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Watch Nandini Talk To The BBC About Slut-Shaming Women

Nandini weighed in on the controversy surrounding a dress worn by a Senator of the Philippines.

Cover image via postimg.cc

On 26 August, Philippines Senator Risa Hontiveros went live on BBC News to hit back at critics who "slut-shamed" her for a traditional dress she wore to an event

A netizen took to Twitter to call Risa a "thirsty slut" based on a photo of her seemingly experiencing a wardrobe malfunction at the State of the Nation Address.

Image via Twitter

However, the designer of the dress Joel Acebuche explained that the senator wore a nude-coloured slip underneath her traditional attire.

He added that the dress "complied with the dress code of the occasion".

Image via Twitter

In response to the viral post, the lawmaker urged people to "stop telling women how to dress"

While Risa received support from many netizens, several Twitter users continued to criticise the politician for not dressing "appropriately" or sitting in a ladylike manner.

Image via Twitter
Image via Twitter

"Stop telling people especially men how to react," a netizen commented.

"In many, if not most, or all cultures around the world to varying degrees, there is still an engrained sexism and misogyny against women," the senator said during her segment on BBC News

Image via BBC News

"Clothing is a particularly apt and powerful symbol but also a very concrete expression of how we women express ourselves,"she said during the live interview.

"It is a particularly easy way for sexists and misogynists to try to limit our space," the 53-year-old added.

Image via BBC News

BBC News reached out to Nandini for her comments on the societal pressures imposed by women to dress a certain way

"So, so common. I think because women are constantly sexualised and treated like distractions to men," Nandini said.

Image via BBC News

"The world loves putting women in boxes, treating us like puppets, and taking away all the power just so they could feel better about themselves," she added.

Image via BBC News

BBC News also included several clips from a NANDINI SAYS video in the segment

Image via SAYS/YouTube

In 'Hello World, Stop Telling Women What To Wear', Nandini argues that society often links women's respectability to their choice of attire, and that this differs from the standards set for men.

Image via GIPHY

Watch the Senator and Nandini on BBC News:

"If you wear too little you're a slut, if you're covered up you're oppressed." Watch Nandini's video on women's right to the way they dress here:

In February, Nandini spoke to BBC to discuss 'begpacking' by Western tourists in Asia:

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