Thursday, June 9, 2011

Slutwalks: My $0.02

I haven't said much about Slutwalks since the marches began back in April. There isn't one planned for my city, as far as I can tell, and I can't afford a road trip right now. Most of my criticisms have been addressed already: slutwalks are primarily seen as the domain of young white women, and not all women's sexuality is policed in the same way. They are valid, needed, viewpoints, but what bothers me more than slutwalks being not as inclusive as they could be, is the feminist blogosphere dismissing these same criticisms as "peal clutchers." (Which actually was addressed in the comment section on this post on Feministe.)

The current focus of sexuality and "reclaiming sluthood" makes me, as I stand on the precipice of middle age, feel more and more disconnected from contemporary feminism. Recently someone left on my Tumblr dashboard something to the effect of "all women should have 'slut clothes.'" If by slut clothes you mean over-sexualized, over-feminized clothing meant to draw attention to the wearer, I don't have any. I don't want any. And there's really good way to say that without sounding like a "pearl clutcher" shaming those who choose to wear them.

I tried to think of what my own version of "slut clothes" would be, as one who lives primarily in jeans, men's tees and hoodies. I don't have an equivalent because I don't think of myself in those terms. A big issue -- and this falls under not all women's sexuality being policed in the same way -- is that slut for me, as someone who grew up on the lean side of working-class, means more than just a comment on my sexuality. I can't transcend it in a way that someone who grew up in a "nice" neighborhood, and went to "good" schools did. So I think I'll sit this one out.

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