11 November 2010

dumb sluts.

Slut is a pejorative term meaning an individual who is sexually promiscuous. The term is generally applied to women and used as an insult or offensive term of disparagement, meaning "dirty or slovenly."


So why then, do we label girls as 'sluts' when we have no idea what their private lives are like? How can we say 'you dress like a slut' when we don't know what a 'slut' would dress like? Or is there a particular way a woman who sleeps with a lot of men must dress to display to the rest of the world that they do? And why would they, when society views promiscuity so lowly?

I'm pretty sure that like half of the girls who 'dress like sluts' actually not promiscuous. I'd even go far enough to say that a great proportion of them are virgins. I don't know why they choose to dress the way they do -- perhaps for attention? However, it's not my place to judge, nor do I care; it's really none of my business. People dress in certain ways to show the public how they want to be perceived, eg. the fashionistas, 'emo/scene' kids, 'gangstas'. This is no different.

Some will argue that it IS different, because it encourages girls to be oversexed from a young age. But why is this such a big deal compared to encouraging teenagers to listen to depressing music and cut themselves, or to join a gang and do drugs? Because isn't that what emos and gangsters are associated with? Why is oversexing women such a big deal?

It's because women are seen to represent something pure and untainted. It's like how men are seen to be the protectors and leaders -- a stereotype that has good roots, but there is so much diversity in today's society that we desperately try to enforce these old gender roles, and the result is more and more revolt. People want to be different, to be individuals. Putting a taboo on sexuality is like telling people not to smoke weed; it's going to happen anyway. Thing is, sex is not even a bad thing; it's biology's way to ensure species survival, and as humans, it is a way to show love for another person. Why have we been conditioned to view it as something dodgy and 'dirty'?

And why do people assume that if you go out and party a lot, get drunk, do drugs, sleep around, and are 'hot', that you cannot possibly be smart? (okay I do admit that it doesn't leave a lot of time for studying, but there's no reason someone who likes to party can't also be intelligent -- as someone said "the difference is, the smart person parties, but in the morning they also get up early and study instead of lying around the whole day") I quote, from an IMDB forum post on the forum for The Social Network (excellent film btw, anyone who uses facebook should watch it):

Are we supposed to believe that harvard girls look like that??? Puleahhhshssseeee. Girls that look like that or go to parties like that have the same IQ as Paris Hilton and can't even go to community college. Maybe Harvard has a lot of parties but I seriously doubt they would have such strong sexual scenes since that doesn't even happen in The Jersey Shore or tacky reality shows. Those girls are probably hired escorts or hoes they picked up at a club.


See first bolded sentence. Ignoring all the harvard bitch jokes (come on guys.), is it totally inconceivable that people who are able to make it into Ivy League schools could be good looking? I can say that after being to Yale... well, that it's definitely not true. The guys at Yale are top notch. ;) Oh wait, are they just talking about girls? Oh yeah, because there must be a difference in attractiveness in females and males based on their INTELLIGENCE...

And now look at second bolded sentence. Note how this narrowminded poster has assumed that because they go to parties, and they are 'dumb', they must also be prostitutes. It is also implied that girls who go to clubs are 'hoes'. This leap of logic is simply unbridgeable and sadly reminiscent of the kind of prejudice that I see all the time. And yes, it does piss me off. People think in stereotypes far too much.

Also, why do people always say "I hate her, she's a slut"? Since when is someone's preference to sleep with a lot of people a reason for them to be hated? Does it make them a worse person, more likely to stab you in the back, a worse friend? I know it's something some people just can't get over (especially guys), but really... think logically. Just because she's had a lot of boyfriends doesn't make her a bad person. In fact it should be an indication that she is a lovely girl who a lot of guys want to be with... so, why all the hate? Interesting also, that a girl who is a 'slut' will still have friends to back her up when other people insult her -- gee, maybe because SHE'S NOT A BAD PERSON?

Now I quote something a guy has said to me recently: "To me, there are two types of girls: Girls, and bitches/sluts". This implies that a) bitches/sluts are not girls and b) the terms bitch and slut are interchangeable. THEY ARE NOT. Bitches are actually less likely to be sluts because come on, who wants to sleep with someone like that? Unless you're not picky, or she's hot. But that's just more affirmation that you either do view her as a girl, or that you treat her as an object. If it's the first, you revoke your own argument, if it's the second, you're a misogynistic pig. Lose/lose.

