can never be allowed to “blend in” and get on with the business of living. We will always be “marked”, and sexual harassment will always exist to mark us, and to remind us of our difference, and our status as only partial human beings.
At the root of the Noord Street march is this simple fact: women are tired of feeling that in order to gain acceptance (or, at the very least, respite from all the sexual innuendo), we have to regulate our bodies. We are afraid that in these bodies, which we want to be able to celebrate, we will never be seen as people.
A wise woman (whose name escapes me) once said that feminism is the radical notion that women are human too. That humanity ought to extend to include our bodies. Our bodies are a part of us, and when you recognise us in your workplace, in your classroom, in your taxi as people, we demand (that’s right, I said it) that you recognise our bodies as part of our status as full human beings, and act accordingly.
Rumbi Goredema is a womanist-feminist who is studying towards a master’s in diversity studies at the University of Cape Town in the hopes of one day finding a job with an NGO that will allow her to wear miniskirts to work and pay her for using all the academic reading she’s done for her degree to change some woman’s world for the better.
Oh man you are so right. We men are bastards. We show no respect but demand it from others. How do we celebrate the women of this world? We should start with our mothers. Those who make us (men and women) who we are today. My mother committed suicide, but I won’t let 5 minutes of madness define what I knew of her. But I still struggle to know who she really was. More on me and my mother on my blog at http://angryafrican.net/2008/03/08/an-accidental-activist-i-slept-while-my-mother-died/
I agree that this is outrageous and would also like to draw attention to the women in Umlazi, KZN who are under a ban from wearing pants and have been violently attacked for doing so.
But it’s up to us to accept our bodies as normal and through that to accept men as normal. Men are sexual beings – it’s how D-g made them. You can wear a mini-skirt and when the guy passes remarks, wolf-whistles, whatever – don’t cringe – don’t feel offended – stand up taller then ever and cat call back at them – it’s the best way. Don’t be intimidated – that is just giving them power.
Try hollering next time – “You want mine? Let’s see what you’ve got.” Most of them will be thoroughly intimidated by your lack of fear. If one of them is brave enough (or drunk enough) to whip it out, then he is your victim on a platter. Then you are free to laugh and ridicule him and I promise – his friends will take your side.
Girl – to be liberated as a woman, you need to be liberated about sex – you need to be able to meet those men on their level. You want to be accepted for who you are – you need to accept men for who they are too. And don’t forget to teach your daughters well.
To me we have to have some standards of decency. So there should be no display of underwear, pubic hair or genitals in public.
So these new pants that guys wear that almost fall off the hips is not on.
Equally a miniskirt that does not allow a young lass to sit down, walk upstairs or bend down without displaying what is underneath is also not on.
Equally people earn respect by the way they act or dress.
So dressing to show the body off in my book does not earn the right kind of respect.
That is, if one wants to be respected as a human being and not as a piece of meat then dress to emphasise the human being. (Miniskirts and hip pants emphasise the piece of meat.)
An old granny was raped and also killed. 3 yrs baby was raped,,, hey you man tell us what is wrong that no body can notice or help you with,what do you need? Do you know that if you do something to someone then you must be ready if it will be done on you. can someone tell me ” is taxi man got business plan strategy,,, i dont remember seen an order aorund taxi drives
Thanks for this important bit of experiential reporting. The subjugation of women and acquisition of our bodies by men is indeed an international problem. I’m sitting at my desk in Australia – where the rape stats are no where near as alarming as those confronting SA – but I am also worried about walking to my car in a distant University car park now that it’s dark. And my culture is at least close to being as chauvinistic and misogynistic as yours.
We’ve had similar rape cases in recent years, where there’s been an attempt to mitigate the criminal behaviour on the basis of the “she asked for it” defence. We also had a Sydney Sheik likening women who did not cover their bodies sufficiently to “uncovered meat” worthy of being devoured by cats.
Then there was a recent story of great symbolic value involving the “up-skirting” of a powerful and successful female politician on the front page of the Canberra Times which I wrote about. (http://www.j-scribe.com/2007/12/sex-photos-and-politics.html ; http://www.crikey.com.au/Politics/20071217-Canberra-Timess-staff-embarrassed-by-that-McKew-photo.html ; http://www.j-scribe.com/2007/12/turning-blind-eye-to-gender-bias.html ) My analysis of the sexist representation of this woman resulted in incredibly chauvenistic, vitriolic attacks launched against me and charges that “she shouldn’t have worn a skirt if she didn’t want a photographer to look up it”. The reaction surprised me. I thought Feminism had made more progress. I was wrong.
