Modesty, as we know, has been a symbol of culture and grace practised in the Middle East and some parts of Asia. However, what was once seen as a virtue is evolving and gaining a new meaning in our digital media.
Modesty isn’t just about what you wear, it’s about the right to choose but social media, as we know it, has two sides to it. One part of it dispels modesty and the other celebrates it. Saher Azmi, a journalism student, doesn’t like the terminology “modest” and “immodest”. She believes such terms carry misogyny with roots in religious patriarchal notions—that being said, Saher celebrates representation of covered women in media which isn’t limited to muslims or hijabis. It’s for everybody who doesn’t prescribe to dominant fashion culture and standards we see in movies, media and on runways. We cannot use social media to reshape Gen-Z’s attitude towards modesty without involving a certain level of falsehood, shaming and religious dogma.
Women and men are labelled as per their dressing which tend to isolate them from comfort and their own perspective so, social media should be used to dispel the notion of self-worth and body being intrinsically tied together. Saher concludes, “what your wear should not make you feel any less worth of respect and love.”
“Modesty is deeply personal to me”, says Shura, a hijabi born and raised in Saudi Arabia. Being in Saudi, being modest helped Shura blend in with the culture and the people which helped her self esteem and confidence. She describes modesty as a journey and she is on the way there. Shura suggests sometimes social media has a way of making people believe that modesty can only be forced and rigid, clarifying that it’s a choice and rejects the notion of modesty as a way of “oppression”.
However she has realised that a lot more local and international fashion brands are now catering towards modest wear which truly is redefining how modesty is viewed and what modesty stands for.
Modesty is no longer dictated by scriptures or rules but celebrated by culture, personal values and identity. Gen-Z with the help of social media has challenged one-dimensional fashion standards and reclaimed as well as set their own standards rather than adhering to someone else’s. In the end, the world is a big place and there is space for everyone to co-exist without any obligation at all.
