A Canadian policeman who told women to stop dressing like "sluts" to avoid being attacked has sparked a worldwide protest movement which could see more than 3,000 people join a march in London next month.
Let me get this straight – a Canadian policeman’s comment to a Canadian woman is the catalyst for a bunch of professional protestors to descend on the capital of
the UK?
The organisers said they wanted to reappropriate the word "slut" to fight a culture of "fear and victimisation", and some marchers wore provocative clothing to emphasise that no one deserves to be attacked. Thousands are now expected to join a SlutWalk from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park on June 4, at the same time as rallies in Chicago and Amsterdam.
There’s not much I can add to this bonkers idea that
Laban Tall hasn’t already covered, but it’s interesting to note that the architect of this London demo isn’t, as you might have expected, some grizzled veteran of 1960s Women’s Lib…
The London protest is being organised by Anastasia Richardson, who was angry about Pc Sanguinetti's comment. Miss Richardson, 17, of Oxfordshire, said: "People say it was a throwaway line, but if someone hears about a case of sexual assault or rape, the questions asked are 'Are you sure you didn't ask for it?' 'What were you wearing?' 'How drunk were you?' The problem is it puts blame on the victim and that attitude is insidious."
Sorry, Anastasia, but I still can’t quite figure out what that’s got to do with London…
The SlutWalk London website states more should be done to protect victims. It adds: "All over the world, women are constantly made to feel like victims, told they should not look a certain way, should not go out at night, should not go into certain areas, should not get drunk, should not wear high heels or make up, should not be alone with someone they don't know."
All of which seems like sound advice to me. But then, I'm not 17...
Just two questions.
ReplyDelete1. Will they be dressing appropriately?
2. Can I go and watch?
OK, let's play rights poker. It's like Victimhood poker, but seeing who's "rights" trump who's.
ReplyDeleteMe first- I reckon my right to take photos in a public place of a public event trumps their right to not have their photo taken if dressed appropriately.
If they're dressed like protestors, in balaclavas etc, obviously I care much less.
Ramble: Anyone else remember when "balaclava" meant "terrorist" as far as news, fancy dress, and getting thoroughly arrested was concerned?
Putting the blame on victims is a common feature.
ReplyDelete"Don't leave valuables in your car",
"Don't put valuable items in view by the window", "Store your car keys away from the letter box", "Your insurance is invalid if you leave the door unlocked".
What's the difference?
It has just as much to do with London as those Tamil protests a while back. Maybe the protesters will congregate outside Canada House as others so often do outside Zimbabwe House in order to try and topple Mr Mugabe?
ReplyDeleteAt least we can be sure that this march will not have much of an effect apart from making 3000 people look foolish.
That's it! Dander up, banners out, knickers...
ReplyDeleteNo, never mind.
The BBC are giving this tiny protest far away some great coverage. It fits in with their agenda.
ReplyDeleteShould a publicly funded broadcaster have an agenda?
"Should a publicly funded broadcaster have an agenda?"-Gordo
ReplyDeleteBBC is showing an hour long propaganda film about the sheeples of Royal Wooton BaSSett (shame there's no alt-code for Sig runes) tonight , so one does have to wonder exactly *what* their agenda actually is.
There's a loosely organised slutmarch in my poshnortherntown - it's called `every Friday and Saturday night - and sometimes Thursdays, occasionally a Wednesday and very occasionally Tuesday`.QED not everyone gets shagged or groped against their will, but I suspect a few can't remember, lots enjoy themselves in their own way and lots go home disappointed. (This observation is not empirically sound)But I agree with our hostess, `why London`?
ReplyDeleteSlutwalk? Whahey! Just let me get my video camera.
ReplyDelete@ patently ..
ReplyDeleteI'm with you all the way on this ..
I was also wondering wether there might be free "samples" available ?
Or whether one could participate in a 3 on 1 "workshop" ?
You know, to better understand how these poor sluts must feel ..
Yaaawwwnnnnn !
ReplyDeletehave these silly wimmin nothing better to get angry about?
have these silly wimmin nothing better to get angry about?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dilbert.com/fast/2011-05-05/
Frankly at my time of life when I see young women "dressed" for a night out I can't help thinking "You'll catch your Death dressed like that!"
ReplyDeleteThe first sign I am becoming a "Grumpy Old Man" I suppose.
