Gender, Social Class, And Slut Discourse On Campus

“I felt his hands start to move down towards my shorts as if he was trying to unbutton them or pull them off. I was still crying at this point and felt so scared that I couldn't move” (Hummer, 1989). These were the words said by a freshman away at college after she had been sexual assaulted. From the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National network, statistics show that “over 90 percent of all gang rapes on college campuses involve fraternity men” (Hummer, 1989). Most often these woman may be labeled as trash, shameful, or ready for action, aside from a victim, prey, or survivor. Rape myths encourage these deprecating terms for women and cover the reality of a rape culture.

There are three main concepts of this theory the first, social psychological explains that those with high-status experience esteem and approval for sexual behavior whereas those of low-status experience stigma. Women try very hard to evade the slut stigma and often participate in defensive othering which is reflecting that stigma onto another thus women participate in oppressing one another. Second continuing with this social psychological stigma; slut shaming suggests that this label influences gender performance. The slut label may have little to do with actual sexual behavior and more to do with what the group defines as “femininity.” This definition of femininity which is similar to polite, accommodating, and demure is shaped by class and race benefiting those of high status usually Caucasian. As such

This study focuses on high risk and low risk environments and relationship interactions to gain a perspective on rape culture. According to, “ FRATERNITIES AND COLLEGIATE RAPE Culture: Why Are Some Fraternities More Dangerous Places for Women?” by Boswell and Spade (1996) indicate that the relationship that is developed between men and women influence the way in which people are treated. Women and men often seek relationships differently then each other. The environments in which people interact impact the quality of relationship building. Along with values of the culture people are living in also influence the type of interactions seen as worthy or unworthy. The researchers in this study observes and interview people in a college setting based apon lifestyle choices such as living arrangements, the campus’ social setting, social environments, participation, interactions, values, awareness, relationship characteristics, respect, aggression, and interpersonal

Throughout the book, Bogle places particular attention to gender differences. Supporting Bogle’s findings, there is still a double standard for men and women. Participation in the hookup scene is risky for women, while men have few, if any risks. Women who behave too “sexually” in the hookup culture have to recognize that there are repercussions. These repercussions include damaged reputations, being labeled, and being ostracized by peers. Women can get labeled, damage their reputations, or ostracized by having too many partners, hooking up with two guys that know each other well, dressing in a seductive manner, constantly hanging around a fraternity house, or drinking too much.

The first main sociological question in the "Fraternities and Rape on Campus" study performed by Patricia Yancey Martin and Robert A. Hummer was, "What characteristics do fraternities have that make them prone to objectification of women and more likely to commit gang rape on college campuses and why fraternities encourage the sexual coercion of women.

In the book, Slut!—Growing up Female with a Bad Reputation by Leora Tanenbaum, she collects a multitude of testimonies from women who have been subjected to sexual harassment, physical abuse, rape, incest and slut-bashing from all ethnicities and locations around the globe. One astonishing truth approaches you at the beginning of the book. Tanenbaum enters a table that shows the positives and negatives of being a sexually active man and a sexually active woman, unfortunately the truth is absolutely ludicrous. The table states a total of two positives of being a sexually active woman; hot and sexy. On the contrary, it states three negatives for sexually active men, compared to the twenty-eight negatives for sexually active women. This list consists of names from “slut” and “Jezebel” all the way to “prostitute.”

In Daniel Luzer’s article, “Is Alcohol Really to Blame for the Prevalence of Sexual Assault on College Campuses?” published on November 18, 2013 by Pacific Standard, the author argues that alcohol is not the only thing to blame for sexual assault on college campuses. He observed that alcohol has always been a risk factor when it comes to sexual assault, but drinking is not what has changed throughout the years. What has changed is the way men and women socialize with one another. Throughout the years, interaction between young men and women in college has become less instructed. Back then colleges were not coed and there were rules for when women were allowed in the male dorms including certain times they were allowed there. There are not as

Sexual assault often derives when frat members are under the influence of drugs or alcohol as seen at many colleges and universities. At University of Virginia sexual assault has been all over the headlines on magazines. The Department of Justice released a study that "Rape and Sexual Assault Victimization Among College-Age Females, 1995-2013," shows that not only are female college students less likely to experience sexual assault than non-college women 18 to 24, but the rate at which they are sexually assaulted is nowhere near the "one in five" or "one in four" statistics brandished by advocates” (Young 1). Thus illustrating the sexual assault is not very common for fraternities to commit the crime of sexual assault to women. Therefore fraternities do not promote misogyny as example shows.

