For generations, women have been faced with a double standard about what is acceptable for them versus what is acceptable for men. Although women have made great advances over the years, they still face harassment over activities that their male counterparts would be praised for.

A term that has been used about this action is slut shaming. While some think the phrase is funny, to many the degradation of the harassment is huge. What people don’t realize is the harm that using terms and holding standards such as these can cause. So what then is slut shaming?

Slut shaming is a concept in human sexuality. In a more humanized phrase, slut shaming is when people make a woman feel inferior or guilty for acting in a sexual manner that strays from the common beliefs of how a woman should act. For example, if a man engages in sexual activities often it’s looked upon as acceptable in our society, but if a woman does the same, she is often shamed and made an outcast for not following the ‘social norm’.

Some further examples of circumstances where women are “slut-shamed” include: violating accepted dress codes by dressing in sexually provocative ways, requesting access to birth control, having premarital or casual sex, or being raped or sexually assaulted. This double standard causes a lot of pain emotionally and even physically to these acclaimed “sluts”.

Forms of slut shaming include verbal harassments on social media and in person, physical attacks, and social isolation for being a “slut”.

The hatred and poor treatment of these women can cause lifelong effects. The social isolation can cause emotional scars and depression, along with their self-esteem being nearly or completely ruined. Allowing this social double standard has more effects than we seem to realize. Let’s not allow this double standard and hatred to harm the lives of women.