Thursday November 16, 2006

Sexy dressing can be provocative

IT is the nature of women to crave for admiration and compliments on their physical appearance.

The fashionista in every woman compels her to revise her wardrobe from time to time, keep abreast with the hottest hairstyle in trend, maintain her weight and rely on cosmetic products to enhance the beauty of her features.

Sometimes her efforts can be excessive and for this, I disagree with Dr TKK, “Bigots lack morals, respect and self-control” (The Star, Nov 15).

I was brought up in a conservative family where I was inculcated with the idea that women must dress to show their confidence, humility, self-respect and dignity.

Even now that I am an adult, my parents still frown upon me wearing low-cut jeans, mini-skirts and spaghetti-strapped tops.

Like any young woman, I love to dress up to flaunt my femininity.

But my experience with the opposite sex tells me that men are essentially very visually oriented.

Which man does not have a roving eye or enjoy watching lovely girls go by?

It is therefore important for a woman to dress sensibly in order not to send the wrong signals.

Apart from an inappropriate dress code, it is also her body language that can provoke the undesirable ideas from men.

Even in a more liberal society in Australia, I try my level best to dress aptly and professionally as a student in my research school.

No doubt every man should practise self-control and good morals. But it is the woman's responsibility to conduct herself properly to earn the respect from him.

Ultimately, I believe it sometimes takes two to tango – if the woman does not tempt, the man does not get tempted.

I commiserate with most rape victims, but not those who dress provocatively. In a way, they asked for it.

SYLVIA HSU-CHEN YIP,
Canberra,
Australia.

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Thursday November 16, 2006

Sexy dressing can be provocative