Concurrently, as we women try to embrace our sexuality and gender specificity amidst Feminism’s 3rd Wave, we are accused by some members of the sisterhood of betrayal. Earlier this week my Facebook status read: “Julie is a feminist and she bakes. She’s also quite comfortable wearing her (ample) cleavage as an accessory: deal with it people!” Older feminists’ suspicion of displayed female sexuality is, in effect, a form of pandering to chauvinism and it offends me.
It also reminds me of the sexist premise that underpins the demand that women cover up. I was told by a church minister when I was 14 that I should dress more demurely because “men don’t have as much self control as women and women need to protect them from their sinfulness”. What a cop out! I responded: “Well if women are more responsible and powerful why is it that you only allow men to be in charge of congregations?” Suffice it to say he was stumped and I became a journalist
Cheris Kramerae, author of A Feminist Dictionary (1996) said “Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings”. And we deserve and demand our human rights – it’s well past time they were recognised…all over the world.
Just a quick response to sandra m. I am deeply concerned that the obvious response should be aimed at [women's] liberation. Liberation from all threats to our personal safety, integrity [amongst a myriad of our basic human rights]. What offends me about your response is that you advocate liberation of women through the vehicle of sex. Have you not heard. This is not about sex. And liberating ourselves sexually does not take the power held through the male gaze. One could say that indeed the pendulum has swung in the opposite diretion. Women have simply moved their place from the kitchen to the bedroom. This does not change the balance of power. Being liberated sexually does not change ‘the gaze’ and its effects on our perceived threat.
I am tired of hearing that we need to meet people “at their level” in order for things to change. This is not what social change is about. Did our current government meet the oppressors at their level to change the prevailing structures in their time? I don’t think so. We are missing the issue. The issue is not about women being unliberated sexually. Neither is it about men being bastards. I hear you Rumbi Goredema. Keep sounding your drum. There are others who will join your song.
K
This type of sexist oppression is still happening here in SA today?? These women need to unite in protest and all wear their pants – or refuse to wear anything.
Unfortunately in Africa the plight of women remains dire. Feminism has made great strides in the developed world but not much here. I am not sure what the solution is but it has to change. Old men openly oogling young girls walking down the street is despicable.
Failure to admit the existence of diversity is a problem that hit our societies and countries in general.Different groups exists and collectively form the community.We are in the community of males and females, blacks, whites, coulored, indians ect, gays and lesbians.No one should be exploited because is different from you.The human tendency is to seek self pleasures.Are you pleasures offensive to others? If yes, you are indeed at the wrong side of life and you don’t deserve this world which seeks virtue.The Taxi rank and the UFS issues is a result of failure to admit the existence of gender and race diversity respectively. We indeed need to get rid of animals which have pleasures in hurting and corrupting the morals of our country. Peace shall prevail in South Africa.
@ Owen – I really don’t think this is about decency at all – in my view it’s about control and power. When man cat call at me, I am usually (because I am too SCARED to wear shrts, mini-skirts etc.). It’s about one group of people deciding what ‘decency’ means, and using it to control another group. If mini-skirts are so terrible, what makes traditional wear acceptable? I think it has more to do with the social, than the (literally) material. Decency is when a woman isn’t scared to walk doen her own street, or go down to the petrol station to fill up her car alone at night. Ripping up people’s clothes and violating them is not.
@ Julie Posetti. Thank you for your enlightening response and for the reference for that quote. I hope you continue to bake, and wear your cleavage and embrace all that is wonderfully contradictory about being a woman
LaraB
Maybe I missed the point in which case you have not helped me to see it. I took it to be all about sex ie sexual harrassment in the street, the office, even at home. I do not understand what you mean by the power held through the gaze of a man?? What is this gaze if not the sexual way a man looks at you. Nobody can have any power over you unless you give it through fear etc.
The truth is life IS about sex. Men ARE about sex. I believe that a lot of rape and abuse against women and children is caused through the oppression of men’s natural sexual tendancies. They have been so intimidated by the society they live in regarding their sexuality that they unconsciously suppress it. They are then at the mercy of their suppressed sexuality and can only find satisfaction for it through perverse acts.
We want men to accept us as we are so we also need to accept who they are – liberation is a two way street too.
Girl – to be liberated as a woman, you need to be liberated about sex – you need to be able to meet those men on their level. You want to be accepted for who you are – you need to accept men for who they are too. And don’t forget to teach your daughters well.
Now dear teaching you daughters to behave like a brazen hussy is probbaly not such a good thing
The problem with feminism is that it perceives man to be the benchmark!
A protest with women wearing pants will achieve nothing.
