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The Slut-Shaming Effect
Meet Angela: Angela is like a younger sister to me. I've known her since she was like 13 years old. She's always been super sweet and a great person to confide in when i felt like i couldn't talk to anyone. Fast forward five years, October/November 2015, I just randomly felt like checking up on her. I texted her and asked her how she had been doing and she responds and says "I haven't told a lot of people but i'm pregnant". My first reaction was like are you serious? like what? I knew immediately the last thing she needed to hear was someone being negative , so right then and there I embraced her and let her know everything happens for a reason, and it's obviously you're season to have a child. God makes no mistakes. So since announcing her pregnancy, she's encountered some slut-shaming and teen pregnancy bashing and I thought she'd be perfect to share her story. So its my pleasure to introduce Angela.
Slut shaming has affected our culture so much. We all have been victims of slut shaming or have slut shamed someone. My personal experience would be when I got pregnant. Usually pregnancy wouldn't be looked down upon, but since I'm only 18 years old, it is. On Thanksgiving, I remember crying while telling my family that I was pregnant and hearing one of my aunts say "Well if you would've kept your legs closed, you wouldn't be crying or pregnant." That statement broke me. Also, when I finally had the courage to come and tell everyone I knew that I was pregnant, I got a bunch of "Well who is the baby daddy" like I hadn't been with my boyfriend for almost 3 years. Yeah, I should've refrained, but I didn't. Do I regret being pregnant? Not for one second. Everyday I wake and I rub my belly and remind myself how blessed I am to be a new mom and experience this. It hasn't been easy, but it's been durable. Now when I see girls or women that are pregnant, no matter what the age is. I pray for their strength and happiness as well.
"Our job as people is to stop judging each other for our actions."
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Although I'm not a mother yet, I feel as if it's my duty to raise my child to be aware of slut shaming, what it is, how it effects women, and how it effects him. Our job as people is to stop judging each other for our actions. It's not our right to look down upon one another for something someone chooses to do.