Sarah Leamon: Premier Christy Clark, B.C.'s wolf cull, slut shaming, and hypocrisy

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      Slut shaming. It seems like it never stops.

      This time it’s our Premier Christy Clark taking aim at Miley Cyrus and Pamela Anderson. The issue: British Columbia’s annual wolf cull.

      By way of background, the wolf cull is part of our provincial government’s five-year plan to help save endangered caribou. With only seven herds of wild caribou left in the northeast, the survival of the species hangs in the balance. Scientists estimate that, in that region, wolves are responsible for approximately 40 percent of caribou deaths in four of the seven herds. 

      Tom Ethier, an assistant deputy minister with the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, supports the cull, although, as many environmentalists have pointed out, its overall effectiveness in preserving the caribou population is up for debate.  

      Both Anderson and Cyrus have been outspoken in their opposition to the wolf cull. Having recently visited our province with the Pacific Wild non-profit organization, Cyrus has said that she believes it is “...wrong.” She has also spoken out about trophy hunting, voicing her opposition to the practice and describing it as both unsustainable and horrific.

      Anderson has expressed similar views, going so far as to pen an open letter to Clark asking that our government find a better way to protect the dwindling caribou populations. She suggested environmental conservation projects, stating that the wolf cull will do nothing if caribou do not have a protected habitat to thrive in. 

      Whether you agree with them or not, it is clear that both of these women have done their research and are not only vocal in their opinions, but also informed.

      In response to their concerns, however, our premier was not so thoughtful. Instead of devising an intelligent rebuttal or engaging their concerns, Clark was quoted as saying “...if we ever need help with our twerking policy, we’ll go to [Miley Cyrus].” She went on to further dismiss the issue by adding that “...both Pamela Anderson and Miley Cyrus, when they open up their closets, they probably don’t find a lot of clothes.”

      There is absolutely no logical connection between the wolf cull and the premier’s comments—but Clark wasn’t speaking from a place of logic when she said what she said. Instead, she was relying on petty personal insults in order to slough off a serious environmental issue—and these aren’t any kinds of insults either, these are insults that are aimed to slut shame.

      Slut shaming describes a very specific form of social stigma wherein (mainly) women are targeted and shamed for their perceived sexual transgressions. Women can fall victim to slut shaming for almost anything—from their actions, to their appearance, to the words they use—it seems that nothing is off-limits. The practical effect of slut shaming is just that—shaming. It is used in an attempt to undermine women, to discredit them, and ultimately to silence them.

      By slut shaming Cyrus and Anderson, our premier was engaging in a harmful social dialogue that dismisses women as trivial, frivolous, and unimportant, simply because of their sex and their sexuality. In making her statements, Clark was effectively saying that women cannot have both serious opinions and a sexuality identity. As a woman herself, shouldn’t Clark know better?

      She should. After all, it wasn’t long ago that she herself became the victim of slut shaming. 

      In October, 2011, Clark was criticized for her appearance during a question period when she wore a simple black v-neck shirt under a blazer. It sounds (and was) benign, but it was also enough to ignite a controversy over whether or not the premier had revealed too much cleavage for politics. Clark spoke back to the controversy, saying that it will be impossible for young female leaders to excel in an environment where they are subject to such an unreasonable level of scrutiny over such irrelevant matters. 

      And she was right.

      But the point that she made isn’t exclusive to young female leaders. All women, regardless of their ambitions—whether they want to go into politics, have a career in music, or become an actress—should be treated with respect. 

      The hypocrisy in this situation demonstrates the insidious nature of the societal structures that have been created to both silence and shame women. The fact that the silenced has now become the silencer shows us that this isn’t a case of "us against them". 

      As women, we have a responsibility to be cognizant of the effect that our words have on other women and refrain from slut shaming one another. At the end of the day, it’s really just that simple. 

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