Freedom = Control

Freedom means (by google's definition, with which I agree) "The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint". Freedom is obviously the thing for which we seek as women. I would change, however, that we seek the opportunity to be heard rather than to speak. However, changing laws and imposing women's liberation throughout the working world hasn't exactly helped male/female relationships to be equal. So the question is, how can we as women promote equality in our relationships? A recent study done at Princeton has proven that women who are immodestly dressed lose the control they have in a male/female relationship. CNN reported, "In the men who scored highest on hostile sexism [in this study], the part of the brain associated with analyzing another person's thoughts, feelings and intentions was inactive while viewing scantily clad women." The article continued to state, 

"A supplementary study on both male and female undergraduates found that men tend to associate bikini-clad women with first-person action verbs such as I "push," "handle" and "grab" instead of the third-person forms such as she "pushes," "handles" and "grabs." They associated fully clothed women, on the other hand, with the third-person forms, indicating these women were perceived as in control of their own actions."

This study scientifically shows that "scantily clad" women give up their control, due to the perception of the men around them. As the first quote shows, these women forfeit the opportunity to be understood. Interesting, isn't it? I personally choose to be heard. I choose to have my opinions taken seriously and to be treated as an equal human, in control of my own actions. If that means rockin my one piece on the beach instead of a bikini, so be it. 


In addition, I have had the opportunity to work with victims of sexual assault recently. They are strong women, and men, who are overcoming horrible obstacles in their lives because of the terrible actions of others. These victims never invited the behavior on themselves. I agree that being a "scantily clad" woman does NOT give others the right to assault these women. With that said, a therapist I work with once explained to me a study she was a part of. Several sexual assault perpetrators were taken to a mall and individually escorted into an open, busy area of the mall to pick who they would attack, given the chance. Every perpetrator individually picked the same woman. In discussion after the study, the perpetrators admitted they could not remember her face. She appeared vulnerable, which was their reason for picking her. As I said, no victim is ever to be blamed for the sad actions of a disturbed perpetrator, yet it is important to consider, what vibe am I sending to those around me? How am I being perceived? Am I perceived as confident in myself and my personality, am I in control of my own actions? or, am I vulnerable, placing the emphasis of myself on my body instead of my character?