On Friday, April 27, University of Maine students gathered on the mall with signs and voices ready to be heard at the annual Slut Walk.
At 12:30 p.m., members of the UMaine Feminist Collective along with other organizations and volunteers met with one goal: to get people to take notice and see what they have to say. Many of the women involved in the walk chose to protest rape culture and the sexual harassment of women by wearing revealing and provocative clothing.
“Slut Walk is a way for us to promote consent and safety on our campus, by publicly showing that our bodies belong to us, and us alone,” Taylor Cray, a second-year student and vice president of the Feminist Collective, said. “It does not matter what a person is wearing, where they are, or what their level of intoxication is. No one is ever entitled to another person’s body without their consent.”
The event, originally hosted in Toronto, Canada in 2011, was created and held in response to the increasing popularity of rape news in the media. When a politician made a remark about women dressing like “sluts,” a group of men and women in Toronto took notice. They decided to speak out against the comments, and the Slut Walk was born.
“We want to make it known that sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. The Slut Walk is a huge, public representation of those ideals,” Meghan Frisard, fourth-year student and President of the Feminist Collective, said.
As part of the annual “Beautiful Week” hosted by the Feminist Collective, the event is meant to be a yearly reminder of the dangers and warning signs of sexual assault, violence, and harassment, and to let people know that dressing a certain way has no reflection on consent. The Feminist Collective members were there to inform students of what was going on, to speak their thoughts, answer questions and spread positivity and a feeling of equality.
“It is important for women on college campuses to know that they have a safe space in which they can express themselves as they please while they are learning to become who they are,” Cray said. “I encourage everyone to do more research surrounding Slut Walk as a movement, and to be aware of the fact that this event is not solely about one person or one place. This event is part of a movement to encourage individuals to speak out against sexual violence, and it is meant to be disruptive.”
Students and faculty stood on the mall watching the event. Some spoke with members and volunteers about their experiences, joining them with signs and posters.
“Beautiful Week,” otherwise known as the “Beautiful Project 2018” began on April 23, and included not only the Slut Walk, but also Body Positive tabling, the Women’s Resource Center clothes swap, a spa day and a sexual education workshop. Other events put on by the organization throughout the year include Take Back the Night, Out of Silence, the Vagina Monologues and many other campaigns, discussions and speak outs meant to raise awareness about women’s experiences in today’s society.
“Walking past this event on the mall on my way to class, I immediately felt such a sense of pride for all of the brave women standing up and participating,” Alison Cyr, a second-year student said. “It’s great to see students on campus standing up for what’s right and letting their voices be heard.”
