“Slut-Shaming” - Spreading Gender Inequality
According to the memes website and a Huffington Post
article, “Slut Shaming” refers to the
practice of criticizing a woman for engaging in certain sexual behaviors
outside of traditional gender roles, whether it be actual or presumed based on
her manner of dress, speech or personality. Online, such practice has been
discussed in the context of cyber-bullying, as some cases have led to teenage
girls committing suicide, and it remains a popular debate topic among social
justice bloggers.”
Until this last week before doing this assignment on Gender
I had never heard the word “slut shaming” or "slut-bashing" let alone know its meaning. I was
surprised to learn that this term was actually originated and/or coined in an
online blog spat between two female "feminist" bloggers. I felt that this is an example of how
“oblivious” we go about our days without consideration of the impact our words
have on reaffirming the dominance over and suppression of women. Interestingly,
we are so “oblivious” we need to also realize that majority of the phenomenon of “slut-shaming”
is not only coming from men, but women have jumped on the bandwagon and are
doing the dirty work of the male dominated society, by participating in
slut-shaming.
It was summarized and concluded in the feminist blogging spat that “it is a problematic nature of women calling other women sluts” and “The precise meaning of “Slut” is not relevant here. Slut-shaming isn’t about the use of the word, but about the implication that if a woman has sex that traditional society disapproves of, she should feel guilty and inferior.”
This type of behavior is reminiscent and similar to victim blaming and a justification for violence against women. It is also reflective that women are still struggling for equality and is in need of being located in the stratification system alongside men not below to ensure equal distribution of vital resources our society has to offer (Newman, 2012).
Slut-shaming seems to be serving the same means of social control that rape has done in the past and unfortunately still today. In today's world it is politically incorrect to say out loud that a women deserved or asked for it when raped. However, with social structure change in action, it seems to me that slut-shaming is just a new way to go about a socially unacceptable way to blame the victim of rape and/or how a woman is viewed, dominated, and suppressed. To minimize the chances of digressing in the forward momentum of women equality, I found it important to bring this topic to the forefront and hope for the curbing of this behavior that is only setting us back.
To better help me understand “slut-shaming” I sought out to learn about this term that was coincidentally mentioned on a news report and on an episode of Dr. Phil in the same week I was working on the previous gender assignment. I came across this YouTube video from a very astute thirteen-year-old in a Huffington Post article. I was impressed with how such a young person like this was taking a stand for change from the individual level up.
In conclusion, I challenge you to keep your ears open to this harmful act and know that it is more than words and judgement slut-shaming brings. It is also a means of social control that can be stopped collectively by educating those who do not realized the ultimate consequence of slut-shaming/bashing has on the continuance of gender inequality for many of those who are participating in this phenomenon.
References
Newman, D. (2012). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of
Everyday Life: 9th Edition SAGE Publications.
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/slut-shamingwww.youtube.com
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