Imho The stunt is not about challenging the sexualisation of womens bodies- it is about someone saying we should normalise sexualised presentation of our bodies.
So, way I’m thinking and apologies for cultural appropriation/racist overtones- not my intent at all. …. In some countries it is still the norm that women go about their day to day lives with breast exposed, buttocks exposed. It is the same with men, in some countries it is acceptable for men to walk around in small coverings of the genitals. The point is that in those societies it is normal to be dressed like that for non sexualised activities …and everyone, regardless of what is on their mind at the time, presents themselves roughly within those normals.
No one is going to walk into those countries (these days I hope 🤷🏼♀️) from a “clothed” society and tell people to cover up, or issues fines for indecent exposure. We all try to accept it as a cultural norm for a few remaining places.
It’s also interesting that in many of those cultures people are adopting western clothes that then cover these body parts- I do wonder why that is?
The issue here is that this is not a cultural norm in this country and these days most developed countries. As breast etc are sexualised, exposing them in general society , or semi exposing by non functional underwear,IS sending a message to others looking at her that she is at least thinking about sex or sexual attraction and drawing attention to her sex. Rightly or wrongly.
I think this is where it gets so very difficult. We all know and hopefully agree that women should be able to wear what they want without being subject to blame for a sexual assault etc, but there is a very nuanced balance. For instance women wearing extremely short skirts, exposing tops and very high heals in a bar or nightclub with just adults and drinking dancing is not unacceptable….it goes with the turf. And should certainly not be taken as a liscense that is is ok to do something non consensual. But that same outfit in your office is drawing attention to yourself in a more sexualised way. Still doesn’t say that it would be ok for non consensual acts, but it does non the less draw attention and some discomfort form other people being presented with a normally sexual image. And if underwear is being worn as UNDER wear, and not seen by general public, then it is no one else’s business if that underwear is “sexy” or a greying bra and big pants, or even commando. It is what we’re visually presenting that is the key thing Context is everything to me.
I think that’s why a lot of women object to trans womens or drag queens idea of “women” . In many cases it isn’t just they are wearing clothes associated with a feminine gender, but the sort of clothing we do associate with people looking to make a sexual connection, making the individual stand out as wanting to be viewed in a sexual way because they’re wearing them at times when culturally it is not expected- it’s a shock and awe thing, a power thing. I think my discomfort is because I am being forced to see someone who is shouting “sex” with their body language, at a time when I’m just wanting to get on with day to day mundane stuff. I’m being forced into a non consential involvement in their sexualised thinking. For that matter I’d feel the same if I was trying to do business with a women dressed in a very provocative way- unless I knew her and knew she was going out on the town later and normally came in dressed in standard attire.
It is very nuanced, and generally in society we’re good at knowing the differences in individual situations….however clearly everyone doesn’t and gets confused and ends up blaming the victim for “asking for it”. Whatever someone wears, it may get people viewing them to see them in a “sexualised” way and get them thinking about sex, but without consent any physical advances are still assault and a crime in my view. No matter what someone is wearing.