Haec Vir
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Haec Vir, or This Effeminate Man
Published anonymously in 1620, Haec Vir is a rebuttal, probably written by women, to Hic Mulier, a pamphlet criticizing women for wearing men's clothing. Women both defend their choice of fashion and criticize men for wearing women's clothes in the pamphlet.
Important Quotes from Haec Vir:
Now since according to your own Inference, even by the Laws of Nature, by the rules of Religion, and the Customs of all civil Nations, it is necessary there be a distinct and special difference between Man and Woman, both in their habit and behaviors, what could we poor weak women do less (being far too weak by force to fetch back those spoils you have unjustly taken from us), than to gather up those garments you have proudly cast away and therewith to clothe both our bodies and our minds?
Thus you see your injury to us is of an old inveterate continuance, having taken such strong root in your busoms, that it can hardly be pulled up, without some offence to the soil: ours young and tender, scarce freed from the Swaddling clouts, and therefore may with us ease be lost, as it was with little difficulty found. Cast then from you our ornaments and put on your own armor; be men in shape, men in show, men in words, men in actions, men in counsel, men in example. Then will we love and serve you; then will we hear and obey you; then will we like rich Jewels hang at your ears to take our Instructions, like true friends follow you through all dangers, and like careful leeches pour oil into your wounds. Then shall you find delight in our words, pleasure in our faces, faith in our hearts, chastity in our thoughts, and sweetness both in our inward and outward inclinations. Comeliness shall be then our study, fear our Armor, and modesty our practice. Then shall we be all your most excellent thoughts can desire and having nothing in us less than impudence and deformity.
Why do you rob us of our Ruffs, of our Earrings, Carcanets, and Mamillions, of our Fans and Feathers, our Busks, and French bodies, nay, of our Masks, Hoods, Shadows, and Shapinas? Not so much as the very Art of Painting, but you have so greedily engrossed it that were it not for that little fantastical sharppointed dagger that hangs at your chins, and the cross hilt which guards your upper lip, hardly would there be any difference between the fair Mistress and the foolish Servant.
