It's a brilliant summer weekend in Israel. While the morning heat is almost bearable now, the weather forecasts 35 degrees by noon. You throw on your comfiest jean shorts and that new tank top you bought at Zara and head out for Friday morning errands.
You can't help but smile as you walk down Allenby Street, feeling confident in your outfit, your appearance, your life. Then suddenly, you hear it: a whistle – identical to that of the Big Bad Wolf in the Red Riding Hood cartoon – coming from across the street.
You brush it off (maybe it wasn't directed at you), and continue on your way. After all, today, you're invincible. You get about a block closer to the market when you overhear the guys behind you whispering, loud enough to be heard:
"What a fine piece of ass."
"I'd tap that."
"Not if I tap that first."
"Grab her by the pussy, just like Trump."
Your smile dissolves into a frown. You beg your quivering lip to stop. But it's not just those idiotic men either. Two older women glare at you as you wait for the traffic light to turn green. "Slut!" They call out. Immediately your world comes crashing down. You are no longer 9-feet-tall, and you never want to wear that new Zara top again. You have been branded, stigmatized, degraded, simply for leaving the house to enjoy a hot summer's day.
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The guys from behind catch up, one even pinches your butt. The other blows you a kiss. You don't bother trying to tell the police. Last time was worse, last time was scarring, and you can already predict the police officer's first question when you call: "What were you wearing?" As far as society is concerned, you "brought this" on yourself...you "asked" for it. You branded yourself, they were just complying to societal norms. You are guilty. You are a SLUT.
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Well on May 12, we're taking back the word. We're acknowledging that it is not o.k. to slut shame, to whistle, to catcall, to make someone feel uncomfortable in their own skin. We will walk down the streets of Tel Aviv, from Gordon Beach all the way to Habima, with pride. We might wear that makeup we hid away after that awful night at the club, we might wear those high heels we banished for eternity, we might throw on that Zara tank top, we WILL wear what we want to without feeling sexualized.
Like Slut Walks worldwide, Slut Walk TLV aims to protest against victim blaming. No means no means no matter what you had on that day or how many men you've slept with or what you were doing at the time. We will stand up against rapists, sex offenders, sexual harassers, and attackers. We will stand as one against the four letter word more powerful than FUCK.
While strength comes from within, it also comes from numbers. Join. Check out the facebook event for details
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