Filmmaker Emily Linden's 2016 documentary, Unslut: A Documentary Film, talks about what it means to slut shame, it's negative effects, and what we should do to stop it. In an interview with Girl Talk HQ, Linden explains how women of any age can experience the shame and bullying that comes with being labeled as a slut and how society and education aren't doing much to change such behavior. Linden also goes into detail about how the label of slut is closely linked with what women wear and it becomes the norm for it to be their fault that they are called sluts. The filmmaker even admits that she slut shamed other women for years before understanding that many of these women were victims. Unslut proves to be a film that can start a conversation.
Vera Papisova wrote an interesting article for Teen Vogue in order to educate fellow women on slut shaming. In "5 Things You Need to Know About Slut Shaming," Papisova gets straight to the point and writes that women slut shame each other in order to not be labeled a slut themselves. In quoting Dr. Ebony Utley, Ph.D and intimacy expert, the article states, "We live in a patriarchal society, and women are trying to find places where they can fit and be acceptable. The best way to do that is to put someone else down. As long as there are 'bitches' over there, as long as there are 'sluts' over there, then you’re safe because you’re not one of them. That’s what makes 'slut' so easy.” Many women are trying to fit into the society that they were placed into instead of changing a skewed society, which leaves many women unsympathetic towards each other.
In talking with my group about our film on women shaming, we did discuss that our project doesn't simply cover women calling each other 'sluts,' but the act of women talking behind each other's backs, especially those who are friends. Within our discussion in class and in our group meeting, however, we did agree that much of the shaming between women had to do with their appearance or their clothes. When the clothes are deemed "too sexy," the term 'slut' is typically thrown around, but when the clothes are "too cheap," "too different," or "the exact thing Emma is wearing," other hurtful terms are still used among girl groups. And typically behind someone's back.
In my research to find more documentaries on the subject, I met a large brick wall. Emily Linden's film seems to be the only documentary that I could find that addresses slut shaming, which doesn't completely deal with our film about women shaming women. In the narrative world, however, there are a few popular films that deal with this issue and can be viewed for research:
- Mean Girls (2004)
- Heathers (1988)
- Easy A (2010)
- The Duff (2015)
- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
In the articles below, women write of why they think women shame other women (or in more inclusive terms "why do we shame each other?") and how we are all conditioned by our media and culture to do so. Writer Charisse Thompson noted that she couldn't help but think Samantha was such a slut when she watch ed Sex and the City for the first time, despite believing that a woman participating in healthy intercourse is natural. In another article by Meg Gibson, studies are showing that women aren't just shaming each other in real life behind their friends' backs, but over social media. Women tweet the word "slut" or "whore" about each other more than men do about women! These article show just how much of a problem there is in women shaming:
- Why Do Women Slut-Shame Each Other
- Study: Women Slut-Shame Each Other On Twitter as Much as Men Do
- Attention: Females Stop Slut Shaming Other Women
- The Psychology Of Bitchiness: Women Use Slut-Shaming As A Defense Tactic
In the wise words of Tina Fey (via Ms. Norbury in Mean Girls), "you all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it ok for guys to call you sluts and whores.”
No comments:
Post a Comment