But still, how come girls can take "slutty" pictures, but guys can run around without their shirts on and it is considered "hot"? This all comes back to who has to repress their sexuality more. It's evident in just our everyday language or thoughts.
I highly doubt no girl has ever seen a guy without his shirt on and said, "that slut." It just doesn't happen in our world.
Then again, do we blame the guys or do we blame the system? Can we even blame anyone as we all feed into it?
How can we hate the player, when he is just good at the game?
How can we hate the player, when he is just good at the game?
Kind of along the same lines, I was having a discussion with a friend about how party themes are often targeting derogatory names towards women (like indian bros and navaHOES). Everyone laughs at the titles of these themes; yet, why is it funny for women to be the ones in the bad spotlight? Most of the time, women are complicit to the theme and go along with the theme because its supposedly humorous...at least for me. I never really second think the themes--I just thought they were funny and creative. Thinking a second time around, these kinds of titles aren't funny. In fact, it just reinforces particular norms that shouldn't be repeated.
ReplyDeleteI've also had a similar conversation with a friend. Like a girl hooks up with multiple guys and is called a "slut". A guy hooks up with multiple girls and is applauded by his friends and is known to be able to "pull" girls, but he's not called a "guy slut" or anything of that nature. Like one night I was out and I overheard some guy telling his friend, "I'm going to go around and find some b**ches for us." In their minds, we're not even seen as women or girls. We're just something for their pleasure. I feel this could also relate to that Neal article about the perception of blacks and how more of the community should be offended by the fact that their women are called b**ches and hoes and all those derogatory words.
ReplyDeleteIt also goes along with the themes as Krysti was pointing out. Like the themes try to incorporate the words ho, sexy, or something along those lines into their titles. For example, one theme I remember recently was corporate bros and sexy ceos. Like it is a bit funny, some of the titles since some can be quite creative and you laugh at it more sarcastically than realistically, but it does reinforce the fact that women keep being degraded within society.
I believe we blame the system, for we've been taught that the word "slut" mainly applies to girls and "slutty" outfits pertain to the skimpy outfits only girls wear, nothing guys wear. "Slut" also pertains to the actions girls do, none that guys do. I guess it's one of those things that is imprinted in our minds at an early age. Like I remember in middle school, everyone knew who the "sluts" were, and I hadn't really been taught about that or exposed to it until after I found out about it. But yet, we as young 6th graders, could still tell what distinguished them from the other girls. The media could be an influence as well. But yeah, this is something I've noticed for a while.
I know exactly what you mean Harleen. I was talking to one of my friends who is in a sorority and I asked her why fraternities always had parties but sororities never did. I'm not really familiar with Greek life so I was curious because to me it seemed strange. She told me that basically, it's always been that way - it's tradition. Besides, a house of girls who throws a party is viewed differently than a house of boys who do. It's expected of boys, and no one gives a second thought, but when girls throw a party, all of a sudden it's inappropriate and not traditional. Frats have a stigma of being all about partying, but sororities are expected to maintain a level of maturity and poise in society that fraternities do not. I thought about what she said and to me it seems like a huge double standard, that everyone plays by the rules of the system, and the rules are in favor of the men, while the women face more limitations.
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