In reality, the demand to cover up and the demand to show skin have a single source: male dominance. In religious circles, that dominance demands hiding every ounce of female flesh lest it lead whole nations of men into temptation. In secular circles, that dominance encourages a show of every possible ounce of skin, short of nipples and vaginal lips.
It means cleavage, cleavage everywhere; skill at half-naked pole dancing (on a recent episode of tv's "Without a Trace," a sexy young FBI agent went undercover as a stripper, grabbing onto the pole as it that talent were inbred); a willingness to be a good sport and flash breasts and buttocks, anywhere, upon male request; and a "hip" openness to even the most vilely anti-woman porn, computer games, and music.
So which culture is doing better by us? Given what I have to go through every day, figuring out what to show and what to hide, how to hide what I want to hide, how to deal with the mysterious shame I feel at not measuring up, you can understand, perhaps, why a little veiling would have its appeal.
Alternately, I'd like to see women create religious and secular norms that will dictate men's physical appearance. Perhaps we could begin by refusing to talk to men in suits. We can get the fashionistas to make some changes--shorten, tighten, with cut-outs in strategic locations and revealing drapes--for our entertainment. As for the religious guys, we might require that they adopt the garb of Catholic cardinals, those pointy red caps and capes, since like nuns' habits and unlike burkas, they don't seem to bother anyone.
Or, maybe we can figure out what's really going on here that has nothing to do with breasts and burkas and everything to do with power.
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