BarstoolU Takes Slut Shaming to a New Level With "10 Sluttiest Colleges in America" List

Slut shaming isn’t new. Neither are all the websites, Twitter accounts, or Facebook pages that perpetuate the act of forcing shame on women for the same things most men are applauded for. What is new however, is this article from BarstoolU.com

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the guys at BarstoolU proved you wrong. Primarily focused on social networking site activity and college reputations in general, this article is slut shaming at its finest and being the little gem that it is, it’s directly aimed at the target age group who usually suffer from slut shaming — college-aged women.

Almost every college student is aware of the hook-up culture seen on most campuses. Casual, sexual encounters without the pressure of a relationship makes it easy for many people to explore different types of relationships without the stress of commitment. This allows both parties to have their cake and eat it too. Without the stress that many relationships may cause, students are able to figure out their own lives and careers while getting the perks of a relationship that is stress-free. This is perfectly acceptable when in the context of consent.

That being said, there is an expectation of women in this culture where the same doesn’t exist for men. Students know that when going out to a bar or party on campus, women are expected to wear tight fitting clothing as they wobble on sky-high heels over to the keg. Although this is what is expected of females attending a college party, wearing “provocative” clothing will undoubtedly earn them the title of slut. How does this make sense? I don’t know either.

Recently, the Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study found that 13.7% of undergraduate women had been victims of at least one completed act of sexual assault since entering college. The same study also found that many assaults take place at college fraternity parties, and almost always involve alcohol.

The CSA Study also found that 56.9% of undergraduate women surveyed had been humiliated or threatened by a dating partner, while 27.6% were physically hurt by a dating partner. The findings also concluded that only 15% of sexual assault victims had reported the crime to campus police. Everything found in BarstoolU’s work of journalism perpetuates these violent acts against women, and creates a culture of slut shaming acceptance.

Slut shaming makes all of this OK. It trivializes the gravity of sexual assault and puts the blame on the victims, a common practice in society today. Slut shaming condemns women for exploring and expressing their sexual practices while men are applauded for doing the same thing. This is seen across the nation, on a regular basis, in numerous unknown ways. Articles such as the one on BarstoolU bring what happens behind closed doors to the spotlight and put it on display for everyone. What’s worse? All the comments that agree with Barstool’s theory of the Top 10 Sluttiest Colleges in America.

Slut shaming doesn’t exist for men. When speaking in terms of equality, it shouldn’t exist for anyone.