Friday 10 June ยท 7pm – 9pm
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Location – Meeting outside Manchester Town Hall
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On 24th January 2011, a Toronto policeman told a group of law students that in order to avoid being raped ‘women should avoid dressing like sluts’.
This sparked protest and outrage around the world because this statement
represents an attitude in our society. That if we behave or dress in certain
ways, we deserve to be raped.
Rape is NEVER the fault of the survivor.
…..
SlutWalk Manchester says that nobody deserves rape. If we wear revealing
clothes. If we are drunk. If we walk home alone late at night. If we flirt
with you. If we are married to you. If we are sex workers. If we defy gender
norms. WE DO NOT INVITE SEXUAL ASSAULT.
SlutWalk Manchester does not just fight against rape, it fights against all
forms of sexual assault and harassment, right down to the last time you were
shouted at or ‘complimented’ by a stranger in the street. It fights against
sexism and promotes feminism.
We are tired of being oppressed by slut-shaming; of being judged by our
sexuality and feeling unsafe as a result. Being in charge of our sexual
lives should not mean that we are opening ourselves to an expectation of
violence, regardless if we participate in sex for pleasure or work, or if we
choose not to have sex at all..
SlutWalk Manchester aims to reclaim the word slut, but it is important for
us to remember that not everyone who fights sexual assault is comfortable
being called a slut. It is a loaded term which is used to control people.
For some who have experience of sexual assault it may be a difficult and
triggering term. Call yourself a slut if you want to, and shout it from the
rooftops! But don’t call anyone else a slut unless you know they are also
comfortable reclaiming the word.
Even if you’re asexual, even if you’ve never had sex, don’t find sex
important, do not find the word “slut” empowering, this march is for you –
because we don’t just want to reclaim what slut means, we want to erradicate
the notion of being able to criminalise, victimise, or confine some one
through this social construct of a “slut!”
We will be meeting at 7pm on Friday the 10th of June outside Manchester Town
Hall. Directions and a full map of the march will be posted soon, once the
route has been checked for accessibility. The march will be followed by an
after event, details TBC!
This is NOT a women only march, we invite all genders to unite to fight
against sexual assault because sexual assault affects us all.
There will be no tolerance of transphobia in SlutWalk Manchester. Any
transphobic comments will be deleted from this event page but will be kept
and made available on request. SlutWalk is inclusive and respectful of ALL
genders.
The march will be accessible to wheelchair users and the pace will be set by
the slowest marcher. However it may not be an accessible event for
everybody, it will be a busy and noisy evening march through places where we
may encounter people who are hostile to us. Please contact us if you would
like any more access information.
Come as you are. Wear what you want. Bring banners and megaphones. March.
Fight back. All sluts and allies welcome.
Email: slutwalkmanchester@gmail.com