Women (not Feminists) need to create and entrench their own identity and individuality. We’ve got women being persecuted for wearing mini-skirts or too little and on the flip side woman wearing too much (headscarves, etc). Men should not be dictating the standards of woman, woman need to. Sad thing is that too many women use sex as an object to excel.
To those women who can define their identity and individuality, you have my respect!
I am old, Sisters. I mean really old. Like I wore mini-skirts when they were first invented and I actually remember Mary Quant!
How old is that? Too, too old to still be fighting the same battles. But I am and we are.
Thank goodness we now have a generation of young feminists who’ve grown up without the rose-tinted spectacles that were part of every ‘good’ girl’s unifom in the 1960s. You at least know the name of the game. I didn’t know there was one, never mind what the rules were.
I thought I was ‘free’; all that ‘women’s lib’ stuff had happened a century before, hadn’t it? Women had been stoned, force-fed, chased off the streets for daring to claim equality. We got the vote in the end. What more was there? You know the answer to that question which puts you streets ahead of my generation!
Your lives will never be easy, though, and battles may be won but I’ll wager the urn full of my ashes that the war won’t be. Not, that is, until every female child is schooled in Martial Arts. To the point of lethality. (Don’t know what that means, bro? Look it up!) Only if fear is equal on both sides does it begin to be replaced by respect. Or at the very least, with caution!
Women everywhere live in fear that someday, somewhere, a man will decide to ‘teach us a lesson’, the usual one: ‘The only position for a woman in the movement is prone, Sista.” (Look it up, bro!)
There are no permanent victories and the price of even a little bit of liberty is ‘eternal vigilance’. So keep your eyes open and don’t waste your energy on the ‘traditionalists’; they want only male approval, not full personhood. Leave them to the traditional males. They deserve each other.
Well said – excellent article! And the responses so far are all good, too: Each one has a valid point. Whilst women definitely should be able to wear what they like, now and again one does see a woman wearing something that makes one uncomfortable (well me, anyway – and I’m no prude). I agree with Sandra M that we as women need to get more aggressive (without resorting to crudeness, thereby lowering ourselves to their level) and stand up against them. And therein lies the crux of the matter: In spite of undeniable progress, women still have a long way to go – no time or place yet for complacency. It’s still going to be a fight, and a long one. Last but not least, being a South African who has lived in Europe and the US, I can honestly say that South Africa is medieval by comparison. The men there need a serious wakeup call. And it’s not going to happen by itself: African women have to take the bull by the horns – it’s up to them.
Men and women are all humans with RIGHTS and duties. Currently men’s duties in SA are to stamp out the plague of violent oppression of women – that our grandmothers, mothers, wifes, sisters and daughters can’t just walk unmolested in our streets is indefensible. What now stops the country from decending into utter darkness.
Those taxi drivers should all NOW be in jail for assult and taking away a persons civil rights, enshringed in our constitution. Shows how much the Rainbow Nation feels about our so called ‘best constituton’ in the world. Where O where are our self righous politicians now.
In the 50′s thousands of amazing wonderful women marched (unmolested) for the freedom of everyone and now one lady can’t even walk to a taxi rank, please political leaders tell us why not.
Disgused male
Brent
This has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with irresponsible behaviour. We grew up in the same culture but not all of us condone this unnecessary levels of idiocy. I’m a man and one of the many who were raised by women almost alone. We men are a very irresponsible type and it starts with one to change this unacceptable conduct. It’s very important to THINK before we act.
Women have a right to wear what they feel like without fear of harassment by men with low egos who feel better only after humiliating some powerless young woman.
Your article is greatly narrow in its approach of the subject.
Femininst and the like minded need to accept the dual existence of women and men, that women are just people in the absence of men and that they will only be people in the absence of men. In other words in there is no woman with out a man and there is no man without woman. In the absence of gender differences we only have people.
You need to remember that human beings are sexual creatures not by choice but by natural order however they can by choice control their sexual appetites in proportion to the individual’s self-restraint capacity.
If people were sexual by choice I am sure today 90% of the world would not be sexual active due the complex relation of man/woman relationship. If people are honest enough they will agree with me on this one.
It takes a lot from an individual to live a life of celibacy to the end. Many have fell on the way side because celibacy does not come natural.
So the fantasy of wearing whatever thing you like is greatly myopic and naïve to say the least.
Your argument greatly romaticises the hardcore reality of human existence in pursuit of unfounded of fantasy.
As long as we the two natural genders there will always be expectations and demands about dress code. In a world of women only women would roam freely nude on the streets without any sense of vurnerability but in a world that has diversity of genders that is not possible.
