Slut-Shaming, Whorephobia, and the Unfinished Sexual Revolution

269 Pages·2021·1.28 MB·English

by  Meredith Ralston

Slut-Shaming,
Whorephobia,
and the
Unfinished
Sexual Revolution

S LUT-S HAM I N G,
WH O R E P H O B IA,
AN D TH E
U N F I N I S H E D
S E X UAL
R EVO LUTI O N
meredith ralston

McGill-Queen’s University Press
Montreal & Kingston (cid:129) London (cid:129) Chicago
©McGill-Queen’s University Press 2021

isbn 978-0-2280-0665-7 (cloth)
isbn 978-0-2280-0798-2 (epdf)
isbn 978-0-2280-0799-9 (epub)

Legal deposit second quarter 2021
Bibliothèque nationale du Québec

Printed in Canada on acid-free paper that is 100% ancient forest free
(100% post-consumer recycled), processed chlorine free

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Nous remercions le Conseil des arts du Canada de son soutien.

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Title: Slut-shaming, whorephobia, and the unfinished sexual
revolution / Meredith Ralston.
Names: Ralston, Meredith L., author.
Description: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: Canadiana (print) 20210118512 | Canadiana (ebook)
2021011858X | isbn 9780228006657 (cloth) | isbn 9780228007982
(epdf) | isbn 9780228007999 (epub)
Subjects: lcsh: Women—Sexual behavior. | lcsh: Stigma (Social
psychology) | lcsh: Sex workers. | lcsh: Prostitution. | lcsh: Rape
culture. | lcsh: Sex.
Classification: lcc hq29 .r33 2021 | ddc 306.7082—dc23

This book was designed and typeset by studio oneonone
in 11/14 Minion.
For Lucy, Amanda, Maria, and Anna

Contents
Part One The “Good Girl” Problem
1 Rape Culture and Slut-Shaming 3
2 Sexual Double Standards and the Unfinished Sexual Revolution 25
3 The Origins of Bad Girl Stigma and Good Girl Privilege 49

Part Two The “Bad Girl” Problem
4 The Money Problem – Is Sex Work Work? 77
5 The Male Problem – Is Sex Work Violence against Women? 103
6 The Morality Problem – Is Sex Work Degrading? 128

Part Three Ending Good Girl Privilege and Bad Girl Stigma
7 Decriminalize Sex Work 155
8 Destigmatize Sex 183

Acknowledgments 209
Notes 211
Bibliography 233
Index 257

PART ONE
The “Good Girl” Problem