Tuesday 7 June 2011

That Second Sex

So, little girls are having push up bras banned from their sections in stores pretty soon here in the UK. I, for one, say hooray! (But feel sorry for those mum's who will encounter the inevitable backlash, good luck to you all.)

On an opposite note, a wave of anarchy has hit the world and encouraging us ladies to get out there on some 'Slutwalks' and reclaim that blessed word as our own, as well as liberate our sexuality. I've been reading about this in today's Guardian article 'Marching with the Sluts'. This protests the idea that promiscuous clothing attracts negative sexual advances and can lead to sexual assault and rape, leaving some of the blame with the victim.

Hmm, tricky one. I am very much as advocate for women wearing what they please and not fear sexual assault in the process. Protester's banners read 'My Clothes are not my Consent', and nothing could ring more true. Whilst women (and men for that matter) do dress up to attract sexual attention, you then cannot make the illogical jump to consent for sexual abuse, making it her fault that these advances occured. However, the truth remains that if you are willing to dress in less, you are more often than not going to get some unwanted attention. If you think you can tackle that, then sashay away!

A complex subject, one that I'm finding too hard to ponder and will end up contradicting myself. A sad fact of life is that men rarely fear of sexual abuse, an even greater sad fact being that their natural greater strength is the main reason.

This is something I have loathed for several years now, that my physical make-up as a woman can stop me doing certain things. Particularly as a traveler, there are places in this world I just cannot go alone to due to my sex. Grr. My time in a 10k (or the awaited half-marathon I am undertaking in September) will never be as good as a man's. Doube grr!

I will probably try my best at fighting that as much as possible in the hopes that it won't get me killed one day. I often get some funny looks when describing my solo female travels, but you'd so surprised but how many women out there are going it alone and staying safe all the while. I could not think of anything worse than sitting at home and cursing my womb for my lack of adventure.

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