I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been labeled a slut. When my boobs grew quicker than others, I was called a slut. When I had a boyfriend (even though we weren’t having sex at the time), I was called a slut. When I dared to speak openly about sex, I was called a slut. When I wore clothing that clung to my natural curves, I was called a slut.The term “slut” never seemed to go away. As a matter of fact, research from Westcott (2011) states that the term was first mentioned in 1402. When Thomas Hoccleve portrayed someone as slovenly or dirty in the Letter of Cupid. Even though the word is so old, it still continues to carry such a powerful significance in our culture today. Given its wide use, the word “slut” is rarely used in regard to men. Women are subjected to slut-shaming at a rate of 50%, while guys are subjected to it at a rate of 20% (Endendijk et al., 2019). When it comes to sexual appetite, men are just not judged in the same way that women are. Men who have lots of sex with lots of people are commonly labeled in a less derogatory manner. They are often labeled as studs, pimps, and players but never sluts.
Rosea Lake – “Judgements” (2013)Rosea Lake via roseaposey.tumblr.com
Slut-shaming is based on men establishing and upholding sexual double standards to the detriment of women. In order for women to be deemed respectable, they must be passive participants, silent on behalf of their own sexual pleasure, and their own sexuality must be used solely in a monogamous and marital/committed relationship (Armstrong et al., 2014). In recent studies, it has been found that when examining perceptions and cultural biases in regards to male and female sexual behaviors, there are traditional beliefs that support the sexual double standard. When comparing men and women, behaviors related to high sexual activity were predicted more and rated more positively (or less negatively), whereas behaviors associated with sexual passivity were expected more and rated more positively (Endendijk et al., 2019). Thus, slut-shaming supports male dominance and female inferiority. According to the “doing gender” tradition, slut stigma influences the way in which women participate in their own doing. Labeling women as “good” or “bad” is all about status. Men have an important role in creating this rank by rewarding certain femininities (Armstrong et al., 2014). Women are punished for failing to perform femininity in a way that is acceptable. This implies that the slut stigma is more concerned with managing public gender performance than with regulating private sexual activities (Armstrong et al., 2014)
You can click on this link to learn more about the effects slut-shaming has on young girls. It details the different forms of slut-shaming and how slut-shaming culture can contribute to high suicide rates. https://www.verywellfamily.com/the-effects-of-slut-shaming-on-teen-girls-460586
Be a Slut / Grab Them. (2017, January 21). [Still image]. https://repository.library.northeastern.edu/files/neu:m043vr48g
Misogyny is at the root of slut-shaming. It’s all about shutting down women. It’s all about hating women. It’s all about keeping them quiet. These ideas are societal constructions established on years of sexist structures that continue to fuel the patriarchy. The patriarchy is a system of societal structures and behaviors in which cisgender heterosexual males oppress individuals of various gender identities and disadvantaged sexualities. The prevalent gender ideology concerning sexual differences is central to patriarchy: the notion that physiological sex differences between males and females are connected to differences in character, attitude, and abilities. These differences are utilized to legitimize a gendered division of social obligations as well as inequitable access to rewards, positions of power, and privilege (Lumen Learning, n.d.). Feminism is the belief that men and women should have equal rights, and gender is the central focus of this theory. “Feminism is about an emancipatory commitment to change: the conditions of life that are oppressive for women need to be transformed”(Lumen Learning, n.d.). In the mid-1990s, the third wave of feminism arose. It was driven by Generation X. Although they benefited greatly from the legal rights and protections achieved by first- and second-wave feminists, they also criticized the views and unfinished business of second-wave feminism (Prine Pauls, 2009). Third-wave feminists aimed to challenge, take back, and reinvent the ideas, concepts, and symbols that have propagated perceptions about womanhood, gender, aesthetics, sexuality, femininity, and masculinity (Prine Pauls, 2009). Most importantly, it is all about leveling the gender playing field and ensuring that everyone is granted the same opportunities regardless of gender.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsGRUUHosq4
Jesse Lee Peterson interviews model Samirah Raheem at Slutwalk 2017. The video was shot at Amber Rose's 2017 Slut Walk, an event aimed at raising awareness about rape culture and victim-blaming. This clip went viral after being put on the internet. The ultra-conservative celebrity and preacher Jesse Lee Peterson stopped her on the street and questioned her about her attire and "sluttiness". The model began educating Peterson about the term and why she proudly reclaims it. Raheem states, “I own my body. My body is not a political playground. It’s not a place for legislation. It’s mine, and it’s my future.” She sarcastically informs Peterson that "everyone's a slut" since guys call women sluts without knowing anything about them or their personal lives. She embodies the attitude of a third-wave feminist.
Of course, everyone is entitled to have their own opinion on this matter. Each person’s individual beliefs about sex are entirely valid and none of anybody else’s business. All I’m proposing is that women should be able to have sex and talk about it in the same way that men do. Trying to live up to someone’s unrealistic version of what a woman should be is truly exhausting. It appears that no matter what we do, we will disappoint someone, so why not be the most authentic version of ourselves? Be a slut; do whatever you want (as long as you’re not harming anyone in the process).
References
Armstrong, E. A., Hamilton, L. T., Armstrong, E. M., & Seely, J. L. (2014). “Good Girls.”
Social Psychology Quarterly, 77(2), 100-122.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0190272514521220
Endendijk, J. J., van Baar, A. L., & Deković, M. (2019). He is a stud, She is a Slut! A Meta-Analysis on the Continues Existence of Sexual Double Standards. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 24(2), 163-190.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868319891310
Lumen Learning. (n.d.). Reading: Feminist Theory | Sociology.
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/alamo-sociology/chapter/reading-feminist-theory/
Prine Pauls, E. (2009). The third wave of feminism. Britannica. Retrieved November 14, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism/The-third-wave-of-feminism
No comments:
Post a Comment