There is no retribution in Islam for dressing immodestly. As i understood it women are not expected to be eye candy fo men, or to compete amongst themselves for status based on their beauty or the appearance of their clothes. Freedom From and Freedom To can both have wonderful benefits. Would you rather be free to flaunt your body or free from being judged on your physical appearance? Free to dress in a way that advertises your personal wealth, or free from being judged based on your financial situation? Does that make sense?

From the perspective of the Muslim women i know Islam doesn't demand modesty of them, it offers it as sanctuary. I would guess it's probably the same amongst many groups who dress modestly - it's not about forbidding anything, but rather about allowing a person to exist beyond their physical appearance.

boobaloo i think people react personally when they feel personally offended. I understand you have met many catholics as you have descibed, but those people are not these people. It's like if i said i'd met a lot of black people who were bigots or asian people who were theives. The fact that you know bigots who are catholic doesn't mean catholicism causes bigotry, it's just that bigotry knows no boundaries and exists in all groups, all walks of life. I think people are just reacting strongly because they feel you are selecting their faith, such a personal thing, to attack them through. FWIW i was not offended by the swimsuit thing either particularly. I know why i dress DD the way i do, misconceptions of those looking at her aren't really on my radar.

Bx