So you’re cool with Madonna, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Kim? How about the Supremes back in the day? Or Marilyn Monroe? Dolly Parton? Jayne Mansfield? Because they’re all taken pretty seriously.
Are you always so interested in whether or not other people are doing “the smartest thing”?
And wait, you’ve dodged this question:
Most of the time in the Air Force, I wore a flight suit, exactly the same as the men (though obviously they looked different on women). Occasionally I wore the uniform blues, which were a different cut for women. Low makeup, low jewelry, just shoulder length hair, nothing special. Out of uniform, I didn’t wear things that were too low cut, too short, or too much makeup. Okay, occasionally I wore tight t-shirts when I was single, but nothing too flashy. But Seattle women mostly dress like that, so it felt quite normal. 
Sleep well!
Maybe you take them all seriously, I don’t. Every time I see Beyoncé, I say…why? She is so talented, so beautiful, why does she have to do the stripper routine? She doesn’t need to do that. Of course, my husband doesn’t see the problem.
I actually didn’t see that question. But of course not. I don’t think I’ve even addressed that, I’ve just talked about what it takes for people to respect you, from my personal standpoint.
What kind of inane question is that? I am just expressing my opinion on the issue.
So there it is: it’s just the way they dress. Beyonce is talented and beautiful, so what’s wrong with her clothing choices? They haven’t stopped most people from respecting her (and yet somehow you’re still a hold-out). Have you stopped to wonder if the problem is you? It’s certainly not her–if, after all, you’re concern is that women who wear revealing clothes might not be respected, do you mean to add “by me” because most of us–including your husband–don’t have that problem.
I think she looks sleazy, and dresses and dances like a stripper. Shaking your booty in revealing clothes doesn’t make you a role model for girls, that’s for sure, and I think that she is so talented that she doesn’t need to do that to get attention. And sure, maybe it’s me, but I suspect there are a number of women who agree. I seriously doubt that the reason men enjoy watching her is because they “respect” her. Come on, seriously, who is buying that anyways! 
You have a deeply cynical view of men, @busdriver11 . And btw, Beyonce is incredibly popular among women and girls. Again, your view comes down to your own preferences and judgments, and all your justification for it has evaporated.
Oh I am deeply cynical, but quite realistic, I think, marvin. I’m sure Beyoncé is unbelievably popular, and that’s the point of her dress and dancing, no doubt. But respect? That’s a different animal altogether.
I have no idea what you mean by “all your justification for it has evaporated”. I am talking about respect, not popularity. Or maybe when you’re watching her, you’re thinking, “Wow, I really respect how she can open her legs so wide for the close up camera shot when she’s wearing those tiny shorts. So impressive. And doing the booty dance really makes me respect her, what a brilliant and flexible woman. Hey daughters, why don’t you do this for the talent show? Or job interview? People will really respect you for that.” 
I have to ask, how does one “act” like a prostitute?
To me, the only answer is by engaging in sex for money.
I read the first few pages of this thread and then stopped to look up the definition of slut. I thought it was synonymous with prostitute, but it turns out that that’s the archaic definition. I guess I’d better come to grips with the fact that I’m old.
Everyone thinks they’re realistic, just like nobody in the pen is guilty. Anyway, I’m sorry you’ve been around men who have led you to think so cynically about us. That’s a real shame.
@Sherpa, you’re in good company. Almost all of us here are old!
Goodnight!
I have been around a lot of men, for a very long time. I don’t take any chances, however, now that I’m much older, it’s not much of a risk anymore. I don’t think poorly of men at all, it’s just nature, and if men were not the way they were, there would be no reproduction and the human race would die out. So it’s mostly good.
None of these beliefs is supported by science, fwiw. But more importantly, we are not slaves to nature (thankfully!).
You think like your hero, roethlisburger.
I don’t know if it’s a generational thing or because I’ve been blessed with being surrounded by strong men who believe in strong, empowered women in my life but I’m grateful for whatever it was in my upbringing that has not led me to believe that men are all hormonal pigs.
Remember Sandra Fluke? She advocated for birth control to be included in ACA health plans, not just for BC purposes but because of the various other medical uses for those drugs. The treatment she received in certain quarters as a result is a good example of slut shaming.
@hayden The vitriol which was directed at Ms. Fluke IMO reveals the underlying reason for slut shaming: fear. Some people are very threatened by the idea of women controlling their own bodies and thus their own lives. Slut shaming is meant as a deterrent to other women: Look what will happen to you if you dare to exercise your sexuality.
^perfect example, @LasMa !
So the idea of respecting Beyoncé because she wears revealing clothes sounds silly to some people. But really, wouldn’t it be just as silly to say “Wow, I really respect that woman because she always wears a turtleneck.” To me that would sound just as ridiculous.
I don’t think that people who respect Beyoncé do so because of her clothes. They just don’t see her clothes as a reason NOT to respect her. Because really, what you choose to wear is a lot less important than many other choices. If “respect” is based on clothing, I don’t think it really is respect in any meaningful sense.
I have a co-worker who is a lawyer and graduate of the top schools in the country. She is brilliant and accomplished. She also wears clothing that is insanely revealing in a place of business. The skirts are so short that when she walks up or down stairs her underwear is visible to everyone. I don’t think she is a slut, and I can’t imagine that anyone else does either, but as an older woman and a mom of young professional women in her age range, I find it sad. She works in a field that is like a high-stakes game of survivor, in which people are eliminated every year and it’s management’s task to seek out reasons every year to cull the herd. It’s not slutty, but it is unseemly in this setting, because courts and clients tend to lean conservative with regard to their lawyers, and I’ve been in meetings with her where she crossed her legs and showed so much that it made everyone uncomfortable. My daughters are starting their careers, and as their mom, I have no problem with telling them that in the professional sense, their underwear should never be on display or their attire so short or low-cut that they risk wardrobe malfunctions while going about their daily tasks of life. What they wear out of their professional life is entirely up to them.
Professional setting is different. Each industry has its own norm and dressing too individually at work is to bring private life into work if work expects you to disappear in the crowd.
Just the way they dress? Um, no! Also how she moves in her state of undress! Kind of hard not to think sex. And just because Busdriver is the only one posting that opinion on CC at midnight, that doesn’t mean she’s the only hold out.
So a USAF pilot, or commercial pilot should not dress or move like Beyonce if she wants to be taken seriously by her colleagues. Not too much of a stretch for me. Sex may be the thing to project in the entertainment industry, but probably not, ironically, in the cockpit. My career was in a male dominated industry, and I get it.