Slut

By Nicole Cater


Slut!  What do you think of when you hear that word?  More importantly, WHO do you think of when you hear that word?  Because what is a slut?  Is it a woman who has a lot of sex?  Is it a woman who has a lot of sex with many different men?  Are sluts only male oriented or can lesbians be sluts?  Is it just a woman who dresses provocatively?

A Google search yields two definitions for the word slut.  One:   A woman who has many casual sexual partners.  Two:  A woman with low standards of cleanliness.

Let’s take a deeper look at these definitions -- plus some time honored accepted others. 

First, a woman with many casual sexual partners.  I get it, we’re descended from Puritans… sex is bad.  But the truth is, sex is great.  Sex is fun.  Sure, monogamous sex is awesome.  But we’re all animals and you don’t see a lion shunning five of his female pride members for the sake of monogamy.  The truth that no sex educator wants you to know is that as long as you take the proper safety precautions, casual sex with multiple partners is completely safe.  Just ask men.  They certainly don’t have the problem with it that women are taught to have.  Don’t know you; want to hook up?  My penis says no problem.  And it should be pointed out that men are having consensual sex because, dammit, they like the way it makes them feel.  So it’s time to drop the hypocrisy and admit that women can like the way sex feels too.  If we didn’t, none of us would even risk getting pregnant. 

So let’s review.  Sex feels good.  Consensual means both parties agree.  Despite eons of oppression, women are just as allowed as men to own their sexuality.  Sex can be had safely.  Ergo, women who like to have sex and like to do it with a variety of men are following the natural order of things.  They are not sluts.  If you want to continue calling them sluts, fair is fair, and call that man a slut too.

Moving on… a woman with low standards of cleanliness.  This is vague as hell!  All of a sudden I’m a slut because I don’t give a rat’s ass about the dust bunny colony under my bed.  I submit the following proposal; take away “woman” and you are going to have more sluts that you know what to do with.  My boyfriend is a slut because he will let dishes sit in the sink for a week.  His son is a slut because he can’t possibly get his clothes into the laundry hamper.  My mom’s dog is a slut because she tears toys up and leaves them everywhere.   I didn’t was my hair today, I’m such a slut.  Sluts, sluts everywhere.

But do you see my point?  These definitions are so ridiculously arbitrary that they are hard to defend.  And those are the actually definitions.  I overheard, “She let a guy finger her and sucked his dick; she’s a slut.”  Whether said teen caved to peer pressure or truly enjoyed her minor sexual escapades, this foray into adulthood doesn’t exactly a slut make.  “She slept with my man; what a slut.”  Nope, your man slept with her, he’s the slut, sorry.  “Look at that short skirt; she’s dressed like such a slut.”  Even if we were to claim the word slut as valid, it has absolutely nothing to do with style of dress.  You, however, are dressed like a moron.

Like the fine feminist I am, I’m going to cap this off with anything men can do women can do too.  Sure, maybe we can’t always do it better.  But you can’t do it as well as us.  But there is only one set of rules here, rules for the human race.  Male supremacy is a joke.  But the saddest part is that they aren’t even in on the joke.  Your penis allows you one thing and one thing only; peeing standing up.  Whoever lied to you about the rest of the benefits it earned you, go find and address them.  We’re sick of your shit.