WNR0@ns.cc.lehigh.EDU (Whitney Rearick) (05/08/91)
Speaking as a radical faminist, I'd love to say a few words
about clothing.
I think the main gripe of women about "feminine" clothing is
that it was restrictive and uncomfortable. Wearing high heels,
for example, robs you of your most natural form of avoiding
an attack--running. The other problem with the old-fashioned
notion of "feminine" dress is that it takes up so much time
--time spent applying makeup, ironing, doing your hair.
This is time men don't have to spend to look good. Besides that,
there are more important things to do than spend hours on one's looks
every day. Also, this style of dress is uncomfortable. I don't
know anyone who likes to wear stockings (even those who don't consider
themselves feminists hate them).
Luckily, this idea that women should perm and priss themselves so
much is changing. And I think that feminists are reclaiming female
dress--that is, styles that are particular to women.
I wear dresses, and I wear ones that look good (maybe even sexy
--oh my!!) and feel comfortable as well as non-restrictive. I spend
time fixing my hair, for example, but I am not obsessive about it
by any means.
Anyway, I think what we're looking for is to get rid of any standard
of how we should dress (and other standards, for that matter). And
we should certainly NOT be punished (through rape, pornography, etc.)
because we don't look like men think we should.
Hope that cleared some things up.
WNR0@lehigh.bitnet
Whitney Rearick WNR0@ns.cc.lehigh.edu