Calinog 1

Marian Calinog
Professor Azure Glover
English 114B
4 May 2015
Style Equality
Fashion is a timeless hobby for many people all around the world. People look at fashion
as a way to express themselves and not to impress others except themselves. Throughout the
years, fashion trends have changed tremendously, but they have also found their way to come
back into our 21st century as well. Whether fashion trends tend to be self-chosen, cultural, or
religious reasons, many people judge others just because they do not agree with their fashion
opinions. In The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, the author explains the how during the
Islamic Revolution, the government forced women to dress in veils to shield their bodies.
Women had to cover their bodies to prevent themselves from encountering with rapists because
wearing a veil and covering your body was said to eliminate males excitement and to portray a
more civilized and fundamental woman. Although conservative fashion can express an
individuals morals and self-respect, everyone should have the freedom to dress however they
would like without being judged by society because self expression is key to building a strong
character.
Women are often easy targets for society to critique. By the way that they go along their
days with the clothes they wear or makeup their choose, the public always has an opposing
opinion of what is wrong with their image. Satrapi demonstrated that the public is harsh on
judgment when it comes to women trying to modernize style by stating, Lower your scarf you
little whore!(133). In this particular scene, the character Marjane was walking along the streets

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when she encounters members of The Womens Branch, a group of women who influence the
law, are constantly nagging Marjane on her style because she is dressed quite freely and less
fundamentally. The two women question Marjane with disgust and ask if she is ashamed of her
tight jeans because it illustrates that her choice of clothing makes her look like an immoral child.
This scene shows that society is constantly on a move to quickly judge someone by his or her
appearance when appearance has nothing to do with who someone is as a person. Marj chose a
fashionable statement that suited her own style but unfortunately it was not suitable as a moral
act of freedom.
In addition, rape is a constant topic in our society today when it comes to how women
dress. There are many arguments that state that if a woman happens to get raped, it is their fault
because by the way that they dress is simply asking for it. In an article titled Rape Myths, it
stated a certain myth that read, When a woman dresses provocatively, shes asking for trouble.
This statement was labeled as a myth because in reality, rapists do actually look for women who
appear as vulnerable targets. However, just because a woman chooses to wear shorts and a tank
top it does not necessarily mean they are looking for trouble, it just simply means they wanted to
wear that outfit that day. Women are constantly taking advantage by crude comments and
disgusting man calls on the street for wearing clothes that distract men. In my point of view
especially coming from living in Southern California, the weather is not always comfortable for
women to dress. Shorts, tank tops, dresses, and skirts allow females to dress cool enough that our
body does not overheat. It is not a womans job to make others behave with decency and respect,
women should be able to dress comfortably in their own clothing without having to worry about
the actions of men and their thoughts. It is not so much of teaching women how to behave
because in some cases, it is not their fault. The importance should be one teaching men and also

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women how to respect others and how to behave in situations when encountering women with
different styles.
Todays fashion trends for women are an example of freedom of dress. Crop tops, short
shorts, and tank tops can be easily put together and seen as a fashionable outfit. If Marjane were
to be seen wearing a crop top and shorts during the time of the Islamic Revolution, she would be
arrested and punished for showing off her body and hair to men. Marjane must wear a veil to
cover her hair as well as shapeless clothes to cover her whole body. In The Complete Persepolis,
Marjanes mothers outfit was not as revealing but rather a simple outfit that contained a regular
t-shirt and pants when she faced two men who demeaned her. When women were seen without
wearing their veils men saw it as trashy. After Marjanes mother faced these two men, she cried
in horror and disgust by stating They insulted me, they said that women like me should be
pushed against a wall and fucked and then thrown in the garbage(Satrapi 74). This situation
showed that some men have no respect for women and their appearance. Her mothers outfit was
nowhere out of line showing too much skin yet they were already thinking about rape. A veil
would just be another article of clothing over her head but that also should not define whether
she would be fundamental and conservative.
Many women are often forced to dress a certain way due to religious practices. Imposing
religion on an individual is uncertain because many children and young teenagers are forced to
dress and act a certain way because they were raised by that religion. Many adults have the
choice and knowledge to understand religion more efficient because they were able to choose the
lifestyle they are in. However, in young teenagers and children imposing religion and religious
practices on them is unfair because they most likely do not fully agree on them, they are just
conforming into the situation to solve unwanted conflicts.

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Women are often mistreated by society because of how they choose to dress. It is said
that choosing to wear conservative clothes means that you respect your body and your self worth,
but people should be allowed to dress and decorate their body however they want to without
feeling judged by society in their daily lives. A piece of clothing should not define if a person has
a provocative mind or bad intentions, it should only define what type of style an individual
prefers. The freedom of choosing your own fashion style is simply just a personal choice. People
should not be censored by how they dress just because the way an individual dresses does not
portray their personality or morals.

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Works Cited
Satrapi, Marjane, and Marjane Satrapi. The Complete Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2007.
Print.
Ritchie, Meridth. "RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The Nation's
Largest Anti-sexual Assault Organization.One of "America's 100 Best Charities" -Worth
Magazine." RAINN | Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network | RAINN: The Nation's
Largest Anti-sexual Assault Organization.One of "America's 100 Best Charities" -Worth
Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2015.