According
to Orthodox Jews, elbows, ankles, and collarbones are far too sexy for public
viewing. This ideology recurs in several other cultures and religions,
including Islam. But many Feminists today attack women who choose to dress
modestly due to piousness or any reason otherwise. They argue that modesty is
anti-Feminist, as the laws, of course, apply only to women. However, it is far
more likely that modesty does more for equality between the sexes than any
modern Feminist tactic, as it focuses on respect from others and for oneself.
Jewish modesty laws, as enumerated
lengthily in the Torah, are quite strict. From the neck downwards (excluding
hands and feet, largely out of necessity I would imagine) every square
centimeter of skin must be covered. And not by a spandex cat suit, either.
Those women adhering most strictly to these Jewish traditions typically don
long, body-grazing skirts, paired with modern tops layered with white
undershirts stretching from the nape of the neck to the crease of the wrist.
But the modern orthodox gal’s daily routine doesn’t end there. The Torah also
dictates that a married woman ought not exhibit her hair in the company of men
other than her husband. So to complete her morning beauty regiment, she places
a full and flowing wig of hair firmly on her head, and struts out the door (depending
on her company, of course).
Today, many
women (and even men, I suppose) denounce these devout Orthodox females, arguing
that their beloved religion is anti-Feminist. This is due to the fact that the
meaning of “Feminism” has changed. Historically, Feminism was a movement that
sought for the equal rights and treatment of women everywhere. Its proponents
enabled women to vote, empowered them to be both mothers and laborers, and
fought endlessly to earn women equal wages and benefits in the workplace. But
today, Feminism is something different. Feminists today ask different
questions.
They ask,
“If a man can sleep with seven women in seven days and be considered a ‘stud,’
why can’t a woman?; If a man can sleep with his teacher or boss and be praised
for it, why can’t a woman?; If a man can walk around with his shirt off without
any consequence, why can’t a woman?” And so forth. The idea behind this is that
if men are allowed to do these things, women should be able to do them too. It
seems that the new norm for Feminists is to strive to emulate the worst of
men’s’ behaviors. Equality was tainted, then altogether left behind, in favor
of an overly sexualized culture, more concerned with getting laid than getting
ahead in life. Arguably, modesty is a happy alternative to this new Feminism,
because it opposes these unfortunately well-set social norms.
A modern
Feminist might see the Orthodox laws of modesty as an infringement to her right
to free expression and equality. But in fact, modesty might be much more
beneficial to the cause than any modern Feminist tactic. For one thing, modesty
demands respect. A modest outward appearance insists that those who look upon
you do so with much greater interest in your words and behaviors, that they
look you in the eye. Equality cannot always be forced upon people. And if men
cannot be cumulatively conditioned to look at a woman’s face rather than her
body, then the obvious conclusion might be to eliminate their choice in the
matter. And while it should be the responsibility of those with the lusty
thoughts to control their eyes, and all other extraneous parts, it is the also
the responsibility of women to acknowledge that their outward appearance (not
limited to amount of skin showing!) has a large impact on those around them.
Most female executives would not willingly choose to wear pajamas or running
shorts to work, as they’d rightly fear their contemporaries wouldn’t take them
seriously. The way we present ourselves is important. And by wearing shirts cut
too low and skirts cut too short, a woman insinuates that she leads her social
life in a certain unsavory way. It’s truly unfortunate that these stigmas don’t
hold true for men. But nonetheless, they exist. And they cannot be ignored.
Many Feminists would also say that
women have fought for years to be able to wear what they want when they want,
and that we ought not regress to traditional ideologies. But truly, women do
now possess the right to dress how they choose. A look through an Urban
Outfitters catalogue suggests that wearing brassieres with miniskirts is now an
entirely acceptable way to dress. But accompanying the right to choose is the
responsibility to choose maturely. It’s ridiculous to suggest that every woman
out there trade in her tank tops and shorts for ankle-length skirts and
turtlenecks. However, a modern take on modesty could recommend shirts not
delving too far into ones’ cleavage, and skirts not straying more than a few
inches above the knee. And even then, those brave enough to cover themselves
completely in a society obsessed with sex ought to be praised rather than
persecuted.
Revealing clothing and risqué
behavior are actually disempowering to women. We see in television programs and
advertisements today that women are being hyper-sexualized. Corporations and
pop-culture products, from Bratz and Barbie to The Bachelor and Age of Love,
pose an enormous problem for women because they reduce them to consumers of a
manufactured sexuality. Culture today depletes females’ self-esteem, and
insists that they assimilate into an overtly sexual version of themselves in
order to gain acceptance. Feminists should be fighting this nasty phenomenon,
not propagating it. Modesty, whether spurred by religious leanings or personal
ones, is a far better and far more traditionally pro-female philosophy than
contemporary Feminist practices.
