My Body Or My Husband’s?
December 30, 2011 3 Comments
Scottish entrepreneur Michelle Mone‘s divorce is being linked to her husband’s objection to her posing in ads for her own lingerie line.
Mone, from Glasgow, built her business empire MJM International after creating the Ultimo Bra. She’s been awarded an OBE and is regarded as a leading woman entrepreneur, despite being raised in the deprived east end and leaving school at fifteen.
Speculation about the reasons behind her divorce is based on comments Mone made about her husband Michael Mone’s objections to her posing in underwear sold by her company.
- He’s bothered on so many levels. He doesn’t want other men looking at his wife like that. He thinks it’s harmful for the kids. And he thinks it’s detrimental for the business.
Mone’s comments raise a serious point. The notion that women’s bodies are the property of their husbands is still an issue. Even in societies with clear legal and social contracts to ensure women are treated as a free equals, to some it is acceptable for men to dictate the way their wives and girlfriends dress, behave and live their lives.
The fact that a financially independent woman of clear intelligence has been affected in this way shouldn’t surprise anyone. Sexism and bullying can occur in any relationship.
As can victim-blaming. Women are not responsible for the way men look at them. Placing this responsibility on women is not far removed from blaming rape and assault victims for their attackers’ actions.
Let’s be clear about this; married or not, our bodies belong to us.
Contact the author here: miriam@morningquickie.com
If she wants to model, she should model.
I agree.. Its pretty obvious that its his own insecurities that are the problem.
I rather disagree. The way I see it is that it’s up to the couple to define each boundaries in their relationship. It’s not only a women issue as I’m aware of women who would very much disapprove their men posing in nude or in underwear.