Slut

Slut began as a gendered insult used to shame people, especially women and femmes, for real or assumed sexual activity. Within LGBTQ+ and sex-positive communities, many people have reclaimed the word as a badge of pride that celebrates sexual freedom, multiple partners, and the refusal to feel ashamed. This reclaiming gained visibility through the SlutWalk marches, which protested victim-blaming and pushed back on the idea that how someone dresses or how much sex they have justifies harassment or assault. The related term slut-shaming names the act of stigmatizing people for their sexual choices. Whether the word reads as an insult or a celebration depends heavily on who is saying it and why.