Say what now... a "Slut Walk"?!
Sex makes “a man, a man” but sex for a woman is taboo. Five sex partners and some “locker room talk” later and all of a sudden you are the man. Five sex partners and a rumor later, now she’s a “hoe” with no morals or respect for her body. Why is it so wrong for a woman to have such a vibrant sex life? Why can’t a woman be proud to flaunt her body? What is the real difference between Michelle Obama and Amber Rose? These are all questions that obviously need answers but for some reason we can’t open our minds long enough to accept the fact that a woman can be just a sexual as a man. Hello, it is 2016 right? Time throw on your fishnet stockings, your best bustier, those panties that cup your booty just right, and don’t forget those hot red platform pumps you keep in the back of your closet. We are headed to Amber Rose’s Slut Walk!
If you aren’t familiar with the one and only “Muva”,let me fill you in. Amber Rose is an actress, model, and fashion guru best known for her relationships with rappers Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa. At the young age of 15, she became a stripper to provide for her family and it has haunted her ever since. Over the past two years she has become very vocal about her beliefs on women’s rights. Particularly on her views of how women should be able to have sex and be proud of it. Her walks have revealed the best and the worst in both men and women. She has been praised by some for walking in her truth with no shame, promoting a healthy sex life, and speaking up for those who society turns their nose up to. Of course, with the good comes the ugly and she is bashed for not being classy, covered up, or censored.
The one topic that can turn a classroom into a war room is the topic of women, men, and sex. We are taught at an early age that women are to be nice, well put together, and classy. Legs crossed, chest out, nose up, and did I mention... legs crossed? Prostitutes and strippers where the butt of all the jokes around the dominoes table. That is no way to make a living and nine times out of ten, she is selling her body for a quick buck. Little did they know they were what Amber calls "Slut Shamming". I can't place all the blame on the men because women (YES, WOMEN!) we are just as responsible as the men. We turn a cheek to those women who are bold enough to wear that dress that hugs them just right. We make ugly faces as the sex workers out there trying to make a living just by using what they've got. Never once have we made it ok for women to be promiscuous and not have it come with a consequence.
Social media is unforgiving and with the power people have behind their computer screens it's no wonder why woman like Amber Rose can't catch a break. Her slut walk had social media going crazy back in 2015 when she started her movement. Here you have a women who has this "promiscuous" background and she is giving women who may have the same background a voice. If it were a man such as Terry Crews who identifies himself as a "feminist", would he have caught so much hate from the digital world. It may come off as he is supporting a woman's right to be sexy and shameless. Before, it was just table talk behind closed doors. Your opinion didn't count for much, let's be honest, before the boom of social media we weren't as vocal as we are now. The digital age has given society a way to bully, sham, and not have to say it to your face. I think it is all a paradigm shift. It is different than what is normal for women to do. "Strippers have feelings too? If they had some class about themselves they wouldn't have to worry about people hurting their feelings". Most of the comments under the articles and videos are ugly and they get pretty disrespectful towards the women and men who participated in the walk.
I chose the Slut Walk because women are always subject to shaming. It happens everyday from the board room to the break room. Women should be able to be themselves unapologetically. A woman is asking to be touched and grouped because of the way she wears her clothes and some people find that to be ok. Amber is out there
teach young men and women the importance of consent. That no means no for both men and women. All the hard work she is doing to raise money and awareness about the cause is being foreshadowed by the way she is shaped, her past as a stripper, and relationships with entertainers. Some have deemed her version of feminism wrong and it goes against the cause. Last time I checked it was about empowering and uplifting women, not tearing them down because they have different "morals" than you. You've got to respect her for being bold enough to stand in front of people and say "I'm a woman and I love sex, accept it".
As a woman I agree with her. My short skirt and form fitting top does not give you the right to touch me or disrespect my space. As a woman I have the right to have sex with who I want, when I want, and how many times I want (safely). No one can put tabs on my body count be it 1 or 100. I shouldn't be teased or taunted about it. No one should take to social media to derail my experiences. I have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of good sex. Men don't get to have all the fun, right Amber?
