WE SAY NO to slut shaming

Slut-shaming is the practice of criticizing people, especially women  who are perceived to violate expectations of behavior and appearance regarding issues related to sexuality. It may also be used in reference to gay men, who may face disapproval for sexual behaviors considered promiscuous.

Examples of slut-shaming include being criticized for dressing perceived by the sexually provocative ways, requesting access to birth control (including avortement), having premarital sex and being blamed for being raped or otherwise sexually assaulted.

Feminists who use the term slut-shaming denounce a society that considers sexually active women to be "sluts". Slut-shaming is a means of preventing women from expressing themselves primarily about their sexuality.  Slut-shaming is therefore a sign of pressure exerted by patriarchal society on women not to transgress its gender norms.

Indeed, there is no male equivalent to slut-shaming and the terms for a sexually active man (Dom Juan, ladies' man...) do not have negative connotations.

Feminists consider it urgent to stop slut-shaming, which is extremely hurtful to the women who suffer from it. They highlight its psychological consequences and the violence to which it exposes women.

The "slut shaming" movement is very present on the social networks that we use every day like Instagram, Facebook etc...

Indeed, many women are constantly criticized and belittled on these platforms.

Misogynistic comments, publications sexualizing women's bodies, these are "slut shaming" actions that we witness every day and that undermine women's integrity.

The Pew Research Center has reported that young women are often the most frequent targets of harassment on Internet. According to the report, 50 percent of young women surveyed have been treated in an insulting or humiliating manner online.  In particular, those between the ages of 18 and 24 experienced serious harassment to varying degrees and at surprisingly high rates.

In addition, slut-shaming has been used as a form of bullying on social media, with some people using revenge pornography tactics to spread intimate photos without consent.

While the impunity conferred by the virtual world is more conducive to the spread of this hatred of women, the fact remains that such violence is a serious violation of rights, privacy and dignity and is therefore prohibited by law and is reprehensible.

Such violence often affects young or even very young women, sometimes minors, and often in a context that is also racist. It is mostly perpetrated by men. This type of violence directly attacks the victims' self-esteem and creates a climate of isolation and exclusion.

Women and girls are subject to contradictory social pressures to present an image of themselves as sexy and attractive, but not too much.

#slutshaming #wesayno