By now, you’ve probably heard the gossip about the Portland Slutwalk. I heard a lady talking loudly about it on the 14 bus yesterday, actually, telling her friend about how all these people are going to dress up slutty and walk through downtown Portland this Sunday to protest… something.
The Slutwalk started last winter in Toronto after a police officer told a group of law students that women should avoid being raped by “not dressing like sluts”. Over 1,000 people then took to the streets, marching in slutty outfits.
But Portland’s organizers see this Sunday’s event a bit differently. I talked with organizer Sophia St. James about what she’s expecting.
MERCURY: Is the gist of this that a lot of people are going to dress in sort of “slut costumes” and march through the streets?
SOPHIA ST JAMES: That’s not what it’s about. I know that’s the misconception, however it’s not about dressing slutty and walking down the street. It’s about saying no matter what we wear, where we go, what we look like, we have a right to be safe. One of the first things that’s asked about rape victims is, ‘What where they wearing? Where were they at?’ It doesn’t matter. If someone was wearing a mini-skirt because she wanted to have fun, that doesn’t mean it’s her fault if she is raped.
If it’s not about being slutty or about walking, why call it a Slutwalk?
It’s something to grab your attention, to make you say, “Oh my God, what is that?” It’s also to reclaim a derogatory word. … The name does throw people off, but the organizing and the passion behind it is what will make this event a success.
Why did you decide to organize one of these events for Portland specifically?
Rape culture is a problem everywhere. Especially in Portland, we’re really making an effort for our event to be all inclusive. Not just women, but all people who have become victims of rape culture are welcome to march.
Are people asking you what they should wear? How to dress “slutty”?
We’ve been getting a lot of questions about what should we wear, and we say dress how you feel comfortable, dress however you want. We’re expecting to see a lot of pasties and stilettos, but we’re also expecting to see jeans. We’re hoping it will be a march against rape culture versus a parade of revealing clothing.
Are you nervous that there will bunch of onlookers who catcall and jeer the crowd?
We’re definitely nervous because you never know how many people are going to counter protest. Howeve, we’re working with Portland police to plan the event and we’re expecting, but no encouraging, the cat calls and inappropriate behavior. That’s part of what we’re protesting against, that just because someone’s dressing revealing, it doesn’t mean they’re dressing that way for you.
Awesome. Release your inner sluts, ladies! Once again, us guys win when women protest stuff.
Wait, no article on Oregons tendancy to elect politicians who get involved in sex scandals?
Whatever. I’m all for exhibitionism.
@frankieb, good luck on that one. There should be an article if we DON”T elect a politician who was involved in a sex scandal
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.
Have Nex liveblog it, please.
“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.
This is rife with ample photo-ops.
So, where is the best place to set up some chairs and watch these naughty-but-not-slutty women strut by in all their exhibitionist glory?
I hope that this event gets sponsored by this website: http://www.3wishes.com/
I want to start a protest to protest that more women are not dressing like ‘sluts’ (this is meant in the positive take-it-back way mentioned above).
I think it is a worthy cause, but a better name might help matters. Regardless, I agree with the cause
This thread is a good example of why men are fucking morons who don’t deserve to get laid.
“First they came for the rape culture, and I said nothing.”
Have Nex liveblog it.
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.