Stereotypically, heterosexual men are often repulsed by the word feminism. Although the word itself has a hint of feminine energy, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, feminism is “the belief that women should be allowed the same rights, power, and opportunities as men and be treated in the same way.” So why are men, specifically white heterosexual men, so intimidated by feminism? Maybe they just don’t know the proper definition of the word and assume that it is supporting the opposition. Perhaps they are terrified of the idea that women are just as powerful as them. Whatever the reasoning, the double standards for men and women are frustrating. Typically, men are praised for their sexual encounters whilst women are labelled the most horrendous things for the exact same actions or presumed sexual activity level. Females are often humiliated through degradation for their sexuality. By making a female feel shamed for their promiscuity, society is linking a higher sexual
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activity level to a lower self-worth as a human being. Lorna Ann-Elizabeth, a sex-positive woman and activist from Stirling says “I’ve always known I was a very sexual person and never had a struggle knowing my sexual orientation, but I definitely was not sex positive until my 30s. I just didn’t know I could be! Until I saw other women on social media talking about sex openly and masturbation without any fear, it relaxed me.” We see many examples of slut-shaming in modern television, film, and society. ‘Double Standard’ is a 1988 film produced in Europe that defines a man who has sexual encounters as a man being a man. Yet a woman who has sexual encounters is labelled as ‘defiled forever’ – meaning the people who have sex with her are lazy pleasure filled people. The men are often seen admiring the women or even having sex with them, even though they claim to despise them at the same time. Lorna and many other women heavily relate to