"Frankly at my time of life when I see young women "dressed" for a night out I can't help thinking "You'll catch your Death dressed like that"-Anon
ReplyDeleteLOL yes, when I returned to this country and saw my first 'tramp stamp' hanging out of a pair of jogging trousers along with most of a fat female arse barely covered by a cheap sequined multi pack tanga I was actually shocked...Continental girls at the time having better dress sense.
To add to the advice given about preventing attacks, we need to mention that it's also important not to act like a self important retard with little or no experience of the big wide world.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately too many of our teenagers these days have learned about the world by reading it on thier iPhones and know fugg all else.
The way I see it ...and I am female...dressing like a slut is one thing but acting like a slut is quite another. Doing both at the same time will only ever end in tears.
ReplyDelete...
I am shocked...SHOCKED...that the word bhurka hasn't been bandied about as if it's comparable. It usually is.
...
As we all know the two ways of dressing are at opposite ends of the scale and the majority of women dress somewhere in between. We used to call it "modesty". In sex-obsessed UK young girls have no concept of that anymore and that's the real shame here. They just don't value their own bodies but demand everyone else does.
Just to add we never used the word "slut" ...it was "dicktease" back then. Pretty self-explanatory and no one wanted to be seen or known as that.
ReplyDelete...
Oh and "reappropriate" the word ? WTF ? If it looks like a slut and acts like a slut it is a slut. Male OR female. We have enough labour newspeak and doublethink thanks.
Where does this put a standard Freshers' Week?
ReplyDeleteOh come on! This isn't your usual silly protest, it's street theatre. We need more of it, please.
ReplyDelete(Er. What were they complaining about, again?)
Just thinking which left wing politically correct wimmin's libber type I would like to see dressed in a short skirt and stockings.
ReplyDeleteAny ideas anyone?
"Frankly at my time of life when I see young women "dressed" for a night out I can't help thinking "You'll catch your Death dressed like that!"
ReplyDeleteIn my case, my thoughts are more likely to get my collar felt .. ;)
"Just thinking which left wing politically correct wimmin's libber type I would like to see dressed in a short skirt and stockings" ...
Jesus H .. you must have a stronger stomach than I've got .. :) :)
"Just wondering" - will these 'slut-walkers' be more annoyed if men simply don't take any notice of their protest - or if they do, and turn up to watch?
ReplyDelete"2. Can I go and watch?"
ReplyDeleteSounds like you might have to fight for a front row seat! :)
"Putting the blame on victims is a common feature."
Indeed!
"The BBC are giving this tiny protest far away some great coverage. It fits in with their agenda."
And they are as keen on film of scantily-clad ladies as any of the commercial channels!
"There's a loosely organised slutmarch in my poshnortherntown - it's called `every Friday and Saturday night.."
They should just come to Basildon - no-one would even realise it was a march!
"http://www.dilbert.com/fast/2011-05-05/"
ReplyDeleteMore and more, I'm convinced the 'Dilbert' creator must work in my office...
"Frankly at my time of life when I see young women "dressed" for a night out I can't help thinking "You'll catch your Death dressed like that!""
Heh! It comes to us all... ;)
"...we need to mention that it's also important not to act like a self important retard with little or no experience of the big wide world."
That's certainly a factor of so many youngsters who get into trouble in foreign climes.
It's as if they aren't really convinced that it isn't just England with more sun and odder vegetation....
"...the majority of women dress somewhere in between. We used to call it "modesty"."
Sadly an outdated concept for so many.
""Just wondering" - will these 'slut-walkers' be more annoyed if men simply don't take any notice of their protest - or if they do, and turn up to watch?"
Reminds me of the Jasper Carrot monologue about the abuse he got as a lorry driver if he DIDN'T lech out of the cab window.... ;)
I sometimes ask visitors whether the girls in my city are uniquly sluttily dressed. They usually respond that it is much the same where they live.
ReplyDeleteMy fashion sense matured in the days of Punk Rock with all that fishnet (boys as well as girls) so I don't think I'm easily shocked.
This is waaaay too classy for Basildon (I lived in Brentwood, don't you know ;)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9eBngBKHiE
If you went along and yelled "slut!" at them, would you be arrested? Would you also be arrested if you did the same but were obviously a muslim headcase?
ReplyDeleteInteresting.....muslim protestors with signs saying 'wetern sluts go to hell, islam for UK'. Burning a bra instead of a poppy....
ReplyDeleteWhat about the posters they put up telling men to make sure they got consent or they could face rape charges....is that not insulting to men.....do we need a 'reclaim our penis march'? We should be allowed to shag anyone who wants it without the need for a written contract....lets march !!!!