Pakistani actor Hina Bayat has sparked debate after sharing a social experiment that examined how men’s behaviour towards women changed depending on their clothing, raising concerns about harassment, confidence and women’s safety in public spaces.
Experiment in a Marketplace
In a viral Instagram clip taken from a recent interview, Bayat explained how her team conducted the experiment in a marketplace to observe men’s reactions to women wearing different outfits.
According to the actor, two women initially entered the market while the team filmed their interactions. One wore jeans with a short kurta, while the other was dressed in a traditional shalwar kameez.
Bayat said both women attracted attention and received stares from several men, although no one directly approached or harassed them during that initial round.
“When they were walking in the bazaar, they got stares from multiple guys but they didn’t engage,” she recalled.
Behaviour Changes With Clothing
After approximately 30 minutes, the same women returned to the marketplace with changes to their appearance. One wrapped a dupatta around herself, while the other also adopted a more modest style of dressing.
However, Bayat said the men’s reactions were unexpectedly different. This time, some began making remarks while staring at the women.
“This time around, people started giving remarks with their staring. It grew from there. It was very surprising to me,” she said.
The team then sent the women into the market for a third time. On this occasion, one wore a niqab, while the other styled a regular dupatta as a hijab.
Actor Shares Troubling Findings
According to Bayat, the men’s behaviour became even more disrespectful during the third round.
“This time, the men started disrespecting them,” she explained.
After reviewing what had happened, the team concluded that some men appeared to interpret the women’s confidence and ability to respond as a reason to keep their distance.
Bayat said the team believed that some men perceived confident women as more likely to challenge inappropriate behaviour, confront them or create a scene.
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However, when the women adopted more modest clothing, those same men allegedly viewed them as weak or vulnerable.
“We found out that when men found girls confident, they avoided them because they knew those were the type of girls to shout, make a scene, or slap them. But the second we made the girls more modest, the men saw them as weak and fragile,” she said.
Bayat described the observations as a troubling reflection of how some people associate modest clothing with vulnerability instead of respecting women regardless of their appearance.
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Social Media Reactions
The experiment prompted mixed reactions on social media.
Some users agreed with Bayat’s observations, arguing that harassment was rooted in the attitudes of men who judge women based on their appearance and perceived vulnerability.
Others questioned whether confidence could be accurately judged through clothing, pointing out that women can be confident and assertive regardless of what they wear.
The discussion has also renewed attention to the challenges women face in public spaces, where unwanted attention and harassment can affect their sense of safety.
Clothing Does Not Define Confidence
Bayat’s account highlights an important distinction between personal appearance and personal confidence. Modest clothing does not indicate weakness, just as wearing modern outfits does not automatically make someone confident.
Women should not have to change their clothes, body language or behaviour to avoid harassment. Respect and personal safety should not depend on what someone chooses to wear.
The responsibility for harassment lies with those who engage in such behaviour, not with the women who experience it.
While the experiment has generated debate about clothing, confidence and public behaviour, its central message has drawn attention to the need for greater respect for women’s choices and safety in public places.