As the civilised society that we claim to be hence we don’t live in forest naked so clothing is the integral part of civilisation.
Because clothing is the intergral of the civilisaton certain robes are distinguished for certain people just like a doctorate graduant you would see him his mortar board, and judge with his cassock and slut with her garments therefore we need to be mindful how dress so that we don’t do serious misrepresentation.
If you don’t want to be perceived as a slut you mustn’t be dress like one.
Seeing that you are so creative I would advice to pursuit a career as fashion designer because you creativity is greatly misplaced.
In conclusion, I am not intending to promote violence against women in any way and men respect women and women must respect themselves bearing in mind that they are sharing a living space with other genders and that comes with some responsibility.
Peace ya all
Wear whatever you like but you must not steal a limelight from the prostitutes because they might be angry at you thinking that you want to close their business down.
@ His Service. I am a bit confused by your discussion on duality. Are you arguing against or for gender categorisation? My article, and Ncumisa attack, are not at all about clothing. Clothes, make-up etc., all of that stuff is the surface view of some underlying issues, which I outline in my article.
I agree that women need to respect themselves, but I disagree with the insinuation that wearing a miniskirt automatically means that a woman disrespects herself. Whose right is it to define ‘self-respect’? Surely that right belongs to the ‘self’ whom the respect is about?
I am not arguing for miniskirts, I am arguing for control over my own body, whether or not taht includes my decision to wear a miniskirt or trousers.
This goes way way beyond skirts, and I think it’s high time everyone realised that.
In what other context do people sleep lovingly and frequently with the enemy? Nurture and cherish the enemy? Raise little baby enemies? It’s in our hands to change the world – but we’d first need to find a way to learn to live positively and creatively with the differences amongst us. In the meantime the martial arts suggestion is a good one.
Rumbi – thanks so much for this article. I think what is most profound about it, is your emphasis on the embodied experience of being a woman. That is, this common sense that we as women get – no matter how successful, no matter how powerful, no matter how ‘equal’ – that we *are* our bodies. In a moment, I become no more than the sum of my female parts. And the fact that we expect to experience this, is incredibly disempowering.
Dealing with this requires engagement between men and women; it requires deep exploration of what it means to inhabit these bodies in relation to each other; and it requires us to understand our own bodies. Too often, we as women allow our bodies to be defined by men – we don’t talk to each other, don’t grapple with the complex experiences they present to us.
Aluta continua Rumbi – thank you for your insights!
@Rumbi
Maybe those underlying things were not clear anyway and I hope that at least you know what those undelying factors are.
I find it difficult that you could finish writing your article without touching up dual metaphyisal aspects of our celestial existence.
You are somewhat contradicting yourself because the topic sentence and the content clearly emphasises the freedom of choice on clothing and more than anything else if not you are missing trees for a forest.
Be that as maybe I hope one day you can wear what you like.
@Mother Grundy
My daughters are quite the opposite of ‘brazen hussies’ in my opinion. They are quite comfortable arguing with grown men (even the twelve year old) and if any man tries an inappropriate look/gesture/feel they generally regret it. These are girls that have grown up without their fathers – maybe that is what empowers them.
@His Service
What is a ‘slut’? Can you actually define this word? Does it only apply to women? Likewise Mother Grundy with your concept of ‘brazen hussy’?
Coming from a culture that does not believe in a man’s unequivocal right to control the fruits of a woman’s womb – marriage is not a part of my culture. In my ethics as long as my lover is of age and willing, intercourse is ethical. And if I want to change my lovers more than once a day that’s also ethical as long as they remain of age and willing. Does this make me a slut or would it depend on how I was dressed in between lovers??
@ Lazola “Wear whatever you like but you must not steal a limelight from the prostitutes because they might be angry at you thinking that you want to close their business down.”
@ His Service “If you don’t want to be perceived as a slut you mustn’t be dress like one”
To both of you: how would you judge someone who stole a tasty treat from the mouth of a child? Would it be the fault of the treat that you were tempted to act unethically and treacherously? Or, would it be a product of your basic indecency that you were unable to suppress desire unmatched by consent or invitation?
And what do you make of people being shot for their mobile phones or designer sneakers? The fault of the tempting accoutrements, perhaps?
@ Pheko “Women have a right to wear what they feel like without fear of harassment by men with low egos who feel better only after humiliating some powerless young woman.”
@ Brent “In the 50’s thousands of amazing wonderful women marched (unmolested) for the freedom of everyone and now one lady can’t even walk to a taxi rank, please political leaders tell us why not.”
Generally speaking, I love men…can’t help myself. And you remind me why. Thank you.
