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From: wjr@frog.UUCP (STella Calvert)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.singles
Subject: Dressing less accordingly?
Message-ID: <636@frog.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 9-Feb-86 11:58:07 EST
Article-I.D.: frog.636
Posted: Sun Feb  9 11:58:07 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Feb-86 03:30:40 EST
References: <8342@ucla-cs.ARPA> <2581@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Reply-To: wjr@x.UUCP (STella Calvert)
Organization: The Church of the Holy Starship
Lines: 42
Xref: watmath net.women:8930 net.singles:10246
Summary: 

In article <15135@rochester.UUCP> ray@rochester.UUCP (Ray Frank) writes:
>> Imagine you are are very attractive and
>> dress accordingly. You are on the beach to get some sun and relax.
>> 
>I would feel like dressing less accordingly.

I'm sorry, Ray, that you don't feel you have the right, or power, to
defend yourself and your personal (relocatable) turf.  I do not wear
the clothes I wear to "pass" as one or another kind of person.  I'm
perfectly capable of telling someone, if I want them to know, what
kind of person I am.  I dress to please myself, suit the season, and
delight my companions IN THAT ORDER.  Note that sending allegedly
clear signals to "perfect and preferably" strangers isn't even on the
list.  That's what my mouth is for -- why lay the job on my wardrobe?
(After all, it has enough trouble suiting me, keeping me warm through
the winter or cool in the summer, and getting the occasional grin from
a friend.  Expecting it to pass messages too is impractical till we
get flexible screens and built-in keyboards.)

Seriously, this "women who dress like that are asking for it" argument
is just silly.  

Silly?  Yup.

There exist folks who make a good living by picking pockets.  Does
this mean you feel like carrying no money?  There exist folks who
shout crude cracks at people (especially women) who don't live up to
their standards of svelteness.  Does this mean I weld myself into a
windowless room?  No matter what you do, or where you do it, you may
encounter people who misinterpret your actions, appearance, or words.
Setting them straight, as politely as your gods permit, as firmly as
necessary, is the only real defense.

Really Ray, it's not that hard.  Why, even a woman can do it. 8-)

				STella Calvert

		Every man and every woman is a star.

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