The waves are rough, the sun is harsh
The weather didn’t meet my expectation
Jacket packed in and slippers out
Feet all ready for a little exploration
A thin cotton top, legs bared free
My shorts are not an invitation
Prying eyes will scan all they can
Intentions need no explanation
But I rush for the sea’s embrace
Lost in joy, without trepidation
Later, I emerge from the waters
Wrapped with a child’s elation
Wet, happy, scantily-clad still
But my shorts are not an invitation
For you to take pictures or selfies
Of me in the back, without permission
No kind sir…
My shorts are not an invitation
To make cheap comments or leer lustily
My shorts are not an invitation
To stalk me, touch me, grope me
‘Oh but you wore it for attention’
I hear you say with a smug smile
Then fucking keep it till attention!
A harmless glance, a quick look
Or even a smile of appreciation
A kind compliment with words
At an arm’s distance the attention
If I want something, I ll ASK for it
My shorts are not an invitation

Notes on the poem: I wrote this after I was super pissed of by an online user on a thread that was basically an attack on women who wore short clothes. The photo is of me at a beach when I was on one of my travels. And luckily for me, I did not experience anything negative.

Sadly, a lot of men still think that a woman who wears short clothes is inviting not just attention, but even rape. Educated politicians too echo these views. Only yesterday, a politician compared women to cars and said ‘a car that is parked at home will be safe’. He implied that housewives are safer than women who are out and about.

A lot of women have written about this, but it never seems to be enough. This is the kind of logic rapists use: ‘Oh the woman was half-naked, I was turned on and I raped her’. This is the logic that paedophiles use. ‘The child was half-naked, I was turned on and I raped her/him’.

P.S. The thread I was talking about – What are some real reasons for wearing super short clothes?