Comments on: Put Some Damn Clothes On!

By: Sana

Sana — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:01:47 +0000

here! here to matt from india’s comment above.

and i quite agree with the point of your article (if not always the delivery
i’m a 29 year old american woman who has been traveling whenever i could for the past 10 years from mali to ecuador to greece. im hitting india in two weeks and
i firmly believe in showing a little respect and a clean presentation no matter how cheaply you are traveling.
it does always depend on where you are.
but.
the point is to be -mindful- of it.

and please. wherever you are.
EVERYONE use a little soap

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By: Naya Henderson

Naya Henderson — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:30:56 +0000

When will people stop using the word “eskimo”?
Please get with the times.

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By: traveldesigned

traveldesigned — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:40:10 +0000

Can I get an AMEN, Brother?! Put some clothes on!!

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By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:26:51 +0000

I believe a lot of those who respond to this article in anger do not have the cultural bandwidth required to understand how other cultures think.

Let me explain. I am male, Christian (catholic) from South India. I speak English, read and write in English and watch English and local movies. My friends are both Indian and from other lands.

All cultures do not have the same level of live-and-let-live. Forget what the brochures tell you. Some places are ultra conservative, and some others are not.

Unlike most of the West, large parts of the world are not exposed to the sight of female skin. It is understandable. A swimsuit is what a little boy grows up seeing on the beaches in the West. Here, swimsuits are worn by vamps, or sultra sexy actresses who are sex objects above all.

It does not end there. In the more feudal parts of the country, the idea that a woman is a man’s property persists. Something to be capured and enjoyed. Not respected.

This means that even in India’s metros, our girls watch what they wear. When they go to a pub, they travel in cars and will probably wear a sexy mini. No problems at all. While walking on the streets, they would prefer local attire or jeans.

Its about playing it safe in cultural quicksand, and balancing what you are with what is appropriate. There are times when taking a stand is appropriate, and times when it is prudent to stay with acceptable norms.

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By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Sat, 09 May 2009 12:42:48 +0000

Thanks Caitlin! I think the feminist counter-argument has some merit, but respect and consideration are paramount in my mind.

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By: Ylenia

Ylenia — Sat, 09 May 2009 09:50:03 +0000

I completely AGREE, every single word…
He’s not making any sexist comments against women and our freedom to wear whatever we want, actually what he’s saying is really important to our own safety.

As much as it shouldn’t be that way, the fact is that in those countries where men are not accustomed to see that much skin, with our mini skirts and halters we are teasing and tempting them. Why risk ourselves?

Plus I think the example of foreign people wearing only body painting in your city explains the situation perfectly! Remember you are the one visiting their territory!!! just like when people visit your house you expect them not to put their feet on your table or anything that you may find disrespectful… the locals of the place you are visiting expect the same from you!

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By: Caitlin

Caitlin — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:52:15 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Great article. Scantily clad (and dirty) travelers have got to be among my biggest pet peeves. I’ve met so many women traveling in Central America who wear flimsy tank tops and short shorts, and then complain all the time about all the stares, comments, etc. Give me a break! I wear fairly conservative clothes when I travel in that part of the world, and I have hardly had any of the same problems (and no, I’m not ugly or anything.)

I wish travelers would show some more respect. It’s amazing how dressing neat, clean and relatively conservative will make locals in many countries so much more receptive and friendly.

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By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:15:51 +0000

I always put the dress code down to this: how you dress is how you represent yourself, not necessarily your culture. Do you really want to be seen as the bikini/speedo clad “ugly (insert nationality)”? None of us do, but arriving from different cultures and different modes of dress, every one is going to perform a social gaffe at some point. It’s natural, it happens all the time, and there is not a traveller it hasn’t happened to at some point, no matter how much they might deny it.

I think the argument of “putting your clothes on” applies to men and women both, and the article seemed to represent that view to me. We all know that there are many parts of the world where clothing itself is used as an agent of oppression, which from most people’s perspective is criminal. The author was not talking about those areas of the world in this particular article, but places that are freer in dress codes visited by people who are inconsiderate of those local mores/norms…and even worse, defensive about it.

The author did not say “Women suck! Cover yourself head to toe!” No, he said that in some places, wandering around semi-nude is considered rude and people should be more considerate of the local populations.

On a side note: T-shirt vs. tank-top…well, if it’s only a little shoulder, the locals could lighten up a little too; all it might require is a quick conversation and an apology if they are offended. Most people over the world are kind and understanding, you just need to relax and talk, not “reach for the guns”.

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By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:06:02 +0000

Ha ha. You said hippie-bombs.

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By: tharp42

tharp42 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:38:04 +0000

Good article Tim.

I’ve shaken my head hundreds of times when observing inappropriate dress in SE Asia among backpackers. It is so hard to cover up, just a little? Have a bit of respect, that’s all.

The other commenters in my camp have hit the nail on the head. I don’t think this is some huge ethical conudrum here. When you travel to a culture with very set ideas of modesty, to your best to adhere to them.

End of.

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