Slut shaming, sexism and cultural double standard in adolescence: How the “slut” stigma relates to victim blaming and rape myths

Slut shaming is defined as the stigmatization of an individual because of his or her appearance,
including clothing, hair or make-up, actual or perceived sexual availability and sexual behavior.
This stigmatization is reflected in social and relational sanctions, such as rumors, ostracism or
insults, such as "slut", "slang", "fag" (Armstrong, Hamilton, Armstrong & Seeley, 2014; Robinson,
2005). “Doing gender” is a learning process (West et Zimmerman, 1987) and slut shaming
discourse is co-constructed in interaction with peers. Whereas participating in the adolescent
gender fabric, slut shaming perpetuates stigma and sexist violence (Bamberg, 2004; Duru-Bellat,
2017). We conducted 8 mixt and non-mixt focus groups with adolescents aged 15 to 18 (N=43)
addressing dating violence and sexist and sexual cyberviolences. Thematic analyses permitted to identify indicators of slut shaming discourse in adolescents’ gendered performance. Participants’
productions reactivate developmental and identary preoccupations, namely how to define and
position oneself regarding gendered issues and traditional gender roles in post-modernist
context, with regard to one’s own socio-cultural environment and school culture. Slut shaming is
embedded of young girls’ daily lives as well as they may affix the “slut” stigma to other girls.
Sexualized self-presentation is highly codified since adolescence and may be sanctioned,
according to a double standard. In other words, what young people describe as “peer’s gaze”
seems to participate to shape their masculinities and femininities in construction. Issues of victim
blaming, reaffirmation of rape myth and sexism appear to be related to slut shaming discourse.