They say that what you wear is a way of expressing yourself. They say that what you wear describes the person you are. They say that clothing is what can define a woman as someone who is "modest" or "slutty."

Everyone seems to make these accusations, and being on the end of those comments really does hurt. I'm a Christian woman, but I'm told I don't dress like one. I've been told I dress slutty, too exposing, and even like a "hoochie mama." They say that I need to respect myself and start doing so by dressing differently.

Yes, I will say that I don't dress how society says a "Christian woman" should dress. I wear the tightest clothing, short dresses and skirts, see through tops, leather, "stripper" heels, bustiers, slashed clothing, crop tops, low-cut tops, and what some would describe as "rave" wear from time to time. I've literally worn lingerie as a shirt before and one of my Christian friends nearly had a heart attack over it. Seriously, what is the big deal? I know we're supposed to set an example, but did anyone ever consider where I grew up? The people I grew up around? What my views are on certain things? How about what I feel confident in?

While at church because of the criticisms I have received over the years I try to cover up and I honestly don't feel myself that way. I'll spend hours going through my "slutty" clothing just to find one outfit that will be acceptable to wear, even then, I'll usually hear a comment or two that morning like, "Her shirt is cut too low," or, "Her dress is way too short."

The way I dress at church is completely different from the way that I dress outside of church and I wish it didn't have to be. You can ask my friends and family and they'll tell you what I wear outside of church, and it would be something along the line of a see through crop top and a tight mini skirt.

I'm not going to apologize for the way I dress. I'm not going to apologize for the way people view me. I'm not going to apologize and change the way I am. What I am going to do is stand up for the women who are in the same position as I am. Who get told they don't dress modestly. Who are criticized more than one time before ten in the morning. Who can't hang out around other people in the clothes they feel confident in, because they will be admonished over the outfit they are wearing. I will stand up for the Christian women who wear the revealing clothing. I will stand up for the Christian women who are confident in the outfits they wear even if the people in the room are silently or noisily criticizing them. No one has the right to dictate what you wear.

Christian women are supposed to set an example for others, but how are we going to set an example if we're forced to wear clothing that we don't feel confident in? I've been told that the way I dress is because of how skewed my religious views are. No, they're not. I will say that I don't have 100% Christian views, but I know what I stand for, and the clothes that I wear are self-expression, and in no way should affect how someone should view me.

I've had Biblical verses thrown at me and have been told many times that I should "wear" the qualities of God, and believe me I have been forced to try, but every day that I did that I did not feel myself; I felt like a piece of my identity was taken from me.

I will continue to dress the way I do. I will continue to dress in what I feel confident. I will continue to dress in what has become my way of dressing. I will not be told no. I will not let other women like me be told that we can't dress the way we want.