Proudly baring it all for change

Breasts (and other choice body parts) were bared for a cause this year at Portland’s third annual SlutWalk, and bared rather proudly. Camaraderie was established as people compared their signage, pausing by the Shemanski Fountain at Southwest Park Avenue and Salmon Street– “end rape culture” and “no means no” being a couple favorites in the crowd.

Outfits ranged from jeans and a t-shirt to nothing at all, save for a pair of white platform heels. It was an unusual sight to see on a Sunday, but that didn’t deter the participants. To them, any day of the week was a good day to fight for change.

It was a six-month process to get this two-hour event together for Sept. 20, according to Sterling Clark, the woman who originally brought the SlutWalk to Portland in 2011. Clark organized the event with the help of sponsor Sex-Positive World, a nonprofit group that challenges the stigma of sex in our culture and educates on how consensual sex can be positive, healthy, and safe.

The slut walk is raising awareness of rape culture and victim blaming. The walk shows that just because someone dresses or acts “slutty” they should not be ashamed, or be blamed for their clothing choice if they are assaulted – a distinction backed up by research on rapes and assaults.

Five women spoke to the assembled group of about 300 persons. The speakers included Clark, event co-host Elle Stange, Gabriella Cordova (founder of Sex-Positive World), Leila Hofstein and Portland-based model Nadia Lockheart. Each speaker seemed to bring a different, yet equally important perspective to the mic.

Hofstein spoke fast, with connectivity similar to that of a slam poet as she read from her phone. She in particular raised a valid point in her words: How does race fit into the SlutWalk? Obviously, it seems like a given: The experiences of people of color should be included in the discussion around SlutWalk. However, as Clark pointed out, “Slutwalks, in general, across the world, have been called out for not being an intersectional movement: for being a homogenized, white feminist movement.”

In her brief speech, Hofstein mentioned friends who chose not to be at the SlutWalk, most likely for the reason above. In her words, “They have their own reasons for not wanting to be here today and I want to talk about that.”

It seemed as though SlutWalk Portland wanted to change that exclusive perception this year. The idea of the walk being a safe space for everyone who wanted to participate was something mentioned frequently. Clark stressed more than once how she wanted everyone to feel safe and included, despite her admission that Portland’s SlutWalk alone probably wouldn’t change the movement’s inherent whiteness.

As for all the self-proclaimed sluts who attended the walk, it seemed as though they were glad to be a part of it. Judy, age 36, said with a triumphant half-smirk that it was “really important to stand up and be recognized.” She seemed engaged in the issue, expressing what she would like to see come out of Sunday’s SlutWalk: “I would like to see a greater understanding of consent culture, as well as more understanding around the word ‘slut.’ ”

Hopefully, for Judy’s sake, Portland got the message. Directly after speeches came to a close, the crowd took to the streets. Chants such as, “Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no!” and “2-4-6-8! No more violence, no more hate!” were screamed for the whole city to hear.

Cordova, founder of Sex-Positive Portland, said something interesting. “We know that the more sexually repressed a culture is, the greater the instances of sexual violence.”

That’s essentially what the SlutWalk is here for, to challenge and change the perspective on sex, and to do whatever we can to stop sexual violence. Whether or not you’ve been a victim of sexual assault, we’re all victims of rape culture.