Dear Ladies,
Every single one of you reading this right now is absolutely beautiful. You may not think so, but I insist that you trust me. Sadly, you may not see it, or others may not acknowledge it, because so many of us are sick. Even personally, I have not been what I would hope to be, and have pushed women (even those I cared about!) to be less than what they are. Ladies, forgive those of us who have taught you that the "only" way to win a man's affection is by appealing to his lower appetites.
I cannot speak for all men, and there are certainly plenty who are innocent, but accept this humble letter in response to the issues surrounding the letter ("Ladies, be decent" Apr. 4). In both my personal experience and the witness of others, it has become clear that women feel pressured to dress and act a certain way. I may be only one man, but I'm certain that others would say the same: I want you to dress modestly. This is not because I do not like your style or that I am judging your character, but because I do care about who you are and I do not want my weakness to blind me from seeing who you truly are beyond the surface.
If I am lucky enough to be a father, I want my daughter to dress modestly so that men will be forced to see how beautiful she is on the inside rather than on the outside. Imagine your future daughters: what do you want to tell them? Ladies, forgive me if I ask too much, and you are free to ignore me. Know that even if you ignore me, I will still strive to give you as much respect as you deserve. But I hope you will listen.
Jason Runkle
junior
Duncan Hall
Apr. 6
