Tag Archives: slut shaming

Seriously, ELLE? Do You Never Learn?

I actually don’t want to spend a lot of time (read: any time at all) talking about how women look. Between fat shaming and slut shaming and body image issues… oh man, I have completely lost track of why I’m supposed to hate myself.

My personal solution? I like myself. I deprive all the shaming industries of what they desire most- my self-loathing. But, I know not all women are so fortunate. So, we find ourselves here. Again.

ELLE MAGAZINE! WHAT ARE Y’ALL UP TO? I’M ASKING! FOR SERIOUS!

For the second time in six months, ELLE Magazine got real scurred about having a non-sample size woman on the cover. Note the distinction there- A woman, not a model. We should all know that high fashion is not reality. We should all know that professional models aren’t ever styled to look like actual human people. And you know who should know that better than anyone?

EVERYONE AT ELLE MAGAZINE.

The folks at ELLE seem allergic to women who don’t fit in their sample size designer closet. Come out of the closet, ELLE. (Yes, unironically.)

Note to ELLE: There are a bunch of real women out here- beautiful, strong, smart, talented and funny women- who know that sample size is not real size. To take it a step further, we are unafraid to see that reality reflected on the cover of magazines from time to time. If you’re taking time out to honour talented women or funny women, we know they’re not going to be the homogenized coat hangers with heads that usually appear on magazine covers. We’re big, strong people. (Yes, unironically.) We can take it.

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Rashida Jones Says What We Are All Thinking

Hopefully you`ve had a chance to read Why Is Everyone Getting Naked? by Rashida Jones.

I`m not sure her detractors understand the concept of `Slut Shaming`. Or maybe I don`t understand it. Because what I understand it to be is when women are called out for exhibiting overly sexual behaviour that causes them to deserve some treatment (you shouldn`t dressing provocatively if you don`t want to get raped – that`s slut shaming).

The way I read it (and I`m not paraphrasing anything, so I might be totally wrong) is that the worry stems from some women in the public eye who seem to act out mostly as a sexual fantasy blow up doll for the enjoyment of others. Even women who have full, confident and even very blatant and in-your-face control of their sexuality are not defined by it. They`re all still three-dimensional people.

And those three dimensions are the aspect that the perky popstar girl-toy seems to miss. These girls have agents and managers and stylists and dressers- not one of them has 100% control over their image. And they are walking billboards for… whatever they`re selling. Perfume? Clothes? I really have no idea anymore…

This is not a new trend, obviously. There`s Britney Spears, who was still in her teens in the 90s (oh yes it was!) when dunked into a schoolgirl outfit and told to Work, Bitch! And look at the poor girl still trying to do it! Was she ever doing it for herself? Has she ever seemed like a person who`s had any control over her image and career?

On the receiving end, the message that is broadcast, loud and clear, to girls and women through these manufactured pop princesses: You will never bee good enough. Whore yourself out and try, because that`s your only chance, but we`re going to tear you apart either way. You will never succeed with your brains or your ability, so make sure people can see your boobs in that fake sex tape you make.

Talk about something society should be shamed over…

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