mfoxes:

albinwonderland:

I think that there’s nothing wrong with those girls feeling that way, and you’re being a little judgmental of them. What you’re saying is, “If you don’t want to be looked at sexually, don’t dress sexually” but what is sexually dressing? Even naked, the human body is not inherently sexual, but we perceive female bodies as sexual because they’ve been commodified as objects to us all our lives, used to sell us products and sexuality before we even knew what sex was all about.

When we talk about rape culture, we often talk about victim blaming. The idea that a person’s choices directly or indirectly welcome violence (verbal, physical, etc). The mindset that a person’s way of dressing or exploring their sexuality invites predators is one that blames the victim, and that’s not a positive or even truthful thing. Obviously you’re talking about just being “looked at” as a sexual object, but I think being “looked at” as a sexual object and “being considered to be” a sexual object are similar in notion so that’s kind of where I’m coming from.

I really like this quote from The Center for Relationship Abuse Awareness,

“In order to stop victim blaming, it is helpful to understand why people do it in the first place. One reason people blame a victim is to distance themselves from an unpleasant occurrence and thereby confirm their own invulnerability to the risk. By labeling or accusing the victim, others can see the victim as different from themselves. People reassure themselves by thinking, “Because I am not like her, because I do not do that, this would never happen to me.” We need to help people understand that this is not a helpful reaction.”

I encourage you to spend some time thinking and learning about this ♡ Here are some resources to get you started, and there are many more wonderful articles and blog available on these topics.

• What is Slut Shaming?
• A Look at Victim Blaming and Rape Culture