We’ve all heard of the dreaded term “Walk Of Shame.” You wake up in the morning with someone from the night before. It was fun, and now you’re making your way out of their place, back to yours. Your head hangs low, and you sincerely hope no one sees you. Maybe no one will realize you’re wearing the same clothes you wore last night, or that your makeup from going out is still the same, just a little smudged.
Newsflash! The so-called “walk of shame” is not a big deal, and we should stop making it one.
You went out, had a good night, met someone, and that’s why you’re walking home or to your car this morning. Who cares? It’s been stigmatized for way too long. Our honor and reputation are at risk, right? Right?! After all, you weren’t the only person out last night.
There’s no reason to feel ashamed. In fact, the “walk of shame” is a two-way street. When I spoke with a social worker, she stated: “It’s a two-way street. If a woman shows up wearing the same clothes, it’s shameful. If a man shows up in the same clothes as yesterday, he’s receiving high fives!” It’s time for this double standard to end.
It’s not like this is a new double standard, either. It’s been around for as long as many of us can remember. If a guy does something, congratulations to him. But if a woman does the same, we call it shameful. So, no, that’s not how this should work.
Unfortunately, it seems that it’s women shaming women more than men shaming women.
A lot of men don’t even realize you’re wearing the same outfit because most of the time, they’re not paying that much attention. Who does notice, though? Women. We notice if another woman is wearing the same dress, the same blouse, the same everything. Women will gossip among each other about what may have happened.
Then, rumors start flying left and right. We talk about how this person must have been doing something shameful, which we can judge. That’s the only reason they’d be looking like that, right? Stop shaming each other! There’s a saying I’ve always heard, “Don’t throw stones when you live in a glass house.” Unless you’ve never done anything sexual, don’t shame anyone for doing it.
Think about it, hard. If you wouldn’t want anyone to comment on your actions, you shouldn’t comment on anyone else’s. It’s easy to gossip about other people, and it’s definitely easy to buy into mob mentality. You’ll hear everyone else making comments, and the desire to fit in is going to get overwhelming. You’ll want to join. Actually, even if you don’t want to join, it’s almost expected of you.
Here’s the deal, though. Instead of ripping another person down for doing something that most of us have done, let’s build each other up. It’s time to tear the “walk of shame” double standard to the ground, burn it, bury it, and call it done. Having relations with people isn’t shameful. Sex is sex. Whether you’re a man or woman, it’s just sex. If two consenting adults were involved, shut up, stop shaming them, and realize that it’s not a big deal. And it’s really no one else’s business.
Featured image via Valeria Boltneva on Pexels
