- In a new interview, Bella Thorne opened up about being slut-shamed in the public eye.
- Since exiting Disney, the actress has been scrutinized for her outfits, relationships and sexuality.
- Along with Thorne, other stars like Miley Cyrus have also spoken out against the sexism of slut-shaming.
- Experts say blaming girls for expressing their sexuality is dangerous, especially for abuse survivors.
Bella Thorne is aware of her “controversial” reputation. Ever since straying away from Disney, the “Midnight Sun” star has faced scrutiny about her outfitsrelationships and sexuality. She’s been criticized not only by trolls, but even by high-profile celebrities, like Whoopi Goldberg.
“It’s so funny that people say that I’m ‘controversial’ when… I haven’t been arrested. I’m not doing bad things,” Thorne said in a daily beast interview Wednesday.
“Of course I am a woman, and that definitely plays a part in it. If I post in a bikini, it’s ‘She’s a slut,’ but if a man posts shirtless on a beach, it’s ‘(expletive) yeah, bro’ … “She added that though male stars are praised if they are spotted with “a different girl every other day,” “if I’m in a three-year relationship, and then break up, and then get into another three-year relationship, it’s ‘Wow, Bella Thorne, she’s a (whore). Look at her.'”
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Thorne isn’t the first female star to comment on the slut-shaming they experienced in the public eye. “Bachelorette” star Hannah Brown said she received unfair hate for openly discussing her sex life on the dating show. and fellow Disney alum Miley Cyrus spoke about the backlash she received for moving on after her divorce from Liam Hemsworth.
“Where women are called sluts,” Cyrus said in 2019 “I am just trying to thrive in a man’s world. If we can’t beat ’em, join ’em!…Get used to me dating, this is where I am at !”
experts say the term “slut,” while it’s thrown around casually, should be seen for what it is: a derogatory slur to police girls and women for their desires and behaviors.
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Slut-shaming is a ‘psychological weapon’ used to punish women
Slut-shaming can happen in a variety of situations. It can involve policing someone for the way they dress or denigrating them for exploring their sexual feelings. Regardless, it’s rooted in sexism and misogyny.
“We have a lopsided, unfair standard for boys and men vs. girls and women, so that when girls and women behave in the exact same way as boys and men, they’re treated differently,” he says Leora Tanenbaum, author of “I Am Not a Slut” who coined the term “slut-bashing” in 1999.
“Only men and boys have permission to exercise sexual agency. And when a girl or woman does the same, she’s judged, ridiculed and regarded as being in violation of feminine norms.”
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When women are slut-shamed, the long list of repercussions can include depression, body image issues, thoughts of suicide, self-hatred or sexual recklessness. Experts say we need to stop minimizing its severity and call out slut-shaming for what it really is: “Gendered bullying.”
It’s a “psychological weapon used against women who express sexual agency,” says Shira Tarant, a Cal State Long Beach professor who specializes in gender and sexual politics. “It’s mean-spirited, it destroys people and puts the onus on victims to change.”
Tarrant also says we need to re-think the term “slut-shaming” as it carries an inherent bias.
“When we talk about slut-shaming, many people will hear the word ‘slut’ and everything shuts down. They think, ‘What did she wear? Who did she sleep with? What did she do to deserve this’ as opposed to ‘ Is she OK? How can we stop the bullying and harassment?'”
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Slut-shaming and victims of sexual assault, rape
Slut-shaming can also be dangerous. The narrative that girls should dress and act a certain way because they’re responsible for boys’ reactions perpetuates a culture of victim-shaming.
And it can inadvertently silence those who experience sexual assault or rape.
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“The assumptions and stereotypes are that if you’re branded a slut, you’re always down. That there’s no such thing as no. You’re always available. Your body is always on display and it’s your fault,” Tarrant says, calling it a “slippery slope” to violate consent and body autonomy.
“It makes the problem of sexual assault invisible and puts the blame on the girl or woman.”
There’s no quick solution to changing the stigma, but having open conversations about sex—without judgement, shame or blame—is a good start.
“I do think it’s important for girls and women (like Thorne) who feel comfortable doing so to be openly sex-positive, because that says, ‘Hey, I’m owning my sexuality, there’s nothing wrong with it and you need to deal with it,'” Tanenbaum says. “The more celebrities and regular people talk about these issues and raise awareness, the closer we’ll be to causing a deeper culture shift.”
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism