Stereotypes appear in a variety of forms and affect everyone, regardless of race, religion, gender, lifestyle, or belief. Stereotypes have existed for hundreds of years, but they were originally coined in 1922 by Walter Lippman. Throughout stereotypical history, women have frequently been the target of ridicule and bigotry. Women have always been judged by how they move, talk, act, eat, appear, and dress. Women should be nurturing, loving, clever, submissive, and feminine; nevertheless, they should also be strong, independent, hardworking, and self-sufficient. The criteria for women are both impossible to meet and contradictory; indeed, women can never win. We are continually scrutinized for even the smallest actions we take, and stereotypes are in place to ensure that we are judged in every possible way.
Growing up as a woman, I encountered stereotypes and prejudices from an early age. As a child, I felt I was too much of a tomboy, and I didn’t dress up femininely or care about making myself pretty enough. As a young adult, partners have told me that I am not affectionate or nurturing enough, as well as too bossy or opinionated. Even my friends have told me that I am too honest. My father and grandfather have mocked me for the way I dress and conduct myself, even though they are meant to be the people who love me the most. I never thought my attire was excessively exposing or provocative. Although I occasionally wear crop tops, shorts that do not usually reach my knees, acrylic nails, and fake lashes, I do not consider my clothing to be particularly distasteful when compared to others. I’ve been told that the way I dress makes it impossible for me to find a nice partner and that I give the wrong impression, implying that I’m cheap and easy. However, those who tell me this never consider the fact that I have standards and morals regardless of how I dress, that I am intelligent and classy, and that I have a partner who loves and respects me for who I am. Just because I don’t dress to their standards or preferences doesn’t make me any less deserving of respect. I’ve also realized that men are to blame for these prejudices about how women dress and that the people closest to you are usually the most judgmental.
The way women dress is one of the most common prejudices they face daily. While everyone is judged based on how they dress and carry themselves, women are particularly harshly criticized. Women who wear revealing or tight attire are sometimes labeled as “trashy,” “classless,” “cheap,” or “provocative.” Women who dress modestly may face stereotypes such as being “prude,” “boring,” or “lame.” Women are constantly expected to maintain their appearance by being fit, dressing to impress, using makeup (but not too much, so it is obvious), and looking young, regardless of their age. Women today are so afraid of natural aging that many start getting Botox in their early twenties before they’ve even begun to age. Not to mention the massive number of plastic and cosmetic operations performed over the last decade. Women never have it easy when it comes to their appearance.
However, the way women dress is where the majority of preconceptions emerge. Of course, everyone is judged based on their appearance and attire, as first impressions are important. If you see someone wearing expensive clothing and brands, you may conclude that they are wealthy and make a decent living. On the other hand, if you see someone in unclean, ill-fitting attire, you may conclude that they are unconcerned about their appearance and are not as monetarily wealthy. However, both of these assumptions may be incorrect, as affluent people often prefer to blend in rather than show off their wealth, while those who are less wealthy feel the need to show off by spending their last dollars on luxury products to give the appearance that they are wealthy.
Just as clothing stereotypes can be true or false, so can women’s fashion choices. Just because a woman is wearing something more exposed does not imply that she has any less self-esteem than a woman who dresses more modestly. However, these stereotypes can also be accurate for some women, as some may feel the need to sport revealing attire to garner attention and feel validated, whereas those who dress modestly may do so because they understand they do not need to dress provocatively to feel attractive. These stereotypes can be used both ways, and whether or not they are true depends on the individual, but they are not true for every woman.
On social media, these assumptions about how women dress are used even more, with comment sections filled with both men and women providing their thoughts on whether or not they think a woman in a video is seeking attention or is “easy.” How can people form such assumptions based on a 60-second video? These assumptions make it difficult to trust that these judgments or stereotypes are true since they lack evidence to support them. It’s challenging to judge women based solely on their appearance on social media, let alone in real-life situations. We often criticize others, especially women, based on their outward appearance and conduct. However, there are no universal criteria for categorizing people. For example, a more petite woman can wear an outfit and appear more put-together or refined compared to a woman with curves who fills out the clothing more, which may be perceived as more revealing or immodest when she wears it. As a result, unless every woman is rated on the same scale and in the same way, it is difficult to fully understand a woman’s thoughts, actions, or personality, based just on how she dresses. A woman’s choice of dress does not imply that she has less or more self-esteem or is a better or worse person.
Based on these prejudices about women’s clothing, the perspective of the woman being judged is missing. Instead of criticizing a woman based just on her appearance, we should take the time to speak with her or observe how she behaves so that we can make an informed decision. This would make our judgments more accurate and less reliant on stereotypical assumptions. I’ve seen that men are more prone to feed into these preconceptions and pursue women who they believe appear easy or willing based on how they dress and conduct themselves; however, this does not always work in their favor because clothing does not necessarily reflect a person’s attitude.
On social media, all you see is criticism directed at women. Women are called a variety of insulting names and slurs, regardless of how they are dressed. Women are chastised for wearing revealing clothes, for wearing modest clothing, for being themselves, for doing things that men do, and for simply being women. These preconceptions are harmful to all women, regardless of their appearance, dress, or behavior. Women who dress more modestly believe they are immune to these prejudices, yet they, too, are affected and judged by them. Men are the only ones who benefit from these preconceptions since they are unaffected by them, and they believe that by promoting these clichés, they can persuade women to become the women they want. However, they are unaware that these preconceptions are only pushing women further away from their objective of being the “ideal” woman and increasing their resistance.
