Urban Dictionary defines slut shaming as “an unfortunate phenomenon in which people degrade or mock a woman because she enjoys having sex, has sex a lot, or may even just be rumored to participate in sexual activity.”  Recently there has been much talk about body shaming and fat shaming, but what about slut shaming? Slut shaming is not gender specific.There are many forms of slut shaming, such as commenting on people’s choice of clothes.

My friend was once wearing a low cut top that showed the smallest amount of cleavage, and yet people commented on it, stating that she should “leave it to the imagination,” but it is not imaginary that girls have boobs. Girls who wear short skirts, or skimpy tops are often titled as ‘slutty’, but it is very rare to hear people say ‘good for them.’ My friend was very comfortable in the clothes she wore, she was wearing them with confidence, and she was happy with her body. Yet people told her to cover up, told her to hide her body away underneath, because it is not ‘classy’.

An anonymous source said that she “[had] been slut shamed in the past, but [she has not] had sex.”  The term has been so overused that it is now being taken so out of context. No matter how many times someone has had sex, no matter what clothes people wear, everyone is human, and people need to realize that.

Everyone has different needs, and everyone deserves at least a bit of respect. The amount of sex you have, should not determine whether or not you are worth less than other people. It should not determine whether you deserve less respect than others.

The anonymous source carried on saying that she was “wearing a short skirt, when [she] heard that people were calling [her] a slut,” she also stated that “The skirt [she] was wearing does not define who [she is], [she is] comfortable with [her] body and should be allowed to wear whatever [she wants].”

Men who have sex often get called names such as ‘man slut’, or ‘player,’ or worse, ‘man whore.’ Slut shaming is completely unnecessary, yet it is so present and it happens everyday to men and women.

People need to realize that both men and women have bodies that maybe they want to show off. They do not wear the clothes they wear for other people, but for themselves. People who choose to show off their body more than others, do not deserve to be slut shamed. No one ever deserves to be slut shamed.

Lily Griffiths