We need to stop calling girls ‘sluts’

College is usually one of the first experiences we have where we have absolute freedom. Our parents cannot set curfews, tell you to do homework, go to class, or clean your room (However they like to call at least check up on you every two or three days).

The social aspect I and thousands of students live by in college is summed up in six words: people can do what they want. The one thing that comes along with this though is slut shaming. Slut shaming is an evident aspect of college life and it needs to end.

Why?

The classic double standard

However you look at it, slut shaming is always directed towards women. The double standard comes into play with sexual activity, which morphs into slut shaming. If a woman has many sexual partners, she will be seen as promiscuous, dirty, and be extremely judgmental.

Our society has constricted women into such a thin narrow way to act in society, that once she breaks free and deviates from the pedestal she is put on, the harassment and shaming begins. But if a man has many sexual partners, no one really bats an eye, some peers may even think higher of him.

Casual slut shaming rejection

It’s basically when a woman rejects a man who wants to engage in sexual activity with her and he makes a comment. It isn’t just any old comment either, it usually goes along with her being promiscuous, a whore, slut, or bitch. A woman can voice her opinion and decide she doesn’t want to do something. But when a man calls her out and harasses her for it, it is slut shaming. This needs to stop.

It’s extremely degrading to be treated as if a woman’s opinion doesn’t really matter and isn’t taken seriously. Or if it is being taken seriously, it backlashes and she gets called obscenities. It has become so casual to say to women that when we hear someone getting slut shamed, it doesn’t really surprise us that much. We usually just judge the person saying it on their character as they judged us or some other women on their sexual activity.

Women say this to each other

We need to stop pitting women against each other. Yes, women slut shame other women all the time. If you thought this article was directed solely towards men slut shaming women, think again. Judging is part of human nature. Everyone does it and it’s practically impossible not to.

Judging based on appearance and dress clearly exists. If a women wears a short dress or skirt, or any tight clothing, other women go out of their way to slut shame them. Some think these thoughts while others feel they’re entitled to say it out loud. Like if they say their negative thoughts to someone else, it would be doing the world of feminism a favor (yikes). Women are entitled to wear what they damn well please and if you have a problem with it, then oh well life goes on, it is not your body.

The faster we learn to stop making quick and snide comments, the faster women can unite and create a universal sisterhood.

The myth of virginity

I believe virginity does not exist. As crazy as it sounds, it is just a social construct made in order to force women into another narrow pathway in society. Women are seen in many cultures as “pure virgins” who will wait until marriage to engage in sexual activities. While this is perfectly fine, some girls as young as 10 years old make this commitment to their fathers. Of course at 10 years old you’re not thinking about what lies ahead sexually in your future. As college makes its way up on the horizon, one act of that taints your “holy purity” and boom. You’re dirty, tainted, and as some people say “no man will want to be with you if you have multiple sexual partners.”

No one should ever tell you what you can or cannot do to your body

Slut shaming is a form of objectifying and controlling women. Labeling, judging, and treating a woman solely based on sexual encounters is objectifying. Telling someone what they can or cannot do with their own body is not only controlling but degrading and forcing women into a submissive domain. Slut shaming stems from this because if a woman rebels when someone tells her what she should do with her body, she is most of the time insulted and harassed. Objectifying woman is a huge reason why gender equality is extremely hard to reach.

Who is winning here?

When someone calls someone else a slut, what is that really doing for both of you? For a slight second you might feel a sense of domination, empowerment even. However, you soon realize, or the people around you realize you sound like a complete misogynistic jackass. I think slut shaming is unnecessary, juvenile, and needs to stop.