Last month, model Amber Rose announced on her Twitter and Instagram accounts that she plans to host her own SlutWalk this summer as a way to end slut-shaming. She explained that her SlutWalk “will be about every Woman Equality issue we deal with everyday.” While some may view Amber Rose’s announcement as new and forward-thinking, in actuality, SlutWalks have been occurring for years. And for good reason.
It all began in 2011 in Toronto, Ontario. The spark for the SlutWalk was ignited by a Toronto police officer who publicly suggested women “avoid dressing like sluts” in order to avoid being sexually assaulted. Naturally, women were angered by this unwanted advice, and they sought to make it right. On April 3, 2011, 3,000 women — as well as many men — gathered at Queen’s Park in Toronto to protest victim-blaming, shaming and rape culture as a whole. Participants made posters, wrote speeches and some even showed up in “slutty attire” to express their anger toward the police. They then proceeded to march together from the park to police headquarters.
It did not end there. The next day, another SlutWalk was organized in Sackville, New Brunswick. A couple months following the original event, the idea of the SlutWalk had spread to other countries. Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, South Korea, England, India, Singapore, as well as the United States all had its own SlutWalks. The SlutWalk quickly became a global phenomenon.
The purpose and message of the SlutWalk has slightly evolved and changed over the past couple of years. What started as a protest against victim-shaming has evolved into a place where rape victims can find support and strength after being assaulted. Some women use the SlutWalk as a way to fight off slut-shaming, supporting the idea that women should be able to wear whatever they want without fear of being criticized or blamed for their decisions.
No matter the reason for an individual to take part, the SlutWalk is a necessary event in today’s world. While some may argue that the “feminist agenda” is over the top and unnecessary, it is anything but. Too many women are told to “cover up” so as not to elicit unwanted attention from men. Too many rape victims are told that their choice of clothing was what caused them to be raped. Too many fingers are pointed at women and the way they dress when they should actually be pointed at the men who rape.
Rape culture – the concept that rape is normalized as a result of society’s attitude toward sexuality and gender – needs to end. But it is something that cannot be stopped overnight. SlutWalks do what should be done: it brings people together who challenge the idea of rape culture in order to fight it together. Much like a giant fire-breathing dragon, rape culture cannot be defeated by one person. Instead an army of people need to work together to defeat it. Society needs to fight this beast together.
SlutWalks are empowering. SlutWalks get people talking about important issues publicly. SlutWalks force others to take a look at the way they perceive “sluts.” Every country, every state, every city should host its own SlutWalk.
It is amazing that Amber Rose is using her celebrity status to bring attention to the cause of the SlutWalk. But she shouldn’t need to. Everyone should be aware of these issues and how people are already battling them. There is power in knowledge. We should all know that the SlutWalk is more than just a bunch of women walking around in their underwear, and we should want to join them.
Follow Alysha Ferguson on Twitter @AlyshaNFerguson