Modesty

Modesty is a mode of dress and deportment intended to avoid encouraging of sexual attraction in others. The word "modesty" comes from the Latin word modestus which means "keeping within measure". Standards of modesty are culturally and context dependent and vary widely. In this use, it may be considered inappropriate or immodest to reveal certain parts of the body. In some societies, modesty may involve women covering their bodies completely and not talking to men who are not immediate family members; in others, a fairly revealing but one-piece bathing costume is considered modest when other women wear bikinis. In some countries, exposure of the body in breach of community standards of modesty is also considered to be public indecency, and public nudity is generally illegal in most of the world and regarded as indecent exposure. For example, Stephen Gough a.k.a. the "Naked Rambler" got arrested in 2014 in Scotland for nudity.

Cultural traditions

In most cultures, there are different standards of modesty for men and women. Throughout history, some cultures have regarded the exposure of certain body parts as immodest. Some cultures have even required women to completely cover their bodies. In some African and Melanesian cultures, men going completely naked except for a string tied about the waist are considered properly dressed for hunting and other traditional group activities. In many societies, modesty requires a woman to cover her breasts in public. In many jurisdictions, women who expose their breasts can be prosecuted for indecent exposure, although public breastfeeding is often exempted from public indecency laws.

Religious traditions

Standards of modesty also vary widely in the context of religion. Different religions have different codes of modesty, often listed in its texts. In Islam, women are required to cover their bodies with a hijab and in some interpretations, full body coverings like burqas. In Orthodox Judaism, there are laws of tzniut that require modesty, including covering the body and avoiding attention-getting behavior. In Christianity, there is no stipulated dress code, however, some denominations promote modesty and discourage provocative clothing.

See also

• Nudity
• Indecent exposure
• Public indecency
• Hijab
• Burqa
• Tzniut

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