I could go on and on about this really. But that's just everything that came to mind just now. I'm not going to talk about how the gender difference in how 'sluts' are used to label women only and the lock/key analogy because I feel that's been covered already. I will say that women calling other women sluts is retarded though, because it's like as a woman you don't have any friends -- guys call you a slut, other girls call you a slut, like wtf, no wonder I have no self confidence -- maybe I should just act like a slut to prove them right, then maybe we'll all agree on something? But I do have the opinion that it's probably out of jealousy, even if most girls are unwilling to admit it. Ofc you want to be noticed by guys, it's in your genetic code (unless ofc you're not straight, in which case you don't really get this problem), so if another girl gets more attention because of the way they dress and you have too much pride or w/e to act in that way, it's natural to be jealous. It's IN OUR GENES to want to reproduce. That's just science.

This is why I hate it when people label girls as 'sluts'. Now you know. Feel free to disagree; I'm very unlikely to agree with your opinion, but I won't try to shoot you down or anything (provided it's well reasoned), I'm just putting mine out there.

6 comments:

yj said...

ok ok wait wait I have another possible point to debate

what about the fact that people tend to dislike people that dont have the same points of view as them?
ie: points of view on how to live their lives
because they think its bad for them or whatever
the example I can think of off the top of my head is religion, lol
obviously just cos someone has different uh whats the word... idk ways they want to live their lives to you is still not really a reason to hate them, but possibly stronger than just because shes a 'slut'

idk if you followed that LOL

I still agree with what you say, I just like debating haaaha

winnie said...

Oh ofc there are situations where it's justified to call someone a slut, it's just that 99% of the time I hear the word used it's in situations where there is no justified reason.

And YES @ your second point -- that's like the whole reason there's so much chaos in the world, cuz people try to force their ideals on other people. But personally I think that it's okay to share your opinion, but blasting someone for their lifestyle choices just because they're not like your own? :/ then again I'm pro choice.

I need to do a post on religion sometime as well actually. Thanks for reminding me :)

Anonymous said...

The meaning of the word 'slut' is someone who is promiscuous. This does NOT mean having a lot of boyfriends, although people often use it in this context. It is a person who sleeps around, regardless of relationships and the like.

People look down on 'sluts' because they have different values - generally, sex after marriage or something of the like.

I guess them choosing to sleep around is none of my business. After all, it's a lifestyle choice, although it's really hard to argue that it's a good one. Having friends also does not necessarily mean that a person is not a bad person.

Annnnd in today's world, you'd be surprised how many girls are actually virgins. :X I was shocked when I first heard about it. I guess it's something to get used to rather than fight though.

However, I do agree on one point. Calling someone a slut really doesn't make yourself any better. Hating someone isn't worth the time nor effort.

winnie said...

thanks for your input, you raise some good points.

I agree that just because they have friends doesn't necessarily mean they are bad people, but it does mean that some people are willing to be friends with them right? After all whether someone is a good or bad person is subjective, but friendship is based on certain qualities that are universal, and it means that that person definitely has some redeeming qualities. I do believe that everyone has both good and bad in them.

I don't fully understand your second to last paragraph. Is it a bad thing that a lot of girls are virgins?

one_entity said...

well written, again =) and i agree with your points except one:

I do think that the over-sexualisation of young girls is a serious issue. The reason why it gets more attention than emo-ness or gangsters despite being less harmful is because it has the potential to affect more people, and because the media always has the tendency to refute what they encourage. It's not just that women aren't meant to be pure and untainted, it's the whole Aristotle "does your sexuality enhance you/your relationships and make you a better individual" idea.. certainly for younger girls, acting promiscuous (even if they aren't; most of them aren't) does not do them any good by any stretch.

Although I do think there is a double standard in that men/boys don't have the same worries.

winnie said...

^well said. I probably don't feel that the oversexualisation of young girls is as serious of an issue as you do, since in my eyes very little of them actually act on it and the ones that do get enough prejudice as it is, and honestly if they ones that do are doing it safely it's no big concern of mine. It's not GOOD per se, but it's not that BAD either. I do agree that it is covered more than self harm or drug abuse in the media, which I personally think is stupid, but I think a lot of things the media does is stupid so that's just my partiality talking.

+100 to the double standards thing. Retarded.