Justice

Celebrity Women Who Have Fought Back Against Slut-Shaming

October 7th 2015

Over the weekend, model Amber Rose started trending on social media because of SlutWalk LA, a gathering to protest slut-shaming and sexism against women. Having experienced slut-shaming in the spotlight, Rose knows all too well about the damage that it can do. That's why she felt compelled to host a Slut Walk of her own. 

Rose, unfortunately, is far from the only famous female to endure this kind of treatment. Here are some well-known women who have described their experiences with slut-shaming and the problems it can cause.

1. Miley Cyrus

After cutting off her hair and assuming a new look three years ago, Miley Cyrus released a single called "We Can't Stop," which upset many because of her apparent reference to the drug Molly. In an interview with Marie Claire, Cyrus said she was unfairly labeled a "druggie whore" for singing about this while male rappers receive zero negative feedback for incorporating drugs into their music.

"There is so much sexism, ageism, you name it," she said. "Kendrick Lamar sings about LSD and he's cool. I do it and I'm a druggie whore."

Cyrus also said it's unfortunate that she's been shamed for wearing revealing clothing and supporting the #FreetheNipple movement by posting topless photos compared to Taylor Swift who promoted extreme violence in her music video for "Bad Blood."

"I'm a bad role model because I'm running around with my titties out?" Cyrus said. "I'm not sure how titties are worse than guns."

2. Taylor Swift

Taylor SwiftFlickr/Jana Beamer - flickr.com

Over the years, singer Taylor Swift has been made fun of by many for having lots of relationships. After breaking ties with One Direction sweetheart Harry Styles in early 2014, Swift stayed single for more than a year, and she told Glamour UK in the spring that media shaming had a lot to do with this because she didn't want to be subjected to more unsolicited remarks about her private life.

"I think the media has sent me a really unfair message over the past couple of years, which is that I'm not allowed to date for excitement, or fun, or new experiences or learning lessons," she said. "I'm only allowed to date if it's for a lasting, multiple-year relationship. Otherwise I'm a, quote, 'serial dater.' Or, quote, 'boy crazy.' The narrative has been so wrong, every time it was the same."

She said that her schedule didn't allow for much relationship time, and though she went on to date DJ Calvin Harris, she mentioned that her ever growing girl squad was the result of media shaming.

"Well, there is no easy way for me to engage with romance," she said. "I'm really busy, so I can't. And it's a good thing that I feel really independent and I feel that my friends are all I need. It's kind of a sad way I got there, though, being shamed into it."

3. Kaitlyn Bristowe

"The Bachelorette" suitor Kaitlyn Bristowe was heavily slut shamed earlier this year when she admitted to having sex with a contestant on the reality series. Bristowe was widely criticized on social media, and told People in June that all of the judgment was really difficult for her.

"I knew there were going to be magazines with crazy headlines," she said. "I definitely have tough skin, but when people are calling you names like a slut, it hurts. It's been really hard. It's 2015. How is this still an issue where if a woman [has sex], it's wrong, and if a man does, it's right? To me, it wasn't some crazy negative thing I was doing. If somebody was friends with somebody and they knew that they had sex in a relationship, they wouldn't go on social media and start slut-shaming them."

She added that sex is a normal part of dating and getting to know somebody.

"People have sex in relationships," she said. "If people [have sex] on dates, why is it so wrong to do it when I'm looking for a husband? That's a decision I made. And I don't think we should be judging each other for it." 

4. Ariana Grande

Late last year, Bette Midler criticized Ariana Grande's sexual image in music, adding that her advice for young women in show business would be, “Trust your talent. You don’t have to make a whore out of yourself to get ahead. You really don’t.”

Grande responded with a tweet stating "All love here" alongside a picture of Midler and the words, "Bette was always a feminist who stood for women being able to do whatever the F they wanted without judgement! Not sure where that Bette went but I want that sexy mermaid back!!! Always a fan no matter what my love."

Several months ago, the artist published a statement on Twitter that touched on the hypocrisy of slut-shaming, saying men are praised for sleeping around while women are condemned for doing the same thing:

"If a woman has a lot of sex (or any sex for that matter).... she’s a 'slut,'" Grande wrote. "If a man has sex..... HE’S. A. STUD. a BOSSSSSS. a KING. If a woman even TALKS about sex openly.... she is shamed! ... The double standard and misogyny are still ever present."

At the end of August, she posted a video of herself waving goodbye and wrote that this was a farewell to anyone who slut shames:

5. Amber Rose 

Amber Rose at SlutWalkLANicole Charky

At SlutWalk LA, Rose broke down in tears during a speech about her experiences with slut-shaming, saying that she was crushed by comments that former flames Kanye West and Wiz Khalifa made about her. Earlier this year, West said that he had to take 30 showers before current wife Kim Kardashian would be with him because he dated Rose. Ex-husband Wiz Khalifa mocked Rose for working as a stripper in one of his songs. Both of these things cut deep for Rose.


“Unfortunately, I was extremely slut-shamed,” Rose said in her address. “I was called ‘nothing but a stripper.’ Why would he ever be interested in me, I’m just a bald-head stripper from Philly. I was a gold digger; apparently he had to take 30 showers after being with me ... [Wiz Khalifa] went on to make a song saying that he ‘fell in love with a stripper, but fell out of love quicker.’ As you can imagine, him being the love of my life, regardless if we’re going through a separation or not, that was extremely hurtful."

During SlutWalk, Rose's mother fired back at West with this sign:

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