Aside: do you ever wonder how 60’s women managed to avoid rape? Mary Quant and Jean Shrimpton were sluts, not Feminist fashion icons, according to the sexist reading of this incident.
@ Rumbi – thank you.
@ Sandra
I am not interested in the game of semantics.
Secondly I appreciate your argument on relative ethics but within South African relative reality of our moral the word slut is clearly understood.
Are you living in the bush somewhere where nature is the only moral code?
Slut is a pejorative term for a person who is deemed sexually promiscuous than is socially acceptable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slut
@ Julie
Assuming that you were married man and your wife seduces and your don’t want to give to it her for some reasons but eventual you succumb to the seduction. Is that a basic indecency or is just a natural surrender to the forces of nature?
You see in your argument you are assuming that human beings are robots with the solid logical compartment with no room for spontaneity.
Humans are not that infallible and we can’t put so much trust in them like that.
Your fantasy of walking the streets dressed almost with nothing without attention from the opposite sex is greatly unreal.
Either you like it or you don’t what you wear will determine the number of dates you might get.
@His Service
Slut is NOT a perjorative term for a PERSON who is deemed sexually promiscuous than is socially acceptable. When has any man ever been called a slut??
@ His Service. I seriously hope that you’re being tongue in cheek about the possibility of a woman walking down the street in peace being a fantasy? Like I said before, and I will keep saying it: it’s not about clothes, not for the women who wear them, or the men who use them as an excuse to violate us on a daily basis. It’s about POWER.
When you say something lewd to a woman who is minding her own business in a public space (whether or not she’s in a miniskirt – and let me tell you, she often is NOT -all she has to do is just show up, really) and embarrasses her, it is about exerting and exercising power over her, reminding her of her ‘place’.
I won’t have it. Women like me won’t have it. And no matter how many times men use sex, or clothing as an excuse, we see right through you, and we’re ready to take you on.
An amazing article Rumbi. I think people like @service miss the point. This is not about skirts, was never about skirts it’s just dressed as a skirt. If women never wore short skirts, they would still be raped. The point is to deal with the real issue, the control of women. And this is not only in South Africa, women are oppressed in the USA too, using different methods like “morality”.
Rumbi, Thank you for the awesome article.
And damnit I’m pissed! I’m a young woman who avoids wearing skirts because I am AFRAID of being sexually harassed…AGAIN! It sometimes comes to a point where I really loose my mind and go into a mini rage. I’ve had an recent incident where a young undergrad male student grabbed my behind at the Varsity theatre! And I was wearing my usual baggy jeans that day! The long and short of it is that I punched him so hard in the gut, guys in thye whole department NOW know I wont take their crap! NO MORE! Needless to say, that was the first time I was sexually harrassed on campus.
I’m truly reluctant to say it’ll be my LAST because I have a long challenging life ahead of me as a black woman. Somewhere while I’m just living my life, a man will probably demontrate his anger over the disempowered state in his life by sexually harassing me to regain that ‘lost’ power!
Some men…
At His People (And anyone else who reduces humanity to superficial sexuality)
Hiding behind the notion of a feminine identity only as a binary to masculinity is myopic. Yes human beings are sexual creatures, but they are also reasoned, autonomous creatures. Your opinion of the human race must be very low to assume that millenia of human critcal thinking and questioning cannot control the libido. Isn’t it funny that we can build pyramids and spaceships and write philosophy and poetry, but can’t keep our (universal) pants zipped?!
Even further, it is a very limited human experience you create. Perhaps you are exposed to blank women and howling men, but the women and men I choose to spend my time with are beautiful creatures whose identities stretch further than their genitals.
@Lynsey EC
I am assuming that you were addressing me even though you have chose to call to me as “His People” where did you get that one I don’t know. No wonder all your facts are greaty skewed as well.
For information I have a couple of intelligent women friendst and hey never use their sex appeal to appeal for respect like other imbeccile down the road. In fact the whole argument about the kangas and hot pants is very low in many ways that is why this thread never made it in the mainline of things.
The truth is with modernity comes conventions that informs our values and dress code, and how you dress speak much about your class.
It’s funny that hypocrites of your kind are silent about the abuse and suffering of women in advertisement houses and brothels. If you were to devote your energy in fighting the fundamentals of the problem not a concerned realist like me. I am not the one thatis doing ads that are greatly degrading women as sex objects. Let women join hands and fight institutions such as brothels and pornhouses and leave me alone.
If you think in your naive feminism women are free to wear whatever they like and then go and tell that to prostitutes that are roaming the streets desparately looking for sex because they seem to have figured it out that dress code counts.