LOCO Sluts!

This Sunday, LOCO Roller Derby got on board with the London Solidarity Slut Walk. We were Safety Sisters, so our job was to help keep the foot traffic in line during the walk, making sure everyone was safe as they marched and stayed on the right side of the street. It was amazing. About 400 people showed up according the police officers there. It was peaceful, empowering and exciting. 

Since the march was controversial, I wanted to write a little bit about the Slut Walk and what it meant, especially since I blog about what the word FAT means. A lot of people objected to the use of the term SLUT, including some of my family members. They didn't understand why we would support the use of that word, a word that has been used to make women feel like shit about themselves. Some of the participants referred to reclaiming the word SLUT, and for the objectors, they didn't get how we could ever turn the word SLUT into a positive word. 

I'm a FAT activist, and part of FAT activism is taking the word FAT back. That means removing the negative connotations of the word. When I say, "I'm fat," I don't mean, "I suck." When someone calls me FAT, I say, "yeah, I know." I describe other large women as fellow FATties, surf FAT girl websites and shop in FAT girl clothing stores. That's because being FAT isn't a bad thing. When people say I'm not FAT, I have to stop them and say, yes, yes, I am FAT. But I also have to explain that I agree with them in a way - I'm not FAT in the way they think I am using the word. I am not lazy, misshapen, abnormal or ugly. But I am another kind of FAT: I'm beautiful, and that's fine with me. Better than fine, I'm actually happy to be FAT. Being FAT has made me who I am. At this point in my life, I wouldn't want to be thin. I take back the word FAT. It means something new. 

I don't think we can take back the word SLUT in the same way. We're not about to go around being proud to be SLUTs. I mean, some activists might try doing that as a way to celebrate their sexuality, but the difference is, my sexuality is private in a different way than my body. You can see my body right in front of you. My sexual habits are hidden and only shared with some others. And while my body is private in that it is only my business, it is public for you to see. My sex life is totally private, unless I chose otherwise. This is an essential difference. 

And we also have to remove SLUT from the same dialogue as GAY and LESBIAN or any other LGBT referencing words. Some people might get these words jumbled into the same pile because they involve sex. But, your sexual orientation is an essential part of who you are, and while private, is also public in the way that FAT is. Your sexual orientation affects your daily life, your social world. It's visible to others (if you let it be - I'm not saying you can spot a gay person by how they look). So, the word SLUT can't taken back the way some derogatory words referencing the LGBT community can be. 

Does that make sense? I'm trying to make a point and it might not be coming across very well. But I think most women would agree that we'd like to stop using the word SLUT rather than calling all women SLUTs, because all women have the right to be sexual, and if we reclaimed the word SLUT in that way, we would have to call all of us SLUTs. 

Reclaiming the word SLUT means something different in this case. It means taking away the word's power. By coming together in this walk and calling ourselves all SLUTs and walking together in solidarity, we're showing the word to be hollow and empty. We're taking away it's hurtfulness. So rather than giving the word SLUT a new meaning, we're making it mean nothing. 

The women of LOCO seemed to instinctual get this, and while we didn't sit down and hash it out, we showed our support by showing up and helping out. Afterwards, we sat on a patio where I got a righteous sunburn and had a beer. The Slut Walk brought us together -- again -- and reminded us of how much power there is in coming together to stand up for what is right. 

The Slut Walk isn't for everyone, and that's cool. Not everyone can look at a word like SLUT straight on and not be offended. Some people would just like us to banish the word like we have other derogatory phrases and move on. But for others, this was a chance to attack an attitude in society that women are somehow responsible for the sexual assaults and rapes that they are subject to. After all, we all know someone who has been raped or assaulted. 

I capitalized these words, because we need to look at them. We need to face what they mean, and choose whether or not to give these words the power they ask for. 

What do you think? I'm trying to express something here and I'd like to know if I did it well, so please write in the comments (unless you are just a hater, and then I'll delete you, cause it's my blog and I can do that if I want). 

For the time being, I'm proud to have walked with all my fellow LOCO Sluts this Sunday.

Vansterdamn XXX