Thou Shall Not Judge My Dress Code …

Though shall not judge, what does it really portend. Jesus told us not to judge and we quote that term every time we receive backlash for doing something we should not. First we define the term judge. To judge means to pass a sentence where the law is already known. It does not connote a decision as to what is right or wrong. Thus when I judge, I pass a sentence on someone.

When we are told not to judge it means that we do not take a course of action that means we have given up on the person and have no more use or regard for him/her no matter what he/she has done.

It means that we condemn the wrong and not the person. This does not mean condoning an undesirable action but taking a course of action that is likely to make a person change for the better. It is leaving room for that person to amend his/her ways and if possible, guide him/her in the process. It’s compassion not in a way that condones the wrongdoing.

This is important because as human beings when we are condemned, the first thought is to act in a way that insulates us from future condemnation. This often involves making the act that makes us feel condemned acceptable. Therefore if a certain wrong action I did made people condemn me, I would find a way to make that action acceptable. In fact, I will decide that each individual can decide what is wrong for him or her especially as concerns wrongs that do not clearly infringe on the property or body of another person.

Thus a lot of human wrongs are championed as rights simply because we condemn persons. In the Kenyan case where a woman was undressed, an alarmist debate has been sparked simply because some men decided that punishment for indecent exposure is to undress the woman in question. The reaction of women has been guided by the slogan #MyDressMyChoice meaning that one can wear whatever he/she wants and any wisdom guiding reaction has gone out of the window. The philosophy guiding the protest is flawed.

A better way to approach the situation would be (in the case of the men in question) to have offered the lady a lesso or told her honestly that they felt she went a little overboard. You’d be surprised that the lady in question may have had no idea that what she wore offended people and she might have listened to honest advise given lovingly.

Now that the action happened, something responsible would be to educate men (not just touts) to be respectful towards women and better ways to communicate. It should not be a battle between sexes. Everyone is getting angry when we would achieve what we want with a little tact.

We can also teach women a little bit about self-respect and a positive self-image. The men responsible for stripping the women in question should be prosecuted and rehabilitated so that they can understand that what they did was unacceptable and learn better ways to deal with dissatisfaction as well as to respect women. Mob justice is never an option. I stand with my fellow women #MyDresssMyDignity not #MyDressMyChoice.