clothes talk?

If I know someone may think something about me because of what I do, say or wear should I alter that so the image is more acceptable, more neutral? I don't think so, because I think we do it too much already. We leave things unsaid in case of misunderstanding, we leave things undone fearing the unknown or what people think, and that is just the fear. If I now think before I put on something from my closet that I like because of what someone else may think that's pushing it. A police officer wears a uniform for a purpose and as a signal that this is a trustworthy authoritative figure. The uniform services a purpose, to alert the public to who they should seek for help and quickly identifies them. I am not wearing my clothes as a public service to alert people to what or who I am. And if someone uses clothing as a tool to legitimize their criminal and horrible act, it is our societal responsibility to deny that explanation. As long as we even believe for a moment that it has some validity then that excuse and blame will stay in our legal system and continue to taint the reporting and prosecuting of crimes in our nation, especially crimes against women.

It reminds me of what the author of 'The Body Politic' articulates about power. As long as society continues to trick women into spending all this time on an unachievable ideal of beauty and size, then their will never be equality, and their will never be true power because so much time is spent on the other stuff. And just as she initially believed she was in control because she was controlling her body and what was happening to it, she later realized that the beauty norms were controlling her and giving her a false sense of power that steered her away from true issues and change. As long as a line of questioning to a rape victim continues to try to undermine or blame the victim, which is often times a woman, the power and positive from being able to report and seek justice goes away. The roles of power can be easily manipulated. And when I am worrying about what my clothes say or how unnerving something I say might be I am not spending time on the the things that matter, I am spending time on the things society has taught me to make sure are ladylike, right and acceptable. Instead I am worried about things of little consequence that I should just naturally be able to do with little thought, while the big issues pass by because I have to think twice about putting on an above the knee skirt.