In the recent past there has been talk about enforcing a dress code for college girls. In fact, some colleges in Kanpur, Hyderabad and Lucknow have already done so. The college authorities banned jeans, sleeveless blouses and even high heels after receiving several complaints of eve-teasing that were occurring just outside the college gate.
The reason they stated for taking this step is that they think that western outfits make women more vulnerable to eve teasing. Like many students who protested against this decision, I too found the idea ridiculous.
First of all I’d like to tell those people who are under the above misconception that girls who wear Salwars or Sarees too have been victims of eve-teasing. I don’t remember me or my friends ever dressing provocatively but I can state umpteen cases where we faced indecent behaviour from men on the roads.
Vulgarity is in the mind so even the girls wearing right attire can attract wrong attention. I accept the fact that, what women wear does matter. If a woman wears a daring outfit, she will arouse attention even in the most liberal surroundings, forget the traditional ones.
But the restrictions that have been put on women are outrageous. Instead of punishing the wrongdoers the ignorant heads of the institution are trying to impose a dress code on girls stating safety as the highly unacceptable excuse. If this be the case then how do they explain the fact that though women in the west are less conservative when it comes to clothes but still cases of eve-teasing or crime against women are far less there as compared to here?
If dressing in denims or tight tops or wearing high heels be a reason for women getting abused then, it’s a big shame on the Indian guys that they simply can’t control their libido when they see women in these perfectly decent outfits. If these loose-morale men can’t restrain their carnal hunger, it’s their fault but the authorities instead of trying to round up these brutes are attacking girls’ freedom at a futile attempt to curb women-harassment.
How unfortunate isn’t it… that the offenders are getting away scot free and the victims i.e us are getting punished instead, what’s our crime? we are girls and unfortunately the better looking sex. That’s fair enough? oh but I forgot from when have things ever been fair for the fair sex?
Won’t it be a much more effective way of dealing with the problem if the college authorities sit down with police and other officials to formulate a strategy to check the menace e.g. they could position policemen in front of the college to keep the goons at bay.
Let us not live under the illusion that dress codes will lessen the existing violence. Perverts will always be around. If the college authorities are indeed so concerned about the safety of women why not organize classes to teach the girls martial arts to save their skin.
I admit college is an academic institution and students should exercise a bit of thoughtfulness while putting on clothes for college. But why should this rule be confined only to the girls? Personally speaking in my college, I haven’t come across a single vulgarly clad girl but I have come across guys who come to college wearing clothes appearing as if they have come rite out of a disco and have headed straight for college.
Some of them do not even bother to button up their shirts and the worst of all, I have even seen guys wearing extremely low jeans exposing their underwear (I don’t know what they are trying to become, a twisted version of Hrithik Roshan ”Macroman”),trust me it really wasn’t a very attractive sight.
If this is another of those attempts made by guys to look dashing or cool I’d like to inform them that they have miserably failed this time too and kindly don’t cause sight pollution. I’d like to conclude by saying that such strict dress codes are extremely unnecessary and implementation of those would do nothing to check eve-teasing.
So. it’s enough that the colleges issue a notice requesting students to wear decent and presentable clothes while coming to college. I am sure as responsible and sensible adults they would comply by it.
