The Library

Question from a woman:

I once heard that shmiras einayim isn't as serious for women as is for men. Sometimes I'll stop myself from looking at something for my future children. But I'm not as makbid with not looking at certain sites or certain types of movies as I was before I heard that from that person. What's your opinion?

Answer:

The reason why shmiras einayim isn't as serious for women as is for men is not because it is any less important but simply because women are less triggered by what they see than men are. That's just the way Hashem made us (generally). But if a woman knows that her Yetzer Hara will be triggered by looking at certain things (or sites or movies), it is just as stringent as for men. Women also have the mitzva of "קדושים תהיו" and "ולא יראו בך ערוות דבר ושב מאחרך" just like men.