Abstract:
The SlutWalk movement was a direct response to a Toronto police officer’s statement
that women should avoid dressing like sluts so they do not get raped. While the marches
focused on reclaiming the term ‘slut,’ SlutWalk organizers’ mainstream feminist agenda
limited women of color from actively participating in ways that link their sexual
violence to institutionalized violence. While women of color critiqued the movement,
they still actively engaged with the movement through a combination of online and in-person
participation. A content analysis of online participation by women of color
illuminates their complicated relationship with SlutWalk more clearly and their goal to
challenge the dominant narratives in mainstream feminist movements. The exploration
of online and in-person participation, helps us understand women of color engaged with
SlutWalk as a way to resist erasure, bring visibility to critiques, and steer movement
toward a more inclusive future.
