Young women (under 16) and clothing choices.

[Ineedacleaningfairy]

I recently had a conversation with a close relative about clothing choices in young women. Her opinion is that young women shouldn't wear provocative, revealing clothing as that sort of clothing is sexy and if your too young to have consensual sex your too young to wear sexy clothing. The specific situation we were discussing was a 12 year old wearing a top which showed their belly button.

My opinion is that young women should be free to wear what they like and if other people view them in a sexual way because of their clothing that is the other people's issue, I think that sending the message to children that they are responsible for other people's reactions to their clothing is wrong.

I'm interested to hear what a feminist point of view would be.

I agree with you.

Older girls and younger women are going to be ogled whatever they wear, and blamed when stuff happens to them. What needs to be addressed is the ogling and the blaming.

Maybe point out to your relative that many girls are accosted / assaulted while wearing demure school uniform - and have been for decades - and the problem lies with the men doing the accosting and assaulting not with the children.

I don't understand the comment about consensual sex, what does that have to do with anything. They seem to be implying that children over 16 are fair game in some way? Girls getting hassled has nothing to do with consensual sex.

The very idea that a 12 yo tummy is "sexually provocative" is quite disturbing really isn't it.

Look at the clothing that is marketed at females and look at the clothing that is marketed at males.

It is different.

Clothing that is marketed at males of all ages is designed to be practical, mostly quite hardwearing, and appropriate for the climate/environment that it will be worn in.

Clothing that is marketed at females is mostly designed with appearance in mind ahead of all other considerations, eg very short skirts, very high heels.

Everyone who lives in any kind of society is subject to pressures arising from that society. That being said, pressure does not arise in a vacuum and is not baseless or meaningless.

Who is provoked by a 12 year old's belly button?

I remember crop tops when I was early teens. They were around the same time as the fluorescent craze. They really weren't "sexy", they were short t shirts.

Traditional saris have a crop top under, don't they? Is that a sexy outfit?

I agree. Teenage girls tend to wear what is marketed to them by the current fashion. As do boys.

No one thinks teenage boys are being sexually provocative when they walk around with their boxers on show and their jeans around their ankles!