Who you callin’ a slut?
A sign at the original SlutWalk in Toronto.
By now, you’ve probably heard that last January, a Toronto police officer told students that that they should avoid dressing like sluts in order to prevent being victimized. (Oh, yes he did.) Since then, “SlutWalks” have taken place in over 80 cities worldwide including New York, Boston, Dallas, Melbourne, and London to publicly protest the notion of victim-blaming (particularly their style of dress) when it comes to rape and sexual assault.
Overall I support the message and goal of this new movement (although perhaps not some of the strategies being used. And for more on that, check out this great piece by Leora Tanenbaum, the author of SLUT: Growing Up Female With A Bad Reputation, who told the Huffington Post that reclaiming the word “slut” might not be the best idea.) What baffles me is the tone of the media coverage SlutWalk has received: every single news report I’ve read has highlighted the “scantily-clad” protesters who were “dressed in nothing more than undergarments.” In other words, the reports focus on the most titillating detail (that’s funny, that pun) and play it up as shocking and scandalous.
Of course, these are the same media outlets that publicize ad nauseum the ads, TV shows, videos, etc. that promote and condone undergarments and sexy outfits as appropriate for young girls, teens, and other women.
Megan Fox is “frustrated” by her body. Emporio Armani is not.
Megan Fox's body is at the center of weight debates, and the center of an Emporio Armani Underwear ad.
You’re supposed to be looking at her underwear.
Granted, you may have been momentarily distracted. The pronounced hunch, the countable vertebrae, the concave abdomen — there’s a lot going on.
But if you ask Emporio Armani, Megan Fox is just doing a really great job of modeling their underwear.
Ask her trainer, Harley Pasternak, and he’ll tell you all about those other areas you may have been distracted by. “Do I worry about Megan getting too skinny? Yeah!” Continue reading
Eminem and Rihanna cause domestic abuse controversy with “Love the Way You Lie” video
Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan get violent in Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie" video
How would you feel watching a domestic abuse victim admit her desire for more pain? What if the cycle of violence were enacted by two celebrities, alternating between scenes of fierce aggression and passionate love?
What if all these images were set to a number-one, radio-friendly rap hit? Would you call it glamorization of a serious issue or a creative public service message?
Never one to shy away from controversy, Eminem recently released the new video for his single featuring Rihanna, “Love the Way You Lie.” Starring Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan in a (literally) fiery relationship, the video is causing a big debate among music fans and domestic abuse prevention experts. Continue reading