Today (10/2, Sunday) I just found this article on Think Progress that reinforces why the slutwalks are so necessary.
On the MNSlutwalk webpage they have the following statement:
People are not required to dress “slutty” or reclaim the word “slut”.
That is item number 2 - that's how important it is.
For those of you that are unaware
The rallies began when Constable Michael Sanguinetti, a Toronto Police officer, suggested that to remain safe, "women should avoid dressing like sluts."[3][4] The protest takes the form of a march, mainly by young women, where some dress in ordinary clothing and others dress provocatively, like "sluts."
Now -------
Why not reclaim the word "slut"?
What I am seeing and hearing on the news is the outrage over the use of the word "slut" - the "offerndati" are coming out in full force. And this is really a challenge for me to understand.
I'm not 20 something or 30 something or 40 something or even 50 something....
In the late 60's as part of the women's movement we "would reclaim" - "desensitize" ourselves to the words commonly used against women.
We would sit down in a circle on the floor and hold hands and scream - at the top of our lungs - the following words
cunt
slut
bitch
whore
lesbian
lesbo
beaver
bimbo
pussy
hag
Just to name a few.
And this was part of every meeting and we went home hoarse.
What did it do? Exactly what it was suppose to do -
Someone calls me a bitch - I don't care.
My boss referred to me as a "bitch" just this past year.
Someone calls me a whore - I don't care.
I've heard this many times throughout my life.
Someone tells me other people think I'm a lesbian - I don't care.
And I get this on a regular basis - because I don't date -
perfectly happy being with me, without a partner of any sexual orientation.
If someone calls someone else a bitch, whore or slut - and I can see that they have upset that person - I step in, I will act, I get in their face, literally - but I also take time for a little lecture about it "a word, being a word", powerless, until you give it power.
I do not tolerate other people being derogatory to others.
And I do step in - but I never argue the word - I always slam them for their aggressive behavior.
I don't denigrate others by the use of derogatory slang.
I don't tolerate other people being denigrated by a word.
- if they use it on me, I don't care.
There is no power in the word slut
- unless you give that power to someone else by your reaction to the word.
Screw them - thank them for calling you a slut
- I've done that - watch their reaction - it totally throws them off base.
We are amazing human beings - every single one of us (except the MN Tea Partiers and Republicans)
- and we should embrace our wonderfulness and our unique qualities.
WE should define ourselves, who we are, what we are and who/what we are going to be
- and we should never let others define us with "words".
This is what I learned in the 60's and it has served me well.
Someone calls me a whore in a threatening manner
- I react to the threat - which is always something you have to deal with.
But I don't react to word, whore.
It's about the aggression that caused the other person to use that word.
It's about the aggression in which the derogatory word was used
- it's not about the word.
Focusing on the word - serves little purpose.
Focusing on the aggression that provoked the word - can solve problems.
And the SlutWalkMN does just that - it addresses the misogynist aggression of a Canadian cop.
Yours truly,
Your everloving - long living -
cunt
slut
bitch
whore
lesbian
lesbo
beaver
bimbo
pussy
hag
from a time before the organized offenderati.
Some people are really pissed off right now - that's okay.
There's no agression in this message - just words.
This is my life experience and it has served me well and
I won't post comments or respond to any "offenderati"
who deem it necessary to tell me that my life experience is wrong.
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