Thanks for clarifying! I still disagree - of course, I agree with you very simply that on a conscious level it can always be true that what we wish to portray is not necessarily what others will perceive; for example, people wearing MAGA hats may earnestly believe they are exemplifying pride and hope and patriotism, but there are many who will perceive their sartorial decisions as racist microaggressions -- the context of certain public behaviors or choices (like what we choose to wear) will also naturally and intuitively influence how those choices are perceived.

That said, in both the example I just gave and also the one in question in this essay, the perceptual spectrum and symbolism of garments (or lack thereof) which are highly charged are usually (not always, but mostly) embedded in the consciousness of the wearer -- whether they have made those choices consciously or subconsciously.

In that regard, to some extent a person's intentions will always match or bear strong resemblance to an observer's interpretation -- especially if they are intentionally acting (or dressing) in opposition to any given behavior or norm.

The oppositionality of the choice in itself -- because as I mentioned, it does not occur in a vacuum -- renders it both a reaction to and a reinforcement of the very parameters in which the opposite, perceptibly dominant or subjugating behavior or norm occurred to begin with.

In your response, you suggest that her wardrobe choices may come from having been subjugated or controlled, and that viewers may see her "as a slut."

My point is, since sex and power are inextricably linked, that the disempowerment any girl or woman might feel pertaining to her agency or sexuality more specifically, when subverted by expressing "empowerment" or "freedom" through hyper-sexuality (which is broadly understood as exposing body parts - again, why I reference the vacuum because these are entrenched, universal norms in our society) is often quite intentionally playing into what the observer or "judger" sees as you say, "as a slut."

And it isn't inherently wrong to sleep around, nor should women bear the brunt of shame for owning or acting upon sexual inclinations. But we're talking about a child; the decision to expose herself as noted in the article was not done in a way that may be perceived as random or bizarre (something as having no paradigmatic context for either sexualization or controversial sociopolitical charge, like if someone was nearly nude but covered their body in fur and wore a clown mask)-- no, this child as the author noted very meticulously designed her appearance to be perceived as "hot" in the externally, widely accepted and widely hyper-sexualized way, which has long been registered and associated with the stereotypical image that some may call "a slut."

Sometimes it doesn't matter what your intentions are; we are in a society and despite the hyper-individualism that Americans love to focus on, being part of a collective means that your decisions affect others.

Again, in an ideal world, the sight of a tween dressed in any given way probably wouldn't be cause for concern; but again, nodding to the vacuum, we don't live in the perfect fantasy world. We live in the world where women and girls are indeed constantly sexualized, and many of them are playing into that sexualization in order to gain capital-- social and financial.

In a society as pedophilic as this one (and therefore for the safety of children, but also for the sake of helping nurture a sense of self-worth that isn't implicitly connected to flaunting sexuality), parents encouraging children to express themselves through means that are not clearly, intentionally hyper-sexual is a service to kids and to society as a whole.

I may think it sounds empowering and want to choose to walk through crowded areas and spray entire cans of hairspray on my hair, but I don't, because that would be rude and weird, even if my intention was just fun.

Ultimately, the different lenses that we view topics as members of the same society are not rocket science... we may not agree or even fully understand, but we have enough of a framework to comprehend the meaning and intention behind various decisions people make.

There are ways of expressing and coming into both empowerment and sexuality that don't rely on strangers (or people you know) perceiving you as a sex doll. And that is the importance of having parents help children understand and set boundaries, in addition to teaching them about self-worth and expression beyond overt, hyper-sexualization.