Is “slut” now like “nigger”—a designation that only women are allowed to use, for themselves?

The below comment from Texanne V. arrives in the wake of the news that Gloria Allred has written to the Palm Beach County state attorney requesting an investigation into whether Rush Limbaugh should be prosecuted for calling Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” last week.

Allred, writing on behalf of the Women’s Equal Rights Legal Defense and Education Fund, requested that Palm Beach County State Attorney Michael McAuliffe probe whether the conservative radio personality had violated Section 836.04 of the Florida Statutes by calling Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke the two derogatory words.

The statute stipulates that anyone who “speaks of and concerning any woman, married or unmarried, falsely and maliciously imputing to her a want of chastity” is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree. Allred explained that the statute recently came to her attention as having never been repealed, and that it could very well apply to Limbaugh’s remarks as his show is broadcast from West Palm Beach.

Texanne writes:

Is “slut” the new “n-word”? Is it more like the word “gay” or “ho”? Who will be allowed to use the word “slut”? Will this word be totally off-limits for anyone except for feminists who proudly march in “Slutwalks” or who speak out in solidarity with their sisters? Would it ever be okay for a male to use this word? Would it be acceptable to use it in reference to males?

Will we be subjected to public service announcements admonishing us to stop saying “That’s so slutty” because it will hurt the feelings of women who identify as sluts? (Is slut strictly a choice or behavior, or is it more an innate orientation?) Will the so-called anti-bully campaigns include sluts as a vulnerable population that should be identified in tolerance training? Will the courts determine that sluts should be considered a protected class?

Who gets to decide what words mean and who can say them? (Humpty Dumpty, of course!)

Posted by Lawrence Auster at March 10, 2012 12:11 PM | Send