In Defense of Sluts

With all this hubbub going on over Rush Limbaugh unjustifiably calling a college student a "slut" and "prostitute" when she testified before a Congressional committee on why health insurance should cover birth control, I feel the need to respond to the outrage.

I rarely, if ever, take Rush seriously. He's an entertainer, not the voice of reason. So am I surprised he used such epithets? Absolutely not.

What gets my goat is this outpouring of people completely offended by him using the term "slut" toward a woman, and subsequently demanding that businesses pull their advertising from his show.

Why would a feminist be more upset over these people "defending" the college student than with Rush himself? Here's why: I don't even believe the idea of "sluttiness" exists. Nor do I believe we should continue to turn a woman's supposed sexual promiscuity into a pejorative.

It's the same idea as calling men out for "being like a girl" or "acting gay/like a fairy/[insert more homophobia here]." Why is it offensive to be a girl? And why is it such an insult to be gay? That's right - it's not.

So in that same way, who cares if a woman (or a man, for that matter) likes to get frisky from time to time? It's certainly none of my business what other people do (although I'm nosy, so I like to hear details anyway). I'm FED UP with women being judged by their sexual experience. It has no bearing on who women are as people, and one's private sexual behavior should not determine whether they are worthy of being loved, getting respect or being taken seriously. We ALL deserve respect, whether we're the Virgin Mary or Heidi Fleiss (well, maybe I won't go that far).

Now to get personal (but not too personal - my parents read this!): I was deemed a "late bloomer" by my peers when it came to getting my first kiss as a teenager. At the ripe old age of 15, I finally experienced this rite of passage behind my fence, braces and all. Before that, I was more than happy to share with people that I hadn't done that yet. There was nothing to be ashamed of! So what happened? I got called "prude" numerous times for years. Seriously?!

Fast forward to my 20s. One time I hooked up with 2 guys who were friends, each episode just a week apart. So what happened? I got called "dirty" and "easy" by a couple friends of mine (yes, not very good friends at the time, but both people have since apologized).

How is it that I can be judged for not doing things and then for doing things - you can't win either way! And therein lies the problem - I shouldn't be judged for acting one way or the other. I'm still a good person, a hard worker and a family girl. Who I am behind closed doors has no bearing on my worth.

So, whether you're a "prude" or a "slut," I say - wear it proudly! Ain't nothing wrong with it either way. That is, of course, unless you're partaking in any sort of sexual romping with Rush Limbaugh. Then yeah, you're a major whore.