Tznius Fail - A Suggestion for the Egalitarian Education of Tznius

Frequently I am surprised when finding areas of Torah that are being taught inaccurately, Occasionally I am shocked.
This week I saw an online post from a woman who posed a question with regards to the concept of tznius. Her question was predicated on the assumption that the basis behind the laws of tznius was so that women are not objects of temptation for Jewish men. She therefore asked if it was permissible for her to dress in a revealing manner in front of Gentile men.
I think that the best way to address this is to review briefly the concepts that underline tznius.

• The first idea is that of erva. This is a technical Halacha which addresses the environment in which one may recite various prayers. It encompassed for both sexes what parts of their or others bodies must be covered when they are reciting prayers. While the specific requirements of what must be covered differs for men and women the Halacha, at its root, is the same for both sexes.
• The second is based on the verse והצנע לכת עם אלוקיך, that one must walk modestly with his/her God. This is a subjective Mitzvah which is predicated upon a person's self-respect and self-image and how it relates to God. Notice that we are enjoined to walk modestly with God, it says nothing about other people. Tznius at its root is between man and God, not man and man or woman and man.

That's it. Anything else that we will find (stay tuned) is not really focused on tznius per se, but are generic Mitvos which apply to the entire Torah, including the concept of tznius.

• A person should never place themselves into an environment in which they will be tempted to act improperly. Our Sages emphasize this especially in the case of exposing oneself to forbidden objects of sexual desire, but it is true across the board. A man should not glance at pornography, nor should a woman put herself in an environment in which she will begin to fantasize about a man who is forbidden to her. הרהורי עבירה קשה מעבירה, fantasizing about sin is worse than sin.
• The Torah tells us that לפני עור לא תתן מכשול, do not place a stumbling block in front of a blind person. I.e. Don't tempt someone else to commit a transgression. This would teach us that a woman should not dress in a provocative manner that will tempt other men, and the same would go for men as well. This is not, however, the basis of the laws of tznius, the second reason brought above is.

Educating girls in the meaning of tznius by teaching them that it is wrong to express their sexuality inappropriately as it may lead to men expressing their sexuality inappropriately, is like teaching kashrus by explaining that it is wrong to eat a cheeseburger because it will tempt someone else to eat a cheeseburger. After asking several women I have been told that this is the primary emphasis of tznius education in many frum schools," Don't tempt men," with little to no focus on what tznius truly entails.
The focus of tznius education should be on personal dignity and self-respect. It should entail a discussion of a person's relationship with God. Focusing on not tempting misses the point and creates a culture of guilt and wrong-making. Empower women with the tools they need to discover their own dignity, כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה, the self-worthiness of a princess, and it will be unnecessary to fill them with warnings of out-of-control sex-crazed men.