Woman walking around town in suspenders and thong- empowering?!

[DoobryWhatsit]

Instagram stunt, obviously. The "point" being made is apparently that there is nothing inherently sexual about female bodies, or the pieces of clothing that cover them (or not), and that if people view a woman in a teeny tiny bra, suspenders, thong and stilettos as sexual, then this just shows what an awful misogynistic society we live in.

The woman in question was particularly scathing of anyone crying "what about the CHILDREN!!", because yes, children exist, but so does her arse.

I mean, I kind of get the argument. Of course women shouldn't be seen as primarily existing for the titillation/gratification of men. But, we live in a society with accepted rules around decency. Sex is normal, but I feel very strongly that we shouldn't be exposing our children to sexualised images, and I'm afraid I do see sexy underwear as sexual! Am I a closet misogynist?

I don't know how many people will agree with me/understand what I'm getting at, but you lot are always really good at putting my "I really don't agree with this, but I can't quite form a coherent argument" feelings into actual words!

I don't understand what the point of this stunt is, apart from getting attention.
If I walked around London dressed as a clown for the day, I would also get both positive and negative attention, as would anyone that goes against societal norms. All is shows is that someone people are idiots, it's not demonstrating anything about the patriarchy.

I kind of think that women's bodies are inherently sexual, as are mens. As humans our bodies are sexual. But that's not all we are and that's where the problem lies I think, is being reduced to simply sexual objects.

Thank God I'm not on Insta, FB etc

Do people who are in power/ have power do this?

Attention seeking at its finest. We are generally sexual beings, that's how we procreate. If no-one was attracted to anyone else we would die out, it's how human nature is.

@ThatLibraryMiss

I hope she's got a nice warm coat waiting close by. She'll catch a chill on her kidneys.

Is it bad my first thought was she'll be fucking freezing 🥶

[quote DoobryWhatsit]I don't know if this link will work www.instagram.com/p/Cb6z5A_IZOA/?hl=en[/quote]
"such a wonderful empowering piece of content"

ok

Those pants remind me of the Yellow Pages 1983 Ad - "I Were Right About That Saddle Though!"

I'm old enough to remember a time before tights became the norm, and can remember how uncomfortable suspender belts and stockings were.

Unhygienic, uncomfortable, impractical,….

Who exactly is she trying to teach what?

I do not want to see anyones bare buttocks out and about, nor sit in a chair after them or brush past them [vom].

More clothes, more thought

Jesus Christ didnt we go through all this sort of "ooo look at my arse" empowerment bollocks in the 90s? That got us so much further down the road, didn't it?

I despair when I see young women internalising misogyny like this and parroting it back out at the world. It's so harmful.

Just looked at the comments on Instagram. Pulling my hair out! Comment after comment from people saying how wonderful this is and if their young daughter saw it they'd just explain how that was a woman happy in her body and there's billboards and porn and Anne Summers anyway and sex shouldn't be shameful and...really?!?? REALLY!!! I would want my kids to be wary of someone being over-sexual in an inappropriate context or transgressing norms regarding nudity etc. I wouldn't want my daughter to think being in high heels and undies in the public gaze is the pinnacle of female happiness or empowerment. For fucks sake! And the classic 'empowerment is whatever makes a person feel empowered' ok but don't try and sell it as some world-bettering message or example for women and girls then. You shaved all your body hair off, did you make up, washed your hair and went out in sexy underwear and you felt good. Bore off. At least Anne Summers are honest about what they're selling.

God what a lot of attention seeking nonsense, any bloke walking about in just a thong with his arse would get similar reactions.

@LadyOfTheCanyon

Jesus Christ didnt we go through all this sort of "ooo look at my arse" empowerment bollocks in the 90s? That got us so much further down the road, didn't it?

I despair when I see young women internalising misogyny like this and parroting it back out at the world. It's so harmful.

We've gone full circle back. This is just basing your worth on men's opinions again. Line you said, not only not empowering, it is actually harmful in a way to those who are impressionable.

The clue is in the name. Underwear.

If you are in public in underwear it’s time to don some outerwear. Perhaps a mac. Or a poncho.

And it’s April. Isn’t it a bit chilly she this sort of thing?

Is this a money-making activity in some way? I mean, is she getting empowered just for fun, or is it done in the hope of making some cash?

And I wonder who did the filming. She didn't do this alone.

We've gone full circle back. This is just basing your worth on men's opinions again. Line you said, not only not empowering, it is actually harmful in a way to those who are impressionable.

This. I don't have a clue how anyone can think that is empowering.

I don't think it's full circle, I think feminism has never regained the ground lost to 3rd wave, 'sex-positive' feminism and has been in retreat on a some fronts (in terms of practical outcomes for women) since the 90s.

The naratives that humans can change sex, porn is empowering and women are as physically strong as men are all eating away at the understanding most people used to have, in my youth, of why feminism was necessary and what work still needs to be done.

Seems a bit yawn. The punks and goths were doing the likes years ago. Only folk that benefit from this are men and I'm with a PP,

What is the power this is empowering women with?

It’s not like financial independence, physical strength to enable one to be self reliant.

Isn’t it just the power to arouse men? ie what MRAs believe is the only power women have?

Just tacky and more than a bit icky. It's attention seeking and just not needed.

I recall the ‘slut walk’ protests, but think those were more purposeful - campaigning about rapists not being arrested/convicted and victim blaming?

There’s only one group of people benefiting from this, and it isn’t women.

Attention seeker. And I’d say the same about a bloke wearing that in public so not just hating on her because she’s an ‘empowered woman’

Maybe I’m just numb to the absurd levels of sexualisation in our society these days but you see more at the beach so I’m not particularly fussed.
It’s not really “empowering” to be in your underwear. Someone might find it personally validating, but it’s not really doing anything to empower anybody.

I’d freeze my arse off, though. Good on her if she finds this personally fulfilling I guess, but I prefer to be warm!

The "point" being made is apparently that there is nothing inherently sexual about female bodies, or the pieces of clothing that cover them

No, but she couldn't have "made her point" wearing a snowsuit as she wouldn't have got any attention.