Calinog 1

Calinog 3Marian CalinogProfessor Azure Glover English 114B2 March 2015Style EqualityFashion is a timeless hobby for many people all around the world. Some people look at fashion as a way to express themselves while others choose to impress society. Throughout the years, fashion trends have changed tremendously, however they have also found their way to return into todays fashion sense. Whether fashion trends tend to be for self-chosen, cultural, or religious reasons, many people judge others just because they do not agree with their fashion opinions. In The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, the author explains the how during the Islamic Revolution, the government forced women to dress in veils to shield their bodies. Women had to cover their bodies to prevent themselves from rapists because wearing a veil and covering a womans body was said to eliminate males excitement and to portray a more civilized and fundamental woman.

Conservative fashion can express an individuals morals and self-respect, everyone should have the freedom to dress however they would like without being judged by society. Women are often easy targets for society to critique. By the way that they go along their days with the clothes they wear or makeup their choose, the public always has an opposing opinion of what is wrong with their image. In Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, she demonstrated that the public is harsh on judging a woman by modernizing her veil by stating, Lower your scarf you little whore!(133). In this particular scene, Marj was walking along the streets when she encounters members of The Womens Branch who are constantly nagging Marj on her style because she is dressed quite freely and less fundamental. The two women question Marj if she is ashamed of her tight jeans because it illustrates that her choice of clothing makes her look like an immoral child. This scene shows that society is constantly on a move to quickly judge someone by his or her appearance when appearance has nothing to do with who someone is as a person. Marj chose a fashionable statement that suited her own style but unfortunately it was not suitable as a moral act of freedom. Rape is a constant argument when it comes to how women dress. Today, there are many arguments that state that if a woman happens to get raped, it is her fault because by the way that she was dress she was simply asking for it. In an article titled Rape Myths, it stated a certain myth that read, When a woman dresses provocatively, shes asking for trouble. This statement was labeled as a myth because in reality, rapists do actually look for women who appear as vulnerable targets. However, just because a woman chooses to wear shorts and a tank top it does not necessarily mean they are looking for trouble, it just simply means they wanted to wear that outfit that day. Todays fashion trends for women are an example of freedom of dress. Crop tops, short shorts, and tank tops can be easily put together and seen as a fashionable outfit. If Marj were to be seen wearing a crop top and shorts during the time of the Islamic Revolution, she would be arrested and punished for showing off her body and hair to men. Even if Marj would be seen in this outfit with wearing her veil, it would still be explained as immoral because her full body was not covered to the public. In The Complete Persepolis, Marjs mothers outfit was not as revealing as a crop top and short shorts but rather a simple outfit that contained a regular t-shit and pants when she faced two men who demeaned her. When women were seen without wearing their veils men saw it as trashy. After Marjs mother faced these two men, she cried in horror and disgust by stating They insulted me, they said that women like me should be pushed against a wall and fucked and then thrown in the garbage. This situation showed that men have no respect for women and their appearance. Her mothers outfit was nowhere out of line showing too much skin yet they were already thinking about rape. A veil would just be another article of clothing over her head but that also should not define whether she would be fundamental and conservative.Many women are often forced to dress a certain way due to religious practices. Imposing religion on an individual is uncertain because many children and young teenagers are forced to dress and act a certain way because they were raised by that religion. Many adults have the choice and knowledge to understand religion more efficient because they were able to choose the lifestyle they are in. However, in young teenagers and children imposing religion and religious practices on them is unfair because they most likely do not fully agree on them, they are just conforming into it. Women are often mistreated by society because of how they choose to dress. It is said that choosing to wear conservative clothes means that you respect your body and your self worth, but people should be allowed to dress and decorate their body however they want to without feeling judged by society in their daily lives. A piece of clothing should not define if a person has a provocative mind or personality, it should only define what type of style they prefer. The freedom of choosing your own fashion style is simply just a personal choice. People should not be censored by how they dress just because the way an individual dresses does not portray their personality or morals.

Works CitedSatrapi, Marjane, and Marjane Satrapi.The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2007. Print.Ritchie, Meridth. "RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The Nation's Largest Anti-sexual Assault Organization.One of "America's 100 Best Charities" -Worth Magazine."RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The Nation's Largest Anti-sexual Assault Organization.One of "America's 100 Best Charities" -Worth Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.