Bitch. Whore. Slut. Tease. All these derogatory words against women have been thrown around since they have been invented. Alyssa Skinner has a different idea for these words. What started out as a project in a graphic design college class, has turned into a cosmetic company and a national movement.
The Smear Campaign is a cosmetics company that advocates for healthy and responsible sexual education, awareness and autonomy for women worldwide. They aim to create healthier perspectives of female sexuality and give women the knowledge to make their own choices in regards to sexual, intimate or reproductive health without fear or reprisal. In other words, who says being a slut is a bad thing? Why have we been taught that a woman’s value is tied directly to her sexuality? With all the numbers that we are labeled by, (height, weight, salary, GPA) why do we have to add number of sexual partners to the abyss of societal judgment?
The first step is to start the conversation. The store features shirts with the message “Moons Out, Boobs Out.” They also have shades of lipstick with names like “Bitch” and “Slut” with the word boldly printed on the side. These provocative messages will get people think about why sexual assault victims are blamed, and why sexual freedom for women is frowned upon.
When asked about why she chose to use these words, Alyssa said, “Words fascinate me. The idea that a group of letters has so much power over a person, or garners such a reaction because of the meaning that society gives to those letters fascinates me…In a world where so many images and words are being thrown at us from all types of media, as a population we have become a bit desensitized. We needed words that stopped people in their tracks. Words that made someone go – “wait, what?”
The Smear Campaign does not want to get rid of these words. In fact, the want to use them, but in a more empowering way. Call up your bitches for a night out and/or hungover brunch in the morning. Tease that boy into liking you and then stop showing interest, just for the fun of it. Slut around town in your favorite miniskirt and wedges.
Alyssa, you are one bad bitch..
[via Smear Campaign]
Image via Instagram
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