OUtcomes
Local and globalLocal
SlutWalk Toronto had a huge effect on the world because it influenced other countries. It rose awareness for slut-shaming and victim-blaming. It even accomplished its main goal and got public accountability from the Toronto Police Services and an apology from the offending officer. Also, Judge Dewar was barred from hearing sexual assault cases in 2011. [3] See below the request of the SlutWalk Toronto and the email response they received from a Constable in Corporate Communications of Toronto Police Services:
Posted by SlutWalk Toronto on Saturday, April 2, 2011 Global
Looking at the recent waves of feminist protests, from Femen to Women 2Drive, we are witnessing a wave of shocking new methods and performances being utilized to grab media attention and "give feminism a voice." Many women across the world utilized the burst from these performances, whether aligning or distancing themselves, to make policy change, invoke cultural shifts and spark conversations to move in a direction where equality for all prevails. |
Critiques
As the header photo suggests the movement gained a lot of media attention due to the fashion applied in the protests, which may have disguised the message - and provoked the critique. This shows the large influence massmedia still possesses as gate keepers regarding news.
Feminists Feminists argued that in a patriarchal culture where disempowering sexual images are used to control and objectify women, the choice to use the word slut is a product of living in a ‘pornified’ world. “The term slut is so deeply rooted in the patriarchal "madonna/whore" view of women's sexuality that it is beyond redemption. The word is so saturated with the ideology that female sexual energy deserves punishment that trying to change its meaning is a waste of precious feminist resources.” Women of color Women of color criticized that the white women organizers had not considered colored women who for years tried to escape words like slut, because of white men’s historical use to denigrate black women. Black Women's Blueprint said: “As Black women, we do not have the privilege or the space to call ourselves “slut” without validating the already historically entrenched ideology and reoccurring messages about what and who the Black woman is.” Others felt they were not acknowledged by a movement, whom they saw as defined by the emancipation of white women. "Burka clad brown Muslim women get raped too. Represent us. I want a movement that represents me regardless of my color and creed" (Kasana) |
Conclusion
Slutwalks remind us that social movements are never made up of a single ideology, but comprise of several different goals and identities adapting and reshaping over time.
Feminism onwards Where is feminism heading? Will we see more reclaiming of words and shocking tactics? Will we learn how to effectively walk in solidarity with women across the globe? Will the next move be a more longhaul struggle for equality in rights, particularly in the Western world, a fight for equal pay and breaking the glass ceiling? |
Reference
Kasana, Mehreen (2013): "As a Muslim feminist woman of color". Mehreen Kasana blog (The article mentioned has been removed from the blog and we therefore refer to a site quoting Kasana's original article).
Header photo: Naked woman in veil being photographed by several male photographers at Slutwalk Berlin, 2011. Photo by Gregor Fischer (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Icon Photos (from top to bottom) by Alan Wilfhart CC BY 2.0, Richard Potts CC BY 2.0, and schreient CC BY-ND 2.0
Icon Photos (from top to bottom) by Alan Wilfhart CC BY 2.0, Richard Potts CC BY 2.0, and schreient CC BY-ND 2.0