Been around the block. Whore. Floozy. Hussy.
You know the girl, right? The girl who shows too much skin, has too much sex with too many different people, et cetera. Yup, she’s a slut. Heaven knows she doesn’t have the morals of a Proper Woman. “What’s the proper woman?” you ask? Well, simple.
The Proper Woman is sexy, but modest. She has juuust the right amount of promiscuity and innocence. Her skirt is the perfect length, because she knows it is her responsibility to fight off the desire of men. She knows that if she wears too tight clothes, too heavy makeup or too high heels, she will be raped. She knows it’s her job to fend off animalistic, sex-driven men who can’t possibly control themselves. She walks home at the right time of day, wears her clothing layered, keys between her fingers, so as to prevent assault. She knows that if she forgets any of these preventative measures, it would be her own fault if she were to be attacked.
The Proper Woman never speaks of her sex life because she knows that female sexuality is a wicked, sinful thing. She wears juuust the right amount of makeup — no one wants to see her nasty acne, but she’s not a dang showgirl. Miss Proper covers herself, but has a sexual, feminine figure. She never uses birth control and has only one sexual partner. She never posts selfies on the Internet, especially ones with cleavage. She’s modest, but she’s not a freakin’ prude.
The Proper Woman never moves her hips back and forth when she dances, because that would be slutty. She only waltzes and line dances. She wears the perfect height of heels, ’cause she won’t be caught dead in hooker heels! The Proper Woman is, of course, heterosexual, because everyone knows lesbians and bisexuals are raging whores. She never wears red nail polish or sexy underwear. But heaven knows she won’t be caught in granny panties!
When Miss Proper walks down the street in her cotton T-shirt and stylish (not too tight!) jeans, and random men shout obscene things at her or pinch her butt as she walks by, she just smiles and takes it as a compliment because she is aware that the moment she walks out into public, her body becomes public property — to be gawked, whistled and howled at. The Proper Woman knows that she is a sexual object, but she knows she’s not allowed to act, think or look sexual, because that would make her a slut.
The Proper Woman doesn’t make a fuss with silly things like bodily autonomy, sexual freedom and reproductive rights because, goodness gracious, she’s not a tramp! She knows she must compete with other women to be the most modest, pure, sexy, beautiful and humble one of them all. She knows that the approval and admiration of men is the most worthy goal she could ever achieve. And to achieve this, she must not be a slut.
Do you know the Proper Woman?
LoRae Blackmore is in Grade 12 at Prince Charles Secondary School. The Teen Take is a column co-ordinated by Creston’s Teen Action Committee.