Tony Woodlief has a good column on so many people’s acceptance of pornography. The damage is never limited they way many argue. “How dare anyone deprive these women of their self-esteem,” he asks, “by telling them that, in blunt terms, they’re simply taking off their clothes for money and applause?”
There’s much that’s true here, but I have trouble figuring out how to think about it. How much exposure is too much? At the end of his life, Luther got into a controversy when he objected to school girls wearing dresses that revealed their collarbones. Is that a good baseline? Or are Muslims right, putting women in burkas? Muslims claim this custom shows their great respect for women, and I have trouble seeing how Woodlief would disagree.
But I’m a personal mess, so maybe I’m the only one with a problem here.
As far as I can tell, “scantily clad” means “wearing less than women normally wear in our culture”. Thus, for men raised in a Burkha society, a Charedi woman (no veil, but little other skin showing) is probably dressed provocatively. For men raised with full nudism, pictures of women in swimsuits wouldn’t be exciting. Therefore, there is no clear global standard of decency – it’s always per culture.
Where does that leave us, building a global culture? Unless we develop the infrastructure for censorship, it leaves us naked or nearly so. It will be difficult for a few generations, but eventually it would probably settle at the lowest level, simply because there is so much profit to be made in photos of scantily clad women.
Well, I’m not building a global culture, and I don’t think Muslims have a case for respecting women. My cursory knowledge doesn’t give me much to point to for general Muslim respect.
Fashion choices are going to very, but intent remains the same. If she dresses herself to provoke, whether it’s a form-fitting blouse, a low neckline, or a high hemline, she’s being immodest. Our battle is to transform the hearts of men and women who want to provoke lust (or whatever label they give it). No, that’s just part of our battle, and I don’t know how to fight it other than raising our daughters with morals.
I won’t go to Hardees or Carl Jr. b/c of their sleazy advertising.
Back to the point, it’s less about collarbones or ankles and more about intent. Lileks’ gallery of pin-up art shows many fairly dressed women, but the illustrations are still provocative to a point and that’s what we must reject. And it’s not about the children. It’s about us, all of us. Immoral sex or related solitary fantasies don’t liberate anyone. That’s what America and the world needs–liberation from the idols of personal comfort and constant stimulation.
Phil, you may not be building a global culture. But my five year old, whose favorite youtube videos include Japanese commercials, is. Maybe I’m being silly, but I believe we’re like hunter/gatherers who recently discovered agriculture. We need to prepare our kids for a world we don’t really understand. My consolation is that while I don’t understand the effect of ubiquitous communication on humanity, God does. And He wants what’s best for us.
My oldest boy is seven, and I’m already discussing with him what makes a good husband. I hope that will help.