Aayla Secura stood out among her peers of
the Jedi Order by ditching the traditional
robes worn
by fellow masters and instead donning an outfit
that was far more revealing.
But there was an
underlying purpose to why she did this, a
noble one in her eyes, as it was done to fight
against
the stereotypes female Twi&#39;leks like herself
faced in the galaxy based on their treatment
from
various other species.
Twi’leks in general were known for being
a common stock among the slave markets, with
the
women in particular being sold off to be used
as entertainers against their wills for crime
syndicates and other nefarious organizations.
As a consequence, Twi’leks universally were
viewed down upon by other aliens, with many
having their expectations set for them as
just workers within brothels or as simple
entertainers
within cantinas.
When Aayla was first brought up within the
Jedi Order, she sought to get away from her
people
by fully embracing the life of a Jedi, almost
being ashamed of being a Twi’lek due to
these very
stereotypes her people faced.
It was only during her apprenticeship under
Quinlan Vos, when she was able to embrace
herself
as a Twi’lek and no longer fear the perception
others had due to where she came from.
Not only
that, but she also hoped to break the stereotype
and perhaps inspire Twi’lek girls like herself
by
dawning on an outfit that was tied to what
her people commonly wore, one that made her
look
more like an entertainer than a Jedi warrior.
And showing others that just because she was
a
Twi’lek dressed in her people’s traditional
garb, she was still more than capable of performing
her duties as a Jedi Knight and later as a
Master.
Additionally, her choice of outfits allowed
her to use it as an advantage by lowering
the guard of
her enemies, who typically saw her as a simple-minded
girl, rather than as a trained Jedi.
Using
their stereotypes toward Twi’leks against
them, and only revealing who she really was
when it
was too late for them.
As a result of this, she came to inspire one
Twi’lek padawan named Xiaan Amersu, who
too had
similar struggles in accepting herself, showing
Aayla that her effort to combat the stereotypes
of
her people truly had an effect and was one
worth fighting.
