Thursday, May 24, 2012

Slutwalk Toronto Friday May 25--more blah blah blah



Slutwalk is tomorrow evening. Originally I had lots of criticisms of it, I'm sort of coming around now. My issue isn't with the use of the word "slut"; I understand the concept of 'reclaiming' a term that's been used as a perjorative. I think that's probably a good thing. But in a way this isn't really turning the word on its ear exactly, since I guess the idea is to dress like a stereotypical 'slut' to challenge the assumptions that go along with that.
Nor is my issue the obvious one; that this march, it's messaging etc aren't necessarily that well understood by the average person who sees the march. Unless the point of it is 'we'll wear what we fucking want' in which case, yeah, I guess that message would be understood.
I read a good piece in Bitch magazine last year. They had a pro and a con side discussing the slutwalk phenomenon. I found some coverage from last fall on Racialicious.  Mainstream women's movements have always been criticized for ignoring class and race issues; obviously Slutwalk has the same issues. I don't know if POC have embraced the walk in Toronto or NYC for that matter. I do think it's interesting to consider the implications of 'taking back the word'. I understand well that to subvert of reclaim the meaning of the word 'slut' would be empowering to some women. However, that belief is from my own experience: I haven't been called a 'slut' much in my life at all. Regardless of my behaviour, this label isn't one I've had to deflect, ignore or labour with in any way. It's an academic exercise for me. But for women of colour or working class women, or ANY other women for that matter, may have a different relationship to the word. A relationship that would make them leery of taking it on for ANY reason at all.
But last week I read some more stuff online about the walk and I'm sort of coming around in a way. I do believe that any way to encourage an open narrative about sexual assault, issues of implied and overt consent to sexual attention, and victim-blaming, should be welcomed anytime in any context. 
The thing I don't like about it is it's still a discussion about women's clothes. I'm not sure that this discussion is best served by more analysis of what women wear and what messaging is implied by their sartorial choices. I think it's reductionist and it misses the point completely. This discussion should be about men; their actions, consequences for their actions; and for god's sake leave women's clothing choices out of it for once!

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