I wrote a mini manifesto about rebranding the word “slut” for a new website called The Provocateur, which features handwritten letters by women. The new definition of “slut” was written by the organizers of the SlutWalk Seattle, and I think it’s perfecto! – Karley Sciortino
The letter can be read in full below, with the text printed below it, in case you can’t read my handwriting, lol. (OMG, writing is so hard now that it’s basically obsolete. I don’t think I’ve written a letter in a decade?)
Also, you should check out The Provocateur – past letter writers include Shirley Manson (the lead singer of Garbage), Janet Mock (writer and transgender rights activist), and singer/author Amanda Palmer. And more!
Sluts have more fun!
Slut: a person of any gender who enjoys frequent consensual sex, especially with multiple partners.
It’s pretty safe to say that every woman will be called a slut at least once in her lifetime. While the sexual double standard is slowly beginning to shift, we’re still a culture with a massive slut-shaming problem. It’s still taboo to be a girl who sleeps around. We still feed girls the outdated, destructive idea that, by having sex, men are getting something, whereas women are giving up something. Guys have sex for fun, but if you’re a girl with a high sex drive, you must have “issues”—your desire must come from your low self-esteem, depression, or because you’re “ugly” and can’t get a boyfriend or whatever.
My advice is: Don’t believe this misogynist, sex-negative bullshit for a second! Remember that, as long as you’re not hurting anyone, than you can have whatever type of sex life you want. Sluts have more fun, and they certainly have better stories. So if/when someone calls you a slut, take it as a compliment. And remember that it’s possible to hijack a word that is intended to hurt you, and reappropriate it as an instrument of power and irreverence.
xo