"Leggings Are Embarrassing, Wear Different Clothes" Controversy Over Warning at Study Room
Leggings Debate Sparks Protest at US University as Students Wear Leggings
Expert Says "It's Not About Clothing but 'Gaze'... Everyone Has Freedom to Choose Clothing"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] A story of a repeat student who was warned by a study room manager not to come dressed in 'leggings' because "what would adolescent male students be thinking" has sparked controversy.
As the demand for leggings has increased, there have been several debates online recently about wearing leggings. One side argues that leggings can be perceived sexually and such attire should be prohibited, while the other side questions why clothing should be restricted due to some people's perspectives.
Experts suggest that everyone has the freedom to choose various clothing, including leggings, and the freedom not to be sexually objectified by others should be respected.
◆ "Adolescent boys are coming and going, so be careful"… Told 'Don't wear leggings' at the study room
On the 22nd, a post titled 'They told me not to come to the study room wearing leggings because there are adolescent male students' was uploaded on an online community. The author, A, a 20-year-old woman retaking the college entrance exam, revealed that she was criticized for her attire by the manager after going to the study room wearing leggings.
A said, "Today, the owner lady in her early 60s who manages the study room suddenly called me and said, 'Your clothes are too embarrassing, so wear something else.' I said I was covering up well with a long T-shirt so it wasn't embarrassing, but she said, 'Still, it's embarrassing. Adolescent boys are coming and going, what do you think they would be thinking when they see a young lady? Be more careful.'"
She added, "I was so shocked that we had a big fight. Leggings are not even revealing clothes, and I cover up well. Am I the strange one? What does adolescent boys have to do with leggings?" and shared KakaoTalk messages exchanged with the study room manager.
An online community post has gone viral about a 20-year-old female student retaking the college entrance exam being warned by a study cafe owner not to come dressed in leggings. The photo shows a KakaoTalk conversation between the woman and the study cafe owner. Photo by Online Community Capture
The message screenshot showed that when A protested, "(Please) refund the study room fee. Do you say the same to students who shorten their school uniform skirts?" the manager replied, "Students are young, but you are a young lady wearing tight pants like that. I will refund. If you are angry, calm down."
Reactions from citizens were divided. Some netizens agreed with A's claim, saying, "Isn't it personal freedom what someone wears?" and "It's rude to meddle in others' clothes and tell them what to do," while others expressed discomfort with leggings, saying, "It may be comfortable for you, but others don't know where to look," and "Don't you consider others' discomfort?"
◆ In the US, a parent with a son caused controversy by sending a letter saying "Don't wear leggings on college campuses"
The leggings debate has also been a hot topic overseas. In March 2019, a 'leggings protest' took place on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, USA. A parent of a male student attending the university sent an open letter demanding that female students stop wearing leggings, and the letter was published in the school newspaper, sparking the controversy.
In the letter titled 'The Leggings Issue,' the parent said that when visiting his son's school, he was shocked by the many female students wearing leggings, stating, "I didn't want to see naked backsides, but I couldn't avoid it. It is really hard for young men to ignore such women. When female students go shopping next time, please think of mothers with sons and choose jeans."
The letter immediately provoked student backlash. Students held protests on campus for two days, took photos of themselves wearing leggings, and posted them on social media in protest. The protest leaders said, "It is inappropriate to blame women's clothing for men's behavior. Preferences should not be imposed." They encouraged people of all genders to freely wear leggings on campus.
◆ Leggings controversy leading to legal battles, Supreme Court rules on 'freedom not to be sexually objectified'
The leggings controversy in Korea also led to legal battles. In 2018, regarding a case where a man secretly filmed a woman wearing leggings on a bus for 8 seconds, the Supreme Court ruled the perpetrator, male B, 'guilty' and explicitly stated that the 'freedom not to be sexually objectified by others against one's will' is a protected legal interest.
The key issue in the trial was whether secretly filming a person wearing leggings, which do not directly expose the body and are commonly worn as everyday clothing, constitutes a violation of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes.
The first trial court judged that the filmed area could induce sexual desire or shame and found B guilty, sentencing him to a fine of 700,000 won. However, the second trial court acquitted him, reasoning that the victim's exposed body parts were minimal and that leggings worn as everyday clothing could not be definitively considered a 'sexual object.'
The Supreme Court overturned the second trial's acquittal and sent the case back to the Uijeongbu District Court. The court explained that even if the clothing is not necessarily revealing, if it fits tightly and reveals body contours, it can be considered a body part that induces sexual shame. The court stated, "Even if the victim voluntarily exposes parts of their body in a public place, filming or being filmed can induce sexual desire or shame."
The Supreme Court also explained that the 'camera use filming crime' punishing illegal filming is a provision to protect the victim's 'sexual freedom' and the freedom not to be filmed without consent, and for the first time ruled that sexual freedom means the freedom not to be sexually objectified against one's will. Previously, courts mainly defined sexual freedom as the freedom not to engage in unwanted sexual acts, but this ruling clarified the meaning further.
Experts suggest that everyone has the freedom to choose various clothing, including leggings, and the freedom not to be sexually objectified by others should be respected.
Attorney Lee Eun-ui (Lee Eun-ui Law Office) said, "Not only leggings but various outfits can exist according to personal taste, and people can have diverse opinions about them. However, leggings are clothing frequently worn in daily life, and wearing them is a personal freedom," adding, "The Supreme Court ruling points out that the problem of sexual objectification is not about the person's body or clothing but about the 'gaze' of the observer." She emphasized, "Everyone has the freedom to dress as they wish and the freedom not to be sexually objectified by others for such attire."
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