GENDER, SEX, AND FASHION

TW: Mention of Sexual Assault

"THE WHOLE DAMN WORLD IS JUST AS OBSESSED WITH WHO'S THE BEST DRESSED AND WHO'S HAVING SEX",

roars the frontman of Bowling for Soup, Jaret Reddick. The title phrase reigns true as the slutshaming of women, like high school, never ends.

In the same world that gossips about sex and fashion as separate entities, slams them together as always correlated when it comes to sexual assault, but the two are mutually exclusive. Although, fashion has been a direct indication of self expression, it has also been heavily demonised. Society was no longer shaming women for being too interested in fashion, but claiming that their attire was the reason that they were sexually assaulted. Courts used underwear as proof as to why someone was assaulted and tiktok trend of "what people think i was wearing when i was assaulted versus what i was acting wearing, seems productive but in some cases it's not. CLOTHING IS NOT CONSENT.

Directed and Written by Emerald Fennel, the 2021 film, Promising Young Woman has cemented itself a revolutionary rape revenge story. It reinforces the notion that psychological trauma is incredibly powerful, regardless of the context. One of the subtle features of the film is the costume design (time stamp: 5:13). The clever use of various outfits that Carey Mulligan's Cassie donnes when

"JUST KEEP HOLDING THEIR NECKS AND KEEP SELLING THEM SEX. IT'S BETTER IF WE KEEP THEM PERPLEXED. IT'S BETTER IF WE MAKE THEM WANT THE OPPOSITE SEX.",

the poignant lyrics to the 1975's song, Loving Someone, "just keep holding their necks and keep selling them sex it's better if we keep them perplexed. it's better if we make them want the opposite sex", comments on the way the media abuses sex for entertainment in the heteronormative society. We are born and labelled with the biological definition of sex, as we grow older, society cramms into our teeny-tiny brains, the other definition. We, as women, are told when young that we dress to old and that we are sexualising ourselves yet existed in this same reality is the sexualisation and fetishisation of the school girl aesthetic. Google "school boy" and then "school girl" on google images. See.

News outlets clamour to comment on young girls. For the last couple of years, I've fixated on this American ABC NEWS NIGHTLINE segment that dissects the link between young girls and fashion, and how it assists (rather hinders) them as they grow up. I hadn't recognised why it struck me, it was more than just the fact that i related to it but, why was it targeting young woman? Now, I can acknowledge the incessant misogyny that appears everyday if you walk in the world as a femme-presenting individual, because of course, transmisogyny exists, which is INCREDIBLY dangerous for those affected by it.

I watched High School Musical 2, and low and behold there is a scene where the twenty-year-old actor who played a sixteen-to-seventeen-year-old on screen, appeared in a filler scene, just before the iconic musical number, Bet On It, shirtless. The lack of dialogue draws the viewer to the movements of Efron who is shooting hoops. The power of teenage girls would have him be crowned a teen heartthrob. This is not his sole scene were Zac bares his skin, the other is a pool scene, which is totally NORMAL. Yet, women, are not offered this same forgiveness. It baffles me that in addition to this, the female presenting anchor proclaims that "padding" is appropriate for sixteen-year-olds which contradicts her point as a sixteen-year-old is still a minor.

We live in a gendered society, despite the claims from many that we don't, we do. Most things in society correlate with gender, sex and race. But, as a white woman, i won't be commenting on the latter, as my voice should not be highlighted as much as those who walk through this world as people of colour, especially, women and gender non-conforming people of colour.

Given that "44% of lesbians and 61% of bisexual women experience abuse by an intimate partner vs to 35% of straight women," we must remain objective; it is not just men. "Did you know 22% of bisexual women experience rape by an intimate partner vs to 9% of straight women?"

The world "sex" has more than one definition but both pertain to fashion.

American philosopher, Judith Butler comments on the way that society influencer gender expression; "masculine and feminine roles are not biologically fixed but socially constructed". This can very much be spoken for through fashion. Pre-nineteenth century, men exploited extravagance and flamboyance, yet expressions of this like in the cases of Lil Nas X and Harry Styles who donned dresses in public appearance, the bag of reactions vary. Tiktok, the platform known with direct links to gen z, turned Candace Owens' negative tweets into an empowering trend. In this hegemonic masculine society, men yield a lot of power. In this heteronormative, capitalist society, it demands order, namely why the gender binary exists and women are used as commodities.

Politics is such a big part of my life so thank you for listening to my voice. I am working on being more of an intersectional feminist so leave your thoughts and constructive criticism in the comments. Kisses xx