Slut

Slut is a term for a woman or girl who is considered to have loose sexual morals or who is sexually promiscuous. It is generally used as an insult, sexual slur or offensive term of disparagement (slut shaming). It originally meant "a dirty, slovenly woman", and is only rarely used to refer to men, generally requiring clarification by use of the terms male slut or man whore.

The first recorded use of the word was in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. He says, "Why is thy lord so sluttish, I thee pray, And is of power better clothes to bey." He is referring to the man's untidy appearance. The word has also been used to refer to dust bunnies, which were called "slut bunnies". There have been attempts to reclaim the word for girls and women, and some individuals embrace the title as a source of pride.

Etymology, common usages and synonyms

The common denotative meanings are a sexually promiscuous woman, or "an immoral or dissolute woman; prostitute." These definitions identify a slut as a person of low character—a person who lacks the ability or chooses not to exercise a power of discernment to order their affairs, similar to terms used for men, such as a cad, rake, womanizer, stud, player, male slut or man whore. The adjective slutty carries a similar connotation, but can be applied both to people and to clothing and accessories, such as Halloween costumes. The lack of a comparably popular term for men highlights the double standard in societal expectations between males and females.

Manifesto of the 343

The Manifesto of the 343 (French: manifeste des 343), was a declaration that was signed by 343 women admitting to having had an abortion, thereby exposing themselves to criminal prosecution. The manifesto appeared in the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur on April 5, 1971. It was also known as the "Manifesto of the 343 Sluts" or the "Manifesto of the 343 Bitches" ("le manifeste des 343 salopes").

The text

The text of the manifesto was written by Simone de Beauvoir. It began (translated here into English):

One million women in France have an abortion every year.
Condemned to secrecy, they have them in dangerous conditions when this procedure, performed under medical supervision, is one of the simplest.
These women are veiled in silence.
I declare that I am one of them. I have had an abortion.
Just as we demand free access to birth control, we demand the freedom to have an abortion.

Impact

The week after the manifesto appeared, the front page of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo carried a drawing attacking male politicians with the question "Qui a engrossé les 343 salopes du manifeste sur l'avortement?" ("Who got the 343 sluts [bitches] from the abortion manifesto pregnant?") This drawing by Cabu gave the manifesto its nickname.