Creep shaming

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(Removed obviously bias, unfounded, inaccurate, and mean-spirited opinions in favor of a rational summary of the term. Please keep this mature.)
(Relationship with slut shaming)
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==Relationship with slut shaming==
 
==Relationship with slut shaming==
Practitioners of slut shaming and the anti-creep-shaming crowd are making the same fundamental assumption about human [[sexuality]]. Both are essentially arguments from [[biological determinism]]. Slut shaming operates under the assumption that women are not supposed to be sexually active and/or have sexual desires. Those who decry creep shaming are taking the related traditionalist argument, that the male sex-drive is all-powerful and therefore [[Naturalistic fallacy|it is inappropriate to criticize]] "creeps" for being slaves to their genitalia: a concept which might itself be called creepy.
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Practitioners of slut shaming and the anti-creep-shaming crowd are making the same fundamental assumption about human [[sexuality]]. Both are essentially arguments from [[biological determinism]]. Slut shaming operates under the assumption that women are not supposed to be sexually active and/or have sexual desires. Those who decry creep shaming are taking the related traditionalist argument, that the male sex-drive is all-powerful and therefore [[Naturalistic fallacy|it is inappropriate to criticize]] "creeps" for being slaves to their genitalia.
  
 
==Footnotes==
 
==Footnotes==

Revision as of 23:17, 17 December 2013

Part of a series on

Gender

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Arguably, the worst thing a woman can say to a man, short of false accusations of rape, battery, molestation or sexual harassment, is the word "creep."
—"John the Other"[1]

"Creep shaming" is shaming someone by describing him[2] or his behaviour as "creepy," or in similar terms. Creepy behavior (or men) involve things such as hitting on a woman persistently or disrespectfully, assuming she is looking for attention, failing to read obvious body language (ie., head down, reading a book, listening to music) and trying to start up a conversation, and failing to take "no" for an answer.

However, according to the men's rights activists,and other frustrated males who coined the phrase, creep shaming is a weapon that women (or feminists in particular) use to persecute men, and an example of female "privilege." The term is a takeoff on "slut shaming," and is used to suggest that the man is being made to feel ashamed just for being male rather than the specific context of how he has behaved, and that the women shaming him are saying that they don't want men to flirt with women at all.

An example of this can be seen in this comment posted on Reddit in 2011,[3] which has since become a popular talking point in both MRA and feminist circles:

Creep shaming is probably one of the most insidious and anti-equality things you can do. The ability to label men as "creepy" is just one privilege that women enjoy, and a constant source of fear of ostracizing that all men must fear in our society.

An example which had some impact in the blogosphere in 2012 occurred when blogger Jessica Wakeman posted an "open letter" about a bad dating experience which had cuilminated in her being called "mean and bitchy" as well as "crazy."[4] In the comments thread, one reader posted a lengthy comment very much taking the man's side and explaining his behaviour as a response to feeling "creep shamed."[5] Wakemen responded to this comment in her next blog, entitled "Why 'Creep Shaming' Is Total BS," again prompting hostile comments from MRA supporters.[6] Other bloggers picked up on this issue, exploring the phenomenon of creep shaming as well as connotations of the word "creep" itself.[7]

Relationship with slut shaming

Practitioners of slut shaming and the anti-creep-shaming crowd are making the same fundamental assumption about human sexuality. Both are essentially arguments from biological determinism. Slut shaming operates under the assumption that women are not supposed to be sexually active and/or have sexual desires. Those who decry creep shaming are taking the related traditionalist argument, that the male sex-drive is all-powerful and therefore it is inappropriate to criticize "creeps" for being slaves to their genitalia.

Footnotes

  1. A Voice for Men, "Use of the Word “Creep” Demonstrates Female Privilege", John the Other, March 6, 2011.
  2. In contexts where the phrase "creep shaming" is used, it's basically always a man being shamed. If there's an equivalent subculture of angry, bitter, entitled, and horny straight women out there, we haven't seen much evidence of it.
  3. Comment by AntiBigots in a Reddit thread.
  4. The Frisky, "An Open Letter To The Guy Who Called Me “Crazy”", Jessica Wakeman, April 6, 2012.
  5. Comment by ConfessionalID
  6. The Frisky, "Why “Creep Shaming” Is Total BS" Jessica Wakeman, April 6, 2012.
  7. Two examples.
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