Hello, my name is Soph and this is my first article. Anyway, I want to tell my experience with slut-shaming in my school environment. During a school party organized by my school to raise funds, one of my friends came to me to ask if she looked like a “sl*t”. I was confused by this question, in my own words I told her outright no. This made me think about the way teenage girls are frowned upon by society for solely wearing clothes. How can a teenage girl be worried about wearing “provocative” clothes at such age? This is a problem at my school. I see every day the word “sl*t” and “wh*re” being told to girls who dress a certain way or have had a romantic interest in people. The effects of slut-shaming can destroy a person’s self-esteem and at the very age of 14, my friend has developed just that. At one time I’ve heard her own family being telling her how other people are saying “about her misdeeds”. Also, other people from schools within my community have expressed the same thoughts to her. Still, she also slut-shames other girls and boys with no repercussions.From first to third grade most students are exposed to this kind of treatment and expose others to it. Unfortunately, many girls around other communities worldwide experience this type of treatment. People, including adults, harass teen girls publicly and label them as promiscuous.
My school administration doesn’t help girls with strict dress codes that prohibit shorts in summer.Once asking another one of my friends to return home to change due to her “provocative shorts”.Recently the administration wanted to change a dance number due to concerns over the provocativeness of it.On the other hand, it prohibited the color red to our graduation party because we would look “like sex-workers”. The fact that an education facility is outright perpetuating slut-shaming is horrifying in all senses.
Nevertheless, next year my little sister will start seventh grade at my school and there is nothing more worrying to me of what can happen to her in this kind of environment. The best solution is to talk to her and bring up this topic, express to her that she shouldn’t be worried of what to wear and to also not condemn anyone a “wh*re” or “sl*t”.While I cannot change the culture surrounding my school, my voice can grant a change within my circle if friends and my family. At the end, slut shaming only harms and never sets a positive environment for teenagers. It only humiliates women for expressing themselves and being who they are.
