What a time to be alive. In times of radicalism in all aspects of society and pop culture, it seems as if all advocates are desperately reaching for recognition to change the world.
Unfortunately, some of the frenzied attention-seeking has started to look more like a chain of publicity stunts than true attempts to change the world.
On Oct. 3, Amber Rose hosted a “SlutWalk” — and suddenly it is apparent to me that a movement I used to support has lost all validity in light of its inappropriate “fame.”
I get it. Rose has a following. From a stripper to a model and an infamous rapper-dater, a mother and a self-proclaimed advocate of seemingly everything, she’s interesting. However, the truth of the matter is, she is the queen bee of social media. Rose is another Instagram and Twitter celebrity, yearning for recognition. In turn, her SlutWalk sharply deviated from the organized, unified and clarified movement once synonymous with the SlutWalk.
The original SlutWalk in Toronto, Canada, was created in response to a police officer telling a group of college women if "they wanted to avoid sexual assault, they shouldn’t dress like sluts.”
In these terms, I am all for the SlutWalk. The police officer was and will always be wrong. Clothing choices are never synonymous will sexual consent, and victim-blaming is a huge slap in the face for several groups besides college women.
In support of the movement, I can also appreciate the benefits of joining together, forming communities, and standing up for what we believe in. In order to be effective, it cannot be done Rose’s way.
The “Amber Rose SlutWalk” promotional website promises to be an anti-hate, racism, sexism, ableism, fat-shaming, transphobia or any other kind of bigoted gathering. It even introduces itself as “a completely inclusive space,” which again, is great on the computer screen.
Unfortunately, by broadening this cause to so many different, abstract, popular and controversial issues, the entire production became a futile spectacle with very little actual benefit to any of these causes that will last beyond this weekend.
I am sorry to say it, but Rose and many of her followers took this as an opportunity to walk nearly — or completely — naked down the streets of Los Angeles. Some of those in attendance are victims and were searching for an outlet for their voices, but they turned out to be the minority.
#amberroseslutwalk pic.twitter.com/CZOEpAy21F
— Amber Rose (@DaRealAmberRose) October 3, 2015
Instead of promoting awareness of sexual assault, gender inequality or body image issues, Amber Rose, as always, magnetized the attention upon herself. Her personal testimony and past relationships are the lasting impact of Saturday's walk.
Amber Rose's mom holds a sign at the #SlutWalk in LA
#amberroseslutwalk pic.twitter.com/fQMj9gbkOc
— Dr. X (@TheBlackGuyX) October 3, 2015
Sure, the media can be easily blamed for this atrocity, because in general, Rose is not viewed as a serious advocate, but rather as an intriguing and easily-criticized celebrity. However, the disconnect between the movement and the media probably derives from a lack of a clear purpose. While all of Rose’s aforementioned issues need to be addressed, they are too broad to be advocated publicly as a solitary cause.
Ultimately, Amber Rose’s SlutWalk failed as a national symbol of protest and advocacy, and instead saturated our news feeds with nudity and selfies entirely void of depth and purpose.
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Let's put the word 'whore' to bed
Reach the columnist at krpenningroth@gmail.com or follow @KPenningroth on Twitter.
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