The Vancouver SlutWalk hosted on June 1st starting out front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, and marching around the downtown core, was to speak out against slut shaming, body shaming, rape culture and encourage an empowered mindset by attempting to reclaim the word slut. A guest speaker, introduced only as Vanessa, speaks to the complexity of the reclaiming of this word. “Everybody has their own reasons for being here. Some of you may be here because you feel that you could reclaim the word slut. Some of you here, and some of you that are not here, have probably spoken out against women’s ability to reclaim that word. Some of you may have not even given consideration yet to the term slut. that word has a terrible power and has a terrible history, that conjures so many emotions and it invites so much critique.”
Approximately 70 people showed up, carrying signs and wearing as much or as little clothing as made them comfortable, to walk though the streets of Vancouver to shed a light on issues they’re passionate about. Here are a few pictures:
Before the actual walk, outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, listening to the speakers invited
One of the many groups who came with prepared signs. They say: ” Is it OKAY to rape me now?” “Cosplay does not equal consent” and “Silence is not consent!”
During the march: The woman’s sign says ” I love sex, does not mean I want to be raped.” Take note of some of the more eccentrically dressed
Crossing Granville Street: Cars were stopped and honking, chants were beginning such as “No means no, yes means yes!”
Vanessa, as quoted above, exiting the stage after an emotional retelling of the story of her sexual assault.
Journalism 11 