This week, new fashion glossy Girls. Girls. Girls. Magazine released a rendition of a 2017 Camille Rainville poem, read by Cynthia Nixon.
“Be a Lady They Said” is a swift, three-minute summary of the mixed messages that bombard women from adolescence to old age. In Nixon’s hands, it is a searing indictment of Western beauty standards and sexist social conditioning.
“Dress modestly. Don’t be a temptress. Men can’t control themselves. Men have needs,” Nixon begins in a rapid-fire delivery. “You look frumpy. Loosen up. Show some skin. Look sexy. Look hot. Don’t be so provocative. You’re asking for it. Wear black. Wear heels. You’re too dressed up. You’re too dressed down. Don’t wear those sweatpants; you look like you’ve let yourself go.”
You can watch the video in full below. (Please be advised, the clip contains partial nudity.)
