Making a statement?

Everything these days is statement, statement, statement. Statement jewelry, statement t-shirts, statement handbags… What do your statement pieces say?

Will you wear a sweatshirt/t-shirt with the words "Brat" or "Gold Digger" on it?

Grazia SA got into trouble recently when they asked their Twitter followers what the definition of slut was. 

When I saw it, it got me thinking. 1) about what contributes to my perception of slut and 2) why do I use that word at all?

Hours later I heard on the radio (or UNradio – my preferred choice of media) what a furore this question caused. Unfortunately for Grazia SA they asked the question on a day that the moral police was allowed to use the internet and unleashed all kinds of regulatory flagellation on the magazine.

Now let’s face it… The word is real and gets used on a daily basis, either inter-personally or intra-personally and everyone’s check-boxes for what makes someone a slut are different. I’m sure what they (the magazine) wanted to know is what the general consensus is. And, as it turned out, they were doing a feature on “slut-shaming”. Get your 23 July issue for more.

But then my question is: why is it such an issue to label someone a slut, but it’s okay for you to wear a top with the words “Gold Digger” on it? Because it’s a kind of labeling, isn’t it? But the meaning is different, you may say. But the connotation is the same, no? Or am I giving too much gravitas to something as totally superficial and meaningless as fashion? 

Images from my favourite online store. *Conundrum!*