SlutWalks

SlutWalks.

Have you heard of them? If not, go here and here and here for a differing opinion. They basically are the new feminist movement protesting the idea that what a women wears has a direct effect on sexual assaults or rapes. You know the "she asked for it, did you see what she was wearing?!" concept.

These walks were born after a Toronto Police Officer lectured to a University that if women wanted to avoid rape, they shouldn't dress like "sluts". (Poor word choice buddy, major fail.) This angered some of the students who then organized a walk hoping to gather some people to voice their anger, bring to light of said statement and to keep the blame of such attacks on the ATTACKER not the victim. It seems to have worked, some 3,000 people turned out to rally against such thinking. (The Officer has since apologized, how nice of him.)

The term "SlutWalk" was chosen because it's so controversial. Some show up wearing lingerie, some wear sweatpants. People come ready to march, often with a variety of the message "I'm a slut" on their clothing in one way or another. Painted on bodies or signs. It's in your face that's for sure.

People have been arguing back "you wouldn't walk around the ghetto waving around a wad of cash and expect not to get robbed would you?" Umm what? Do people really think that is the same thing. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. This is America.  In my opinion, that is apples to oranges.
When I first heard of these, I thought WTF is wrong with people! Who would openly call themselves a slut? Then I kept reading. I found that I agreed with the idea they were protesting. I personally don't dress "slutty" or do I? Who decides? I don't agree with the thought that what I wear, maybe considered in invitation for sexual violence. I don't care if someone is falling over drunk with their woo ha showing, no is still no. I would be pissed if a friend of mine or loved one was a victim of sexual violence. I would be even more pissed if someone said they deserved it because they were wearing a dress or short skirt.  Every women wants to feel beautiful right?  It just comes down to how short your dress is now apparently - according to some people. Coo-coo. Coo-coo. The fact that victims would even have to defend themselves in such cases is just sad.

Does this accusation happen in every case? I sure hope not. I however, do not know the statistics. I just know even if it happened once, that's one time too many. Could they have come up with a different name for this movement? Probably but then it wouldn't get this much attention.

I'm over here whipping off my bra, throwing it in the burning trash can. How's that for a visual? So come October 1, Minneapolis will be having it's very own SlutWalk. Will I be there? Not sure - I can't find any details on the internet, is this some underground stuff or what??. However, I give props to the people standing up for what they believe in. That's what makes this country so great right? It's our right to stand up for what we believe in - no matter how crazy we make ourselves look.

So have you all heard of this? What do you think? Sorry if I offended anyone, that was not my intention. I just really thought this was a very interesting topic and a lot of people had not heard of it.

"Well behaved women rarely make history" - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich