Sexy isn't Shameful
There is nothing wrong with being confident with your body and who you are. However, as women, many of us have grown up with the notion that we have to be self-conscious and not stand out for fear of getting the wrong attention. We are conditioned to feel shame and guilt over what we wear, what we do, and what we say. From girls at school to women in the workplace, there is a constant worry about how one’s sexuality might accidentally excite or offend someone. We are discouraged from being sexy, from owning our looks and feeling confident because the implication is that to be sexual is to be trashy, easy, a slut or a whore, or plain old desperate. We get catcalled on the streets no matter what we wear, and shrivel up and walk faster to avoid being called on further. If we fight back unwanted advances, then we are called prudes, and if we give in, we are called sluts. If we drink too much, it’s not ladylike and apparently, we are also putting our body on a silver platter for men to use—but if we don’t drink at all, we are, once again, prudes. There is a clear double standard lingering over everything we do, with a strong emphasis on sexuality.
