To ask MN to ban the term "slut shaming"?

[BratinghamPalace]

That really, for obvious reasons. Have just been reading the Sinead o Connor/Miley Cyrus thread. (Will be gone for a while and check back later).

"Slut-shaming" is a short phrase for, "stop trying to humiliate a woman for having a liberated, enjoyable sex-life by calling her a slut". We could say that every time we see it, but it's quicker to go, "oi, stop slut-shaming" because it assumed everyone knows that the speaker is against women being called sluts for not being asexual madonnas.

As such, I do not think the term should be banned, as it would be tantamount to silencing feminist discourse.

Jessie, stop the slut-shaming of women!

No it doesn't. It reinforces that some people make those judgements on women.

I agree with Bratingham. The phrase has grown up because society deems these women to be sluts and thus shames them.

I know "woman shaming" doesn't have the same media ring, but it would be a better term to use, as it would demonstrate every time it's used that what's going on here is misogyny.

I've been arguing on the internet about how slut-shaming goes on for years, and I have to say, I do like having this new phrase to encapsulate the problem.

I know the theory behind it. But to those who use words like slut, I don't think it gives that message at all/

Gobby - unfortunately I don't think it does. I don't think the average person sees "slut shaming" and thinks the person doing the slut shaming is full of prejudice because they see the word slut with all the "she deserved it" connotations that that word implies. It should be made clear that what these people are doing is not "slut shaming", its simply horrible anti-woman garbage.

I think I do get it BOF you are just far more eloquent than me!

Taking everything I have read in, I dont think that it should be banned as it is a judgement on the shamer not the shamee. No woman is a slut unless she chooses to self identify as such (and then I would suggest self esteem counselling), and I think that using the phrase "Slut shaming" calls the shamer to defend what they are saying. Its the same as saying someone is a rape or abuse apologist.

TheBig - it encapsulates the problem well if you're a thinker who understands what it means and all that lies behind it. It perpetuates the problem if you're an unevolved misogynist.

If we ban that term we should be banning all names being aimed at women.

But to those who use words like slut, I don't think it gives that message at all

That is a good point. To that sort of person there would be kudos on slut shaming, which means that the phrase probably has a short shelf life from a feminist pov.

I doubt misogynists would even come across the term. I think it's useful and refers to something more specific than "just" misogyny

I do not really want to ban it but did want to discuss it!

True, but if you have defined the problem in a debate, you can then, for the next twenty pages, go, "that's slut-shaming as well", "so is that, you nasty little berk", "trust me, I don't want to go out with you, this isn't sour grapes; I'm calling you out on the slut-shaming".

It does make things less exhausting.

I also think that since we got a word for it, people are recognising the problem more, however mainstream the forum. The existence of shorthand for things makes people accept that it exists.

I don't want anything banned

It's not conducive to liberalism or debate

Vinegar - I think the term is widely used now and that's why I don't think it's ok and why I draw the distinction between those who use it knowing that the shamer thinks the subject is a slut and those who use it because they think/suspect/imply the subject is a slut

I also think that since we got a word for it, people are recognising the problem more, however mainstream the forum. The existence of shorthand for things makes people accept that it exists. very true, and maybe for that alone it's been worth it (phrase still makes me cringe though)

Jessie remember when the young girls were groomed in Brimingham? The BBC did a report and in it they said that eventually these men made the girls work as prostitutes. Short hand and we know what that means right? But do we? Really they kept the girls prisoner and men paid to rape them. Now that is an entirely different discussion and one that would cause change. I understand the very important need for phrases etc, but that need should not blur the issues in question.

Birmingham

Oh sure slut-shaming is misogynistic, it's a subtype of misogyny. I agree with a PP who said that having a specific name for it can make it easier to recognise and talk about. What would be an alternative?

OK what about the slut walks, where women reclaimed the word slut?

The word slut has not yet been reclaimed.

I've never seen it used by anyone who wouldn't identify as a feminist. Is it really being used by misogynists to mean the opposite?!