We Went to Amber Rose’s SlutWalk and it Was Awesome

Amber Rose’s long-awaited SlutWalk happened in Los Angeles yesterday and it delivered on its promise of making a strong statement against woman shaming. The event is particularly poignant given that Rose has been consistently skewered in the press and on social media for her blatant and unapologetic sex appeal, especially following her divorce filing from rapper Wiz Khalifa and birth of son, Sebastian. Women came out in droves to march against gender inequality, sexual violence and the stigmatization of women’s sexuality. Although SlutWalks have been primarily organized and attended by white women, this event drew large numbers of black women.

A Few Facts on the Movement

The SlutWalk movement was birthed in Toronto in 2011 to protest the excuse of rape due to a woman’s appearance. The protests began shortly after a Toronto police officer insisted women should stop dressing like sluts to avoid getting raped. Women often march in lingerie to further drive home the point that responsibility for sexual violence lies with those who perpetrate it, not in what a woman chooses to wear

But why the name?

The term “Slut” admittedly has strong negative connotations associated with it. The objective of using this phrase is to spark the same level of outrage towards issues of sexual violence, gender inequality, derogatory labeling and victim blaming.

The Day

The walk started around 11 am in the heart of downtown Los Angeles and ended with a festival in the Pershing Square Park which included a fashion show and performances from Marsha Ambrosius. Folks of all backgrounds came together to share their truths and discuss female empowerment. Rose herself lead the day alongside her mother who proved to be her daughter’s biggest fan.

Rose’s mom’s sign is in reference to a disgusting statement former boyfriend Kanye West made about Rose in a February Breakfast Club interview;

“It’s very hard for a woman to want to be with someone that’s with Amber Rose — I had to take 30 showers before I got with Kim…”

In a moment that brought her, and many in the audience, to tears Rose took the stage to share her story and express forgiveness towards both West and her estranged husband (After her divorce filing Wiz took shots at Amber in his song ‘For Everybody’: “Man, I fell in love with a stripper, funny thing is I fell back out of love quicker.… Bottles be turning these girls into thots, Instagram turning these wives into ho’s.”)

She encouraged the audience to forgive male ignorance and move towards supporting other women who are struggling.

“Let’s all come together and be positive role models for each other and let that negative sh*t go.”

There was a “Wall of No Shame” where participants could share their stories and words of encouragement.

At 3 pm on the dot, participants were encouraged to #floodthefeed on their social media platforms with photos under the #amberroseslutwalk tag. This act alone made #amberroseslutwalk the number 1 trending topic in the world for hours. All in all, Rose has made a very impressive mark in the world of social activism with this event.

Take a peek at the photos below of the stunning women who showed out in support of the empowering day.

Have any of you attended a SlutWalk or similar event? Share your experience below!