Society has told women that when a man takes you on a nice date, you owe him something in return and that something is your vagina. Traveling back to the young girl’s at York University story, for the police officer to say “women should not dress sluts…” is mind-blowing because how exactly does a slut dress? Women are “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” in any aspect of life especially with the way they choose to dress and sex. Believe it or not, a woman can choose to be conservative or revealing with no intention of pleasing a man. When giving her speech, she encouraged women to speak up and out about rape.

Young women are becoming increasingly aware of how they are being perceived by others and today it is ultra common for young women to hear about the negative sides of their gender. As young women grow older and start to consider possible career choices they also start to hear certain opinions on their choices and some even experience actual discrimination. “High-school girls who pursue an advanced interest in science and math (unless they are students at special institutions like the Bronx Highs School of Science where everyone is a brain) usually find that they are greatly outnumbered by boys in their classes. They are, therefore, intruding on male turf at a time when their sexual confidence, as well as that of the boys, is most fragile” (). In situations like these some young women may develop a fear of their male counterparts due to the ratio involved and others may also consider the stereotype that women are bad and math and that threat ultimately becomes a self fulfilling

The whispers of everyone talking about the international sensation “mattress girl” echoed through the minds of many students at Columbia University. In the article, “Meet the College Women Who Are Starting a Revolution Against Campus Sexual Assault,” Vanessa Grigoriadis uses many techniques to inform her audience of the many issues regarding rape on college campuses. Through her professional source, extensive research and powerful interviews with rape survivors, she visually and emotionally conveys her audience in an effective way of the realism of rape on college campuses and what little universities do to handle it.

Fisher, B. S., Cullen, F. T., & Turner, M. G.. The sexual victimization of college women. 2000

Carol Logan Patitu’s article focuses on incidents of date rape and how they are increasing, especially on college campuses. As with any issue of this magnitude, there are bound to be differing attitudes toward the rape victims. The author portrays her writing from both sides. One side being sympathetic to the rape victims and the opposing side, giving no sympathy but believing they are crying out for attention. By providing charts and examples along with real life situations, Patitu is able to keep the relationship between the reader and the test subjects relevant. But I will be focusing on the first part, where Patitu talks about the sympathy that is given. In the contradicting piece, I chose Robin Wilson’s article about the national campaign against rape cultures on college campuses. This campaign brought attention to sexual violence, and to victims (typically women) who have long described being ignored. But others think the movement has gone too far, labeling some innocent students as rapists, which is where Wilson revolves her article around. The opening statement of this paper is ‘College men accused of rape say the scales are tipped against them’. It explains how women target men and people tend to take the side of the women over the men, even if the man is innocent. Wilson as tells how she feels the movement against rape has gone too far and people need to step back, because, men in college are losing their chances at a triumphant future.

In the article Good Girls'': Gender, Social Class, and Slut Discourse on Campus sociologists Elizabeth Armstrong and Laura Hamilton conducted a research at a Midwestern university in order to better understand the use of slut discourse between woman. Slut shaming is the act of criticizing a woman for her real or presumed sexual activity. It also includes criticizing her for behaving in ways that are associated with her real or presumed sexual activity. Slut shaming exists within a society because of the society sexual double standards. Traditionally men are encouraged by society to engage in sexual promiscuity but women are forbidden in engaging in sexual promiscuity. If a woman dares to engage in any behavior that could be interpreted as sexually promiscuous then she is branded as a slut or a whore.

“Focusing women and drinking ignores a serious reality: The student perpetrator who is a sex offender” (Kingston). According to the author Anne Kingston of the article “The Real Danger for Women on Campus.” Most females that report their rapes when they were under the influence of alcohol or dressed a certain way were seen as consenting sexual partners not as rape victims. For example, in Toronto a police officer made a remake saying women would protect themselves from rape if they didn’t dress like sluts. People tend to focus on the victims’ clothing, reputations or what they were doing that night and not focusing on the real issue of their sexual