THE EDITOR, Sir:

I HAVE heard a few of the contributions to the debate on women's dressing. I am not certain whether to be happy or sad that the contents of a message should have attracted such attention. I think this is a matter which should be spoken about, but I am not sure about the source of people's discontent. Are people dissatisfied with the way in which Bishop Blair expressed himself, or because he spoke?

Many people seem to be majoring on what a woman should be able to do, as if this necessarily constitutes reality. People should be able to expect that if they work hard for their money, they should be able to enjoy the benefits, or be able to sleep in their own home in peace and safety, but this is not necessarily the case. We therefore take precautions against the possibility of intrusion by criminals.

BEING DECENT OR CHASTE

One of the meanings of the word 'modesty' is described in one dictionary as 'the quality of being decent or chaste; not calling attention to one's body' (World Book Dictionary). Is this concept too old-fashioned for Jamaica in 2004 when rape statistics are on the rise? We can agree that no man has a right to rape a woman for any reason much less because of the way she is dressed. Even if it is true (as so many contend) that any man who would do so is sick, and even if you don't subscribe to the notion of morality, shouldn't we be encouraging people to be safe rather than sorry since there are sick minds around?

WHY THE PRETENCE

It seems to me that a lot of time and trouble is being taken to negate some things that we used to take for granted ­ i.e. (1) that a woman's form is pleasing to the average man and can lead to sexual arousal, and (2) that the way we dress says something about us ­ something prostitutes seem to know. Once upon a time, only women who worked in a certain type of establishment were given to dressing in the ways which have now become fashionable, and only men who were looking for a certain type of entertainment went there. At one time, we knew that dress (or the lack of it) was associated with the invitation to sexual arousal and activity. Why are we now pretending otherwise?

Besides, it is difficult to dissociate the way women dress today from the suggestive media sounds and images which have conditioned our minds to accept a lower level of morality and decency than we used to know. These things need to be spoken about.

I am, etc.,

H. J. FISHER

St. Ann