Your UnSlut Project

Submitted by @EboniJones7

When I was in the 8th grade a close friend of mine was caught in the boy's restroom. From her point of view, her "boyfriend" persuaded her into going in there. All they did was make out. By the time we got to our Orchestra class all kinds if rumors had spread. People said that she was a slut, and that she was having sex in the bathroom with him. When we would leave I could hear people whispering and laughing around her. Whispering "slut" or "whore". It made me realize how bad "slut" shaming is. My friend became depressed and sad for months. (She's better now.) This situation and your book have made me want to make a difference. I'm starting high school in a week and I know that there will be situations where bullying will occur. I'm going to do my best to put an end to it when I come upon it.

This is what happened. One day we were walking from our Homeroom to our connection classes. The hallway I was on has the boys and girls bathroom side by side. As I walked past the boys bathroom I knew I could hear faint arguing. I turned to my other friend behind me, she just shrugged. We just ignored it.

During our connections, my other friend (we'll call her Caty, which is not her real name) walked in and she looked horrible! Her hair was a mess and her eyes were puffy. I went to comfort her and ask what was wrong, as it was my natural instinct to do so. She told me of what happened. She said, "James (I wont use his real name, so we'll call him James) told me to come into the boys bathroom so we could do something. And I believed him. I just thought he wanted to show me something. All we did was make out and one of the other boys walked in and caught us!" She had started crying harder and harder. She later explained that rumors had spread that she was a slut and a whore. Or that she went in the bathroom to have sex with him. Even some of the teachers were discreetly shaming her. She got really depressed over months.

I remember one time, a girl who we didn't even know walked past us and whispered 'slut'. It made me furious that people had to slut shame her. Me and my other friends stood up for her often, but it wouldn't make the problem go away. Caty was depressed and she even cut. She had to go to counseling and such. The "slut" shaming eventually stopped, but only because the people at my school found a new target (a girl who was also "slut" shamed for sending nudes, which was just a rumor) and I noticed how bad "slut" shaming was at my school. People make one mistake and everyone just makes it their main goal to tear them down as much as possible. I absolutely hate "slut" shaming and all bullying and it needs to be put to an end.