Why do we have the "virtue" of modesty and is it fair?

Question

....Since people in other countries for hundreds--thousands of years up until recently wore no tops at all and were free of being sexualized.
Many tribes still don't wear cloths. Why do we have to embrace modesty if cloths are only a necessity, thus a tradition, in cold regions?
Isn't it true that the more you try to cover something up and make something taboo, it is what is in that person's mind which makes something sexual. Does this contribute to objectifying women?
case in point: Women are intensly objectified and discriminated in regions where they make them cover up head to toe in fabric in 110 degree weather.

panacea:
What can I say other than you are completely 100% wrong.

In cultures like the pacific islands where women were topless at the shock of travelers hundreds of years ago were very peaceful nations.
Rape, murder and crimes against women happens more often in the Middle East, where they make them cover up. Rape and murder happen at astounding rates here and always did--no matter how women dressed.
I would bet you were more respectful to women in countries where they didn't have to cover up for shame.--they were a very peaceful people.-- we on the other hand were not--and we had to dress for the cold weather-- how did it occur that then we figured we HAD to be dressed for shame?

Answer 1

This is an excellent question, and I think in order to find any real satisfying answer, one would have to do some research into the annals of history, back into the original society rules of decorum.

For example, in China, even during it's first dynasty, the layers a woman wore was for the direct purpose of enticement. For man, to 'unwrap' a woman so, layer by layer, to discover her naked self, was one hell of a turn on.

Today's society teaches allot of contradictions. A woman (most especially in Western culture) is expose to be sexual mature, seductive but not to eager, because a respectable man doesn't want a whore. A virgin these days, is almost looked down on, because it's like closing the gate after the horse is already out. Yet the majority of Christian woman, including my self, were taught and schooled to keep our selves for our husbands. But then, if your a virgin, you're not expose to 'know' things, or be aware and comfortable with your own body, because then you're a hypocrite.

So it's messy complicated answer you're after. My best advice is to find the answer for your self, concerning your sexuality, what makes you comfortable and what doesn't. Let the rest of the world stew in it's forbidden fruits and layers. Virtue has worked for me, it's what I'm comfortable with, but I'm only one woman....

Answer 2

Can you back up the first and last points somehow? Thousands of years women went without being sexualized while naked? I'm skeptical. For the last point, how exactly are women more intensely objectified in these situations? For the example of Muslim countries in the middle east where the religion prescribes head to toe covering in desert heat. I think you might be misusing that word. Women there are opressed (by our standards), certainly, but objectified? How?

If you'd like to abandon shirt, go for it. You may want to be cautious about abandoning bra, though, as that's more for the practicality of support. Just to ease your mind, nudity is also sexual to men. It's not the outfit they find attractive, but the effort. If you'd like to dress, or undress, in a defensive manner to make yourself unattractive, you absolutely have that right.

Modesty isn't entirely about dress, but humility. That's why modesty is considered a virtue. It's less a style than an attractive personality trait, which I consider to be more than fair. Especially when you consider that the person is being judged in that case by who they are rather than how sexually attractive they are.

Answer 3

You left out the part where rape, other violence, and even murder are common in those cultures that don't practice "modesty". You make it sound like covering up oversexualizes women and degrades them. The truth of the matter is that civilized behavior like this has resulted in the opposite. Women are people in our cultures and treated decently. Women in those other cultures are not. They are slaves and raped, beaten etc. at will.

Answer 4

of route that is relegating women to a decrease status, certainly, imagine in case you'll if Secretary Clinton were the President of the US, then they actual does no longer have revealed the image in any respect, again declaring causes of "modesty" yet that is of route a ephemism that Rabbi Friedman makes use of aptly to describe the inherent sexism that extremely orthodox Juidaism relies upon. notwithstanding the massive image the following is that we are coping with freedom of religion taking priority over the different concerns of gender equality... obviously this team's accurate to coach their faith along with overt sexist practices along with yet no longer constrained to easily photoshopping this image and then providing a smooth, laughable apology for it, supersede their activity in ensuring equality of the genders... they do no longer rigidity women to participate of their sect nor do they impose their perspectives on each man or woman... it is only a count number of, hi, once you're gonna participate in our "faith" then you honestly might want to play by using our rules which comprise relegating women to a decrease position in society, there is little question about it.

Answer 5

Personally I don't feel objectified because I don't run around naked.