# When is it okay to call a woman a slut?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 23, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883 "2014-07-23T22:32:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 5
### Author:  [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)
#### Post date: [July 26, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/81 "2014-07-26T23:46:07Z")
> [@MandaJo](#):
>
> “Slut” is a word that originates in the still widely held belief that sexual behavior that is unremarkable, or even laudable, in a man, suggests a deep character flaw in any woman. To use the word, even with a different personal definition, is to continue and extend an attitude that is pretty offensive. It’s not about whether or not the “bad” woman deserves to be called a slut… It’s whether or not the rest of us deserve to live in a world where the idea that having any sex at all makes a woman dirty still has currency.
In other words, we can only have words that are gender/race-neutral and do not have any historic meaning that someone on an internet forum may find offensive? :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2014, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/82 "2014-07-27T17:06:15Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> When she asks you to.
This.
Sometimes it’s best if you figure this out for yourself, but it’s one of those things where you damn well better get it right if you do!
Or so I’m told.
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### Author:  [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/83 "2014-07-27T17:35:42Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> Never. It’s never okay to use slurs. Same goes for bitch, whore, and other mostly gender-specific slurs (not to mention sexual orienation, race, and religion based slurs).
Slight hijack: Why is religion protected? It’s very different from sexual orientation and race.
> [@AnthonyElite](#):
>
> It is a strange but somehow accurate thing that when you see a woman hooking up with a group of guys she is a slut, when you see a guy hooking up with a group of women he is a legend. Perhaps it is the perceived rareness of the event? Scarcity of resources, or some such?
>
> But in general, if you are calling someone a slut just because they get around you are probably pretty bored with your own sex life.
To this, and the other comments about the double standard, I want to mention that men get called “sleazy”, but all in all I don’t think it’s OK to shame people for their consensual sex lives.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2014, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/84 "2014-07-27T18:19:33Z")
True, young guys don’t suffer slut-shaming like young women do. But we get ours after middle age in the form of creepster suspicion.
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### Author:  [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/85 "2014-07-27T22:04:43Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#):
>
> True, young guys don’t suffer slut-shaming like young women do. But we get ours after middle age in the form of creepster suspicion.
I’ve encountered people referring to younger men as sleazy, but as always, I’m not sure of how common it is.
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### Author:  [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2014, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/86 "2014-07-28T00:30:46Z")
I’ve gone over half a century without calling names, so I’m going to go with “never.” I don’t see the point.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/87 "2014-07-28T13:33:01Z")
> [@Lemmytheseal2](#):
>
> Slight hijack: Why is religion protected? It’s very different from sexual orientation and race.
“Protected”? I don’t know what you mean. I am arguing that such slurs, whether primarily used against individuals of a specific gender, race, religion, ethnicity, or whatever, should not be used _at all_.
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### Author:  [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/88 "2014-07-28T14:22:05Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#):
>
> NO! Only when she emphatically demands and begs that you do. 😃
Then only if she is gonna work hard to earn it:D
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### Author:  [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2014, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/89 "2014-07-28T14:53:35Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> “Protected”? I don’t know what you mean. I am arguing that such slurs, whether primarily used against individuals of a specific gender, race, religion, ethnicity, or whatever, should not be used _at all_.
I’m arguing that religion does not belong on that list. It should be fair game. Unlike the others, it’s a choice. It’s far more dangerous than the consensual sex lives of adults, and, come to think of it, it’s the root of most slut-shaming.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/90 "2014-07-28T15:17:17Z")
> [@Lemmytheseal2](#):
>
> I’m arguing that religion does not belong on that list. It should be fair game. Unlike the others, it’s a choice. It’s far more dangerous than the consensual sex lives of adults, and, come to think of it, it’s the root of most slut-shaming.
Which religious slurs are you okay with? Is “kike” okay for Jews? “Raghead” for Muslims? Others?
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/91 "2014-07-29T13:46:26Z")
A woman who behaves like a man is a bitch.
A woman who behaves like a man sexually is a slut.
When is it okay to call a man a slut?
And read about the [Slut Walk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlutWalk)
> [@](#):
>
> SlutWalk is a transnational movement of protest marches which began on April 3, 2011, in Toronto, Ontario, with subsequent rallies occurring globally. Participants protest against explaining or excusing rape by referring to any aspect of a woman’s appearance, and call for an end to rape culture.The rallies began after Constable Michael Sanguinetti, a Toronto Police officer, suggested that “women should avoid dressing like sluts” as a precaution against unwanted sexual attention.
I once saw a Montel Williams show where he interviewed a man in prison for impregnating a ten year old girl. His excuse? Well, she had a crush on me and dressed like Britany Spears.
Yeah, right. Little slut was asking for it.
ETA: In answer to the OP’s question: ABSOLUTELY NEVER.
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### Author:  [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/92 "2014-07-29T18:51:31Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#):
>
> Which religious slurs are you okay with? Is “kike” okay for Jews? “Raghead” for Muslims? Others?
“Kike” is actually an ethnic slur, since it originated (AFAIK) as a slur used by Germanic and other Central European Jews against the Eastern European Jews who were arriving. The newcomers supposedly weren’t assimilating, and they were making the established Jews look bad, etc.
Not all Muslims wear rags on their heads, and besides, ugly and stifling fashion choices are far from the worst thing about Islam!
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/93 "2014-07-29T19:22:57Z")
> [@Lemmytheseal2](#):
>
> “Kike” is actually an ethnic slur, since it originated (AFAIK) as a slur used by Germanic and other Central European Jews against the Eastern European Jews who were arriving. The newcomers supposedly weren’t assimilating, and they were making the established Jews look bad, etc.
>
> Not all Muslims wear rags on their heads, and besides, ugly and stifling fashion choices are far from the worst thing about Islam!
Okay, so you’re okay with certain religious slurs. I’m not.
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### Author:  [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-okay-to-call-a-woman-a-slut/693883/94 "2014-07-31T06:26:10Z")
No one has quoted the definitive source of expertise on this and so many other things: Fox News.
There is a dating show called The Bachelorette, where it happened that 27-year-old Andi Dorfman chose Josh Murray over Nick Viall, but had, during the course of the show, slept with Nick.
Naturally Fox News Anchor Bob Beckel called ‘Bachelorette’ Andi Dorfman a slut.
> **[Fox News Host Bob Beckel Calls 'Bachelorette' Andi Dorfman A 'Slut'](https://www.etonline.com/news/149097_fox_anchor_bob_beckel_calls_bachelorette_andi_dorfman_a_slut)**
>
> The 65-year-old host Bob Beckel is offended that Andi Dorfman would sleep with more than one man.
Well Dopers?
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