Party With Sluts We've all seen this guy. He's some fratty beefcake with an obnoxious drug habit and zero originality, and he's got a really offensive shirt on. It says "Party with Sluts" -- or something about drugs and vaginas -- it's brighter than the sun, and it glows in the dark. But here's the thing: Um, he's talking about you. Yes, girl who is so sure she's not a dehumanized sexual caricature, but still shows up naked to shake her ass upside down and put stickers on her tits and pretend Champagne is bubbly cum on film because "it's the culture." Much like a Dali painting, if we step back far enough and look at the whole picture, this shit takes on a totally different meaning.
Shut Up About Slut Shaming Already All the time people tell us "it's totally not cool to slut shame." But you know what's even less cool? The fact that women have been brainwashed to think empowerment is being Britney Spears circa 2007. Excuse me, but what the hell? Feminism is about being able to be yourself. If your true self is being half-naked, drunk and proud of it, by all means, do you, boo. But our true self is trying to be a respected professional, and sadly, it's an uphill battle. It doesn't help when everyone around you plays into sexist stereotypes, or is afraid to say, "Hey, this is awkward as hell. I'm uncomfortable with the way you perceive me." Sometimes we do speak up, and people be like, "Sorry, it's just the way it is," or "You're slut shaming" or "You're just being overly-sensitive," and that's also a problem.
It's not cool to expect women to be and/or act like ratchet prostitutes, and it's not cool for youth culture to demean and debase women without also representing them as powerful, capable, talented individuals. Sure, not everyone is a sexist asshole, but the big picture is looking bleak. Until we live in a world where men respect us as equals, we have a responsibility to remind them. We have a responsibility to respect ourselves.
Follow Kat Bein on Twitter @KatSaysKill.
RFT MUSIC'S GREATEST HITS
The 15 Most Ridiculous Band Promo Photos Ever "Where Did My Dick Go?" The Gathering of the Juggalos' Best Overheard Quotations I Pissed Off Megadeth This Week, My (Former) Favorite Band The Top Ten Ways to Piss Off Your Bartender at a Music Venue
Follow @rftmusic
