Slut shaming has been and continues to be a way to oppress women, particularly women who have sexual experiences or used against women who are perceived to be overly sexual. It is a derogatory term that is used to dehumanize women, and devalue them. When looking at slut shaming, we can think of the many stereotypes that women face on a daily basisWhen looking at the prominent written rules that run our society which are known as “ruling texts” (Dillon. 333), we can see that all have been composed and supported by men. These ruling texts include documents such as the Bible, the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution along with many Supreme Court cases which have defined Americans’ legal rights have been written by men (Dillon. 333-334).
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The governing texts that are in play every day in society are not limited to printed texts, but are also seen in visual images; such as advertisements and television (Dillon. 334). In reference to how these factors relate to the theme of slut shaming in society, the fact is that “the texts that govern being a woman do not end” (Dillon. 334). Women are constantly being policed and influenced in how they act within society, if they go against these norms and written ruling texts they are labelled negatively. The standpoint of women is overlooked because society is composed and normalized by the standpoint of men. Gender ideology is another theory that is relatable to slut shaming in society. Gender ideology can be defined as: “A society’s dominant beliefs elaborating different conceptualizations of women and men and of their self-representation, behaviour and place in society.” (Dillon. 364). Slut shaming is encountered differently by women, and this is due to race, culture and social class; which is a form of intersectionality. White women have more social privilege than Black women, and due to this Black women face more stereotyping and negative impacts. There different categories of Black women described, these included: The matriarch, the mammy, the welfare mother and the …show more content…
In sum, it was made clear that white men “can only tolerate de-sexed black women, the mammy (who can nanny their children), and must control the sexuality of the matriarch, the teenage mother and the Jezebel.” (Dillon. 349). Therefore, Black women are far more susceptible than white women to be over sexualized and thus slut shamed, by others in society. Intersectionality is something that influences how women are treated in our society. To summarize how intersectionality varies for women Patricia Hill Collins says: “White women are penalized by their gender, they are privileged by their race; thus depending on the context, an individual may be an oppressor, a member of the oppressed group, or simultaneously oppressor and oppressed.” (Dillon 351). Therefore, the ruling texts are experienced in different ways by all women, causing some to be looked down upon more than others. To avoid these stereotypes women often self-regulate their actions to conform to what society thinks they should be. This is known as the theory of governmentality, which is performed in the interest of powerful political and economic structures (Dillon.
The governing texts that are in play every day in society are not limited to printed texts, but are also seen in visual images; such as advertisements and television (Dillon. 334). In reference to how these factors relate to the theme of slut shaming in society, the fact is that “the texts that govern being a woman do not end” (Dillon. 334). Women are constantly being policed and influenced in how they act within society, if they go against these norms and written ruling texts they are labelled negatively. The standpoint of women is overlooked because society is composed and normalized by the standpoint of men. Gender ideology is another theory that is relatable to slut shaming in society. Gender ideology can be defined as: “A society’s dominant beliefs elaborating different conceptualizations of women and men and of their self-representation, behaviour and place in society.” (Dillon. 364). Slut shaming is encountered differently by women, and this is due to race, culture and social class; which is a form of intersectionality. White women have more social privilege than Black women, and due to this Black women face more stereotyping and negative impacts. There different categories of Black women described, these included: The matriarch, the mammy, the welfare mother and the …show more content…
In sum, it was made clear that white men “can only tolerate de-sexed black women, the mammy (who can nanny their children), and must control the sexuality of the matriarch, the teenage mother and the Jezebel.” (Dillon. 349). Therefore, Black women are far more susceptible than white women to be over sexualized and thus slut shamed, by others in society. Intersectionality is something that influences how women are treated in our society. To summarize how intersectionality varies for women Patricia Hill Collins says: “White women are penalized by their gender, they are privileged by their race; thus depending on the context, an individual may be an oppressor, a member of the oppressed group, or simultaneously oppressor and oppressed.” (Dillon 351). Therefore, the ruling texts are experienced in different ways by all women, causing some to be looked down upon more than others. To avoid these stereotypes women often self-regulate their actions to conform to what society thinks they should be. This is known as the theory of governmentality, which is performed in the interest of powerful political and economic structures (Dillon.