NPR had a segment this week about the slutwalk. Some lady called in and said she took her young children to it, which prompted the host to ask if she considered her children to be "sluts".
I love the idea, but the name remains a problem. It's too easily ridiculed and misunderstood.
"TAKING SLUT BACK": the meaning of the word IS changing. young girls prefer to be called a slut rather than a bitch.when I was at highschool, if they started calling you a slut, you could forget it. not one guy would ask you to go out. this has changed, I think. I even found a brand of t-shirts using the word slut, and not in the negative way: http://slutshirt.spreadshirt.com/ it IS changing.
My only question is whether or not the police officer's advice might have a shred of rationality to it. Does dressing a certain way increase your risk of rape? My question isn't SHOULD IT, but DOES IT. If there is evidence that certain behaviors increase your risk, then I can see it being important that he, in the interest of the well-being of the students he's talking to, mention it.
Although, honestly, my instinct is that your garb doesn't have a significant influence on whether you're targeted. It's important that the responsibility for the violence be put on the perpetrator. However, if there is evidence that he was warning women of a measurably risky behavior, I don't see what the uproar is.
Ahh, Justin has raised a good point. The elephant in the room.
What if the officers ideas were expressed differently, as opposed to the crude way he spoke them?
Of course we are all opposed to rape and violence towards women. That should be a given, as well as women should be able to dress anyway they like and not be attacked for it. Of course.
But when dealing with the mind of a rapist how does this play out? Maybe his mind is troubled by addiction? Maybe he is just simply a sick fuck, right?
And if you are to assume this, what type of behavior - or dress -would incite them to act?
A girl dressed as a slut, or a conservative appearance?
It isn't right. It isn't fair. But it just is.
I think this officer wouldn't have been villified had he used more gentle words, but hey - cops are not expected to be poets.
Slutwalk may want to raise the issue with the public and thus try to remedy it, but it is in vain. The guys they aim to change the minds of (potential rapists) won't care one way or another about this protest.
So, yet another protest with people getting undressed alongside PETA, the Naked Bike Ride, etc etc.
MCR86, I'm sorry you got raped, but maybe you are the moron who doesn't deserve to be fucked.
Please wait...
and remember to be decent to everyone all of the time.
Whatever. I'm all for exhibitionism.
I love the idea, but the name remains a problem. It's too easily ridiculed and misunderstood.
Although, honestly, my instinct is that your garb doesn't have a significant influence on whether you're targeted. It's important that the responsibility for the violence be put on the perpetrator. However, if there is evidence that he was warning women of a measurably risky behavior, I don't see what the uproar is.
What if the officers ideas were expressed differently, as opposed to the crude way he spoke them?
Of course we are all opposed to rape and violence towards women. That should be a given, as well as women should be able to dress anyway they like and not be attacked for it. Of course.
But when dealing with the mind of a rapist how does this play out? Maybe his mind is troubled by addiction? Maybe he is just simply a sick fuck, right?
And if you are to assume this, what type of behavior - or dress -would incite them to act?
A girl dressed as a slut, or a conservative appearance?
It isn't right. It isn't fair. But it just is.
I think this officer wouldn't have been villified had he used more gentle words, but hey - cops are not expected to be poets.
Slutwalk may want to raise the issue with the public and thus try to remedy it, but it is in vain. The guys they aim to change the minds of (potential rapists) won't care one way or another about this protest.
So, yet another protest with people getting undressed alongside PETA, the Naked Bike Ride, etc etc.
MCR86, I'm sorry you got raped, but maybe you are the moron who doesn't deserve to be fucked.