Amber Rose is not a name I’d ever have occasion to recognize. Yet, her presence has blown up over the last few years for normal, trashy-celebrity, reasons. Romantic links to powerful men, a clothing line, provocative social media engagement, red carpet “outfits”, and modeling contracts have augmented her celebrity beyond what should be called for. Add on a handful of television appearances, lest the daily reminders of her vapidity should wear off between her demographic switching their glances from phone screens to television screens, and you’ve got a fame fueled piece of socialite news.
There is no real reason to know who she is or to remember where she came from. She has not contributed much artistically or socially to the world. Though, this past weekend she was crowned the queen of feminism for the next five minutes.
Rose held a “Slut Walk” in L.A. on Saturday. She really did. The walk was meant to “empower women” through an organized protest about apparent double standards and whatever “slut shaming” is supposed to be about. Hundreds of supporters came out. Women were dressed in their finery, from lingerie to other revealing clothes. This is not the first “Slut Walk”, but it has been perhaps the most publicized.
The event is being lauded as a loud cry for feminism. Rose is being lauded for her brazen fight against, well, being told to conduct herself differently. Really what it seemed like was a loud cry for Rose saying she should be able to do whatever she wants and not reap any consequences.
In a speech she broke down about terrible things that her ex-husband, Wiz Khalifa, and her ex-boyfriend, Kanye West, have said in interviews. West’s comment that he had to take, “30 showers” before being with now wife, Kim Kardashian, was countered with a sign held by Rose’s mother that read, “F–k yo 30 showers”. It was hard to see the event as anything but a giant pity party for Rose’s feelings. In fact, media coverage has been spare about anything but Rose. This seems more like a publicity stunt to keep Amber Rose in the limelight than was is to empower women.
But the topic du jour has made ways for people like this to twist the truth into something that suits them. It doesn’t help that there are men saying dumb things to hurt women’s feelings, then all men have to be held responsible.
Signs like, “Strippers have feelings too” were held up during the event. Even by Rose who has admitted that the “financial pressure” to support her family drove her to perform as a stripper when she was just 15.
The objectification of women has been convoluted by the media and the left for a long time.
Women don’t just have a right to their bodies, they also have a responsibility to treat themselves with respect. When you don a string bikini and dance on a pole, you are not demanding respect. You are not inviting someone to consider your feelings. You are not asking someone to see you as a human being. The world is full of creeps. Being half-naked and wondering why you’re being objectified by creeps seems more than a little ignorant.
Women like Rose want to have their cake and eat it too. They want to wear whatever they want in a world where there are people who can’t be trusted to respect their bodies. The first line of defense is to respect your own body first. Women should be empowered to stick up for themselves, not point the finger at people who very likely are unwilling to change.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that rape is right or that women ask for it in anyway. They don’t. But the best offense is a good defense. There are still men in this world and in this country who want to hurt women.
Don’t cover yourself in raw meat and go into the lion’s den. Maybe just don’t go into the lion’s